Ultimate Selection Recruitment

Fact: There is a skills shortage. You know this right? Despite this, many employers are still not changing anything about their hiring practice.

So where do we start? We need to understand, it’s no longer about us ‘choosing them’. It’s much more about ‘them choosing us’.

We are being judged by our hiring process, our interview technique, our company ethos, our salaries, benefits, work-style flexibility and learning opportunities. We need to evaluate all of this and ask ourselves honestly, “Are we attractive to new talent? Do we measure up to our competition? More importantly, are we better!?

The reality is that in 2022, if we want to hire quality talent, we need to:

• Move much faster
• Reduce the steps in the hiring process
• Work much harder to understand a candidate’s ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors.
• Offer flexibility in terms of working arrangements.
• Interview better and take the time to get to know the candidate and what they want and need.
• Be articulate in explaining how our vacant role meets their needs.
• Be prepared to give authentic answers on culture, management style, learning opportunities etc.
• Be in tune with a shift in candidate motivation.
• We must sell ourselves, our company, and our vacant roles.

Take advice from trusted agency recruiters who are at the sharp end and know what candidates are thinking.

I would strongly encourage you to re-invent how you view the power dynamic in hiring now, or you will likely count the cost sooner rather than later.

Here are some more specific ideas to help us construct our recruitment planning for 2022.

Be Flexible

Traditional compensation models and office environments are appealing to no one. In today’s intrapreneurial age, flexibility is key to retaining talent. Consider allowing employees to work from home some days. Make sure candidates know you are all for work-life balance and individuality.

If a potential recruit thinks work pressure at your company can affect their personal life, they may bounce. An open environment office is another great option. To keep the employees entertained, you can also have friendly sports matches.

Many tech-enabled people see employers as facilitators. They crave greater control over their work. Because of that, Netflix has made “encouraged independent decision-making” a part of its HR policy. The company lets its workers have a bigger say over how they manage their time.

Let Employees be Brand Ambassadors

Your employees are your built-in chain of connections. Along with business cards, give each worker a deck of “recruitment cards.” Whenever an employee meets someone interesting that can bring value to your company, they can slip them one of those.

An ego boost is sure to pique interest in the opportunities you offer. Your team can create talent ambassador LinkedIn profiles to attract top talent. Take time to generate content that describes your company culture well. Encourage your team to write reviews on Indeed, Glassdoor, and other similar platforms.

In case a deck of cards doesn’t seal the deal, offer referral incentives. You can count on your workers to refer stellar candidates when they are well-motivated. You get quality talent and they get a couple of extra perks. You don’t have to offer them money. A prime parking spot or some extra holiday days may do the trick.

Host an Interactive Open House

Let the general public take a peek behind your doors. You can organize an open house at your local office. For better results, you can plan a larger company event and organize a job fair together with a non-competing business in your town or city.

Offer potential employees a fun way to engage with you. All generations like hands-on, interactive learning. Use it to better show what your company does.

You know a candidate has a genuine interest when they are willing to do more than just attach a resume to an email. This way, you’ll make sure to attract the most enthusiastic candidates. Present yourself as an in-person engagement leader.

Good Mixers

Less homogenous work environments make workers more aware of their potential biases, according to Harvard Business Review. And, according to a McKinsey study, businesses are 43% more likely to earn higher profits if they have very diverse boards. We try to seek better answers when we work with someone who thinks differently.

People use “diversity” as a buzzword without being aware of its link to success. When hiring, emphasize the key benefits of a culturally diverse company.

Use Social Media the Right Way

Since everyone can pay for social media ads, you need to go beyond that. Use savvy social media techniques before you open the position to the public. Find LinkedIn or Facebook groups that cater to the talent you want.

Look for people with the right prior experience on LinkedIn. Use keywords related to the skills needed for the job to search on Instagram and Twitter. Learn where the perfect candidate hangs out on social media.

Reach Out to Old Employees

Of all of your previous employees, you likely weren’t happy to see some of them leave. Think about it: who left on good terms? Was it because of the money? Or a better offer? Figure out why. You’ll have to offer them better terms. But, it can save you lots of training costs, as well as time and energy. You can rest assured that they truly care about the company if they come back.

Let Them Give Back

The paycheck isn’t the only thing that makes someone go to work. People like to think they have an impact. Most employees want to contribute to the greater good. You can give employees an extra week to volunteer at a charity.

Let them choose which one. Use the perk as an interview question. You’ll let candidates know you care about their interests and that you really want to motivate them.

Conclusion

In such a crowded marketplace, these strategies can help you find the best talent. But, don’t neglect proven “tricks” that work. Your reputation will attract the best candidates if you treat people well. Make sure the policies and benefits fit the talent you need. Show that you are proud of the company you are building.

If you like the sound of the advice above but are limited by time and the resources to achieve what is required yourself, talk to a trusted recruiter, strike up a partnership, work together on a recruitment plan and find the right talent for your business. The best recruiters will already be working in a way that mirrors that which I’ve outlined above. It’s certainly how we do things at Ultimate Selection Recruitment. So get a headstart, give us a call and see how we can help you attract the right talent for your business in 2022.