Employment openings continue to skyrocket, with more than 10 million jobs needing to be filled — a significant increase from the 9.5 million job openings in May. In numerous industries and all over the country, businesses are struggling to not only find top talent, but employ enough staff to fill even entry-level positions.
Human resource personnel have become overwhelmed as businesses find themselves competing for the services of any given candidate. This has forced many employers to compromise recruiting criteria. Putting the proper hiring process on the back burner to make a quick hire can have negative impacts on your business and entire workforce culture.
So, what’s a business to do to be able to competently fill all staffing needs during this long-lasting hiring crunch?
Here Are Some Important Recruiting Practices We Suggest:
Look at your job openings through the eyes of potential employees. Most of us look at our business in a different light than job seekers. Employers tend to have a self-serving outlook when defining the job to potential candidates. Now is the time to be empathetic in remembering how it feels to have a fear of the unknown and the concerns and apprehensions that always accompany a new job. And remember that normal anxieties have been exacerbated during this time of COVID-19 uncertainty.
- Know who you are: Before you think about who you need to hire, step back and think about who you are as a company. Oftentimes, businesses make the mistake of putting off defining core values for a day far in the future. Defining your values now is key to growing your business for the long term. Ask yourself four questions: What is our mission, what do we value, how are we different, and how does that translate to being a great place to work?
- Recognize what the best employers do: What does your competition pay for the positions you are looking to hire in your own organization? Is your benefits package competitive? In today’s climate, benefit plans such as medical and dental insurance are a “must have” in attracting and retaining top talent. Retirement plans such as a 401 (k) and paid holidays are also considered a given.
- Involve current team members: Have you surveyed your employees for input and evaluated their satisfaction with pay and benefits? The answers to all these questions define company culture and provide a roadmap to the kind of people you can attract, develop, and retain. Most candidates take their cue from employees they meet.
- Take care of your existing employees first: A recent survey by Monster.com reported that more than 90% of surveyed workers are considering changing jobs or even their industry. Another resource is to periodically review reputable outside employee surveys to fine tune and update your culture, benefits, and perks to employees. Ensure your pay and benefits packages aren’t only competitive for the new hires you wish to attract, but for the current workforce you wish to keep.
- Make it a great experience: Translate the great work experience of your workforce into a great candidate-hiring experience. Standardize the process by removing barriers to applying. Eliminate the cumbersome job applications where job seekers need to re-enter information on their resume or create a login without help. Whatever you can do to make it easy for candidates to apply, do it. Candidates can see quality in a company with standard procedures. Having a standardized hiring process is one of the core advantages of using an applicant-tracking system. By running every candidate through the same hiring workflow, you teach hiring managers best practices, help remove potential bias and subjectivity, and give candidates a consistently positive experience with your company.
- Always be hiring: The wrong time to start hiring is when you needed a person in the door yesterday. By always keeping a lookout for top talent, you build a hiring pipeline. When you’re in a bind, you have someone to call without jumping into the recruitment process and waiting for new job board applicants.
- Hire like you sell: A great sales leader builds processes, sets goals, and holds people accountable for results. These processes and goals pave the way for those results. Treat your hiring process like your sales process: form a compelling offer, qualify prospects, follow up quickly and regularly, define the process, and track results.
- Quality matters more than quantity: It’s great to see 100-plus applicants apply to your job. It’s less exciting when none of them are qualified candidates. While volume in hiring can be helpful, it’s more effective to attract candidates who would be a good fit, even if they are fewer in number. Don’t “settle” if you have reservations or out of desperation.
- Use the latest tools and techniques:
A) Exploit all avenues to reach candidates through emails, websites, and social media as well as traditional print, radio, and TV spots where applicable.
B) Try an employee before offering a permanent position. Be open to the idea of allowing candidates to work remotely where possible. This can be beneficial to your company and the candidate – after all, both of you wish to find the perfect fit before making a long-term commitment.
C) Don’t be afraid to outsource. As a Profession Employer Organization (PEO), Employer Advantage leans on our sister company, Hire Advantage, for quality recruiting and staffing solutions for our many clients with hiring needs.
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About Employer Advantage
A New Path to HR Bliss – Trusted for more than 30 years, Employer Advantage frees you from the administrative and compliance burdens of having employees so you can focus on your business success. Versatile enough for companies of all sizes, our unique service combines comprehensive management of your employee administration and compliance with the latest software solutions, tailored to meet your individual needs and company culture. Our full-service management of Human Resources, payroll, health and benefits, workplace safety, and more enhance your profitability while reducing the costs and risks associated with employment law compliance. We provide your employees with top-notch assistance and benefits that help you increase productivity, save time and money, and attract and retain a talented workforce. And for small and mid-sized businesses, we bring you economy of scale with access to Fortune-500-level benefits, specialty assistance, and savings that would not be possible to attain on your own. Headquartered in the Midwest and serving more than 500 companies and 10,000 worksite employees throughout the country, Employer Advantage is an IRS-Certified Professional Employer Organization (PEO) (CPEO). Experienced, certified, and trusted. www.EmployerAdvantage.com
