We all know the world is different post pandemic and the world of work is one place that has changed dramatically. A major change is the dynamic of supply and demand, hunter and hunted. Here are some reasons why you might need to shift your thinking when it comes to employing or recruiting your next team member in this current market.
1. Stop searching for a Unicorn
That perfect person that has all the skills, knows your software, has experience, has failed and overcome, has hit KPI’s all the time and will do a perfect job from day one - does not exist. Of Course, it’s understandable that you want the best person that you can find, you want the best fit in personality and dedication that is out there and you want someone you don’t have to train from scratch and comes with the ability to do the job.
What’s important now is working through what the deal breakers are.
What are the essentials and what are the ‘nice to haves’?
When you're looking for a new home you usually need to compromise on something. It's the same when you're looking for staff. Before you finalise the job description, think about what areas can be compromised and what the ‘not negotiables’ are. Stop looking for a unicorn, they don’t exist.You'll be more successful if you accept that the current candidate shortage means you need to focus less on your unicorn and more on the person who has the critical skills along with a keen desire to learn the rest.
2. Be open to remote working or to a hybrid arrangement
Remote working has been around for quite a while. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it common with many workplaces that were able to implement this change. Some workplaces such as hospitals, prisons, transport, supermarkets and other essential services can’t offer working from home arrangements which is understood. However, organisations outside of that absolutely can offer some form of flexibility or a hybrid arrangement for staff. Regardless of whether you agree with it or prefer to see everyone in the office, if you feel people are not as productive or you don’t trust your workers, things have changed.
Yes, you can decide that you want all workers on-site and that is absolutely your right, however the flip side of that is that you can’t expect to attract the best new talent with all the skills you require.
“Most are looking for flexibility, they expect a hybrid working arrangement as a minimum.”
If you stick to your guns on this issue the pool of available candidates will be limited and eventually dry up. The market has spoken on this one.
3. Time is of the essence
Gone are the days where recruiting took 4-8 weeks. Where there was 1-2 weeks around each step of the process. The days where employers could consult with different departments, stakeholders and managers or boards are no longer. Setting up rounds of 3 or 4 interviews with various people so opinions can be gathered and debated are things of the past.
In this market, it’s those that move quickly that get the results. If you want to ensure your organisation gets the best of what’s on offer then you should be prepared to conduct 1-2 interviews and essentially make an offer on or after that. Be prepared with a contract and letter of offer as quickly as possible. Candidates now have lined up several interviews over a few days, and they have the opportunity to make the selection and decide which of the companies they wish to work for and those that drag their heels are definitely missing out. If you have diagnostics or psychometric testing, sample projects etc you require, these need to be conducted early in the process, then the results will determine the need to interview and who to pursue.
Preparation in this area will definitely help you when you meet the candidate that aligns best with your company.
4. The tables have turned for now
Be realistic. The job market situation currently has created a ‘candidate market’ which is no longer driven by employers and recruiters. With the shortage of talent, overseas visa holders, and limited general international movement combined with insecurity around work and the pandemic, has created a unique situation.
Those looking to recruit a new member of their team or create a new team are faced with limited options in terms of candidates prepared to make the move and put themselves forward for the role. It’s not impossible, however it is more difficult. If you adopt these changes in attitude recommended here, you will have positioned yourself for the best possible outcome in this current climate.
Organisations can not afford to hold on to the past ways of recruiting, we have to work with what we have and while this situation will not last forever, if you need to add to your team now then a shift will be required.
5. Do not delay
This last point is probably the most important. Time slips away from the best of us. Days become weeks very easily, on that we can all agree. However, dedicating an internal person to manage this process with focus and determination is really the only way to get the job done.
Not responding to emails, phone calls and taking a long time to make decisions will see the company missing out on that perfect person. It’s so important to stay engaged with your recruiter or candidate, communicate and be prepared to set up interviews and then make a decision as quickly as humanly possible. The candidate expects a very quick turnaround now, the recruiter needs to secure them quickly and all this is driven by the hiring manager and the organisation as a whole.
These 5 shifts in attitude will yield results and no doubt help us help you in your quest to fill that role with the best person possible.
_____________________________
Creative Recruiters is Australia’s leading creative and digital recruitment agency recruiting Australia wide.
Check out our job board for regularly posted opportunities and to receive job alerts, submit your CV or if you are a freelancer looking to be included in our freelance portal get in touch.