The US is experiencing low unemployment rates and many are thrilled, however, you might find this environment challenging if you are an employer or a recruiter looking to expand or even start to create your network of talent.
So, what do you do when you find yourself recruiting in the talent crunch? Here are a few trends to consider when approaching recruitment for your business.
Speed and Simplicity
Speed and simplicity are the new currency. Long gone are the days of writing cover letters and filling out lengthy job applications. Job descriptions today look more like a tweet than a narrative. When candidates show interest in a career opportunity, they want the recruitment and engagement process to be quick and simple. Prospective employees are not willing to wait, even for the perfect job with the best fit.
Continual Engagement
Resumes lost to a black hole, lack of feedback during the interview or networking process, and unanswered emails are not acceptable anymore. These may deter future engagement or, worse, prompt a bad candidate review. Yes, candidates are now reviewing employers, so get back to them and become engaged! The moment a potential candidate lands on your website, speaks with someone at your company, or submits formal interest, the review process begins. So, it is necessary to reply to interested parties and keep in touch with potential candidates. Consider keeping candidates interested by sharing future opportunities and exciting company projects — this is a minimum in today’s market.
The GIG Economy
The mindset of many career seekers is now more project based. The trend towards a gig economy is undeniable. A gig economy is an environment where temporary, short-term, and project based assignments are fulfilled by an independent workforce. People like the idea that they have flexibility with the work they do. This flexibility may be with their hours, the length of time they engage with a company, or the projects they support. A gig economy offers ever-changing career opportunities to those in the market.
Company Culture
There has been a lot of talk in the business and HR world around company culture, inspiring debates on every topics including the pros and cons of a basketball hoop in the foyer of your business. An easy way to focus culture within an organization is to be true to your mission and business. Think about who are you as a company and what type of company you strive to develop into and show that culture to your potential candidates. Bring them to your worksite, try a working interview, let them see and experience your environment and decide if it is a right fit for both of you. This is how you help ensure successful candidate engagement and placement. You have screened for the ability, you know the candidate can do the job, so why not determine if they are the right “fit” for your company. The environment of a company is a strong determining factor if an employee will accept an offer and become a successfully contributor to your company or move on. It is better for both parties involved to know from from the start if your culture is a good match.
Happy recruiting!