Times are tough if you’re looking to hire. There’s a worker shortage, an ongoing pandemic, a rise in costs, a supply chain issue, and a range of other challenges for employers. So if you need to hire in order to complete projects or get orders out the door, where do you even begin in today’s market? Here are some tips to help you:
Find out how to appeal to candidates.
What your candidates want is going to be different from candidates in another industry or type of work. So find out what’s important to those you’re looking to hire. Should you be focusing on higher wages, scheduling flexibility, career advancement opportunities, or other important benefits?
Don’t make any assumptions, either. Keep in mind that the past two years have created a big shift in the priorities and perspectives of many people. While money might have been the most important driving factor in the past, work-life balance is more attractive now, too.
One of the best places to learn about what to offer candidates is to ask your employees. Talk to them about benefits and perks that appeal to them most. There’s often a disconnect between the corner office and front line workers, so having these conversations will give you some valuable insight into what will appeal most to candidates.
Make the recruiting process candidate-centric.
In the past, candidates were treated like second-class citizens. They’d apply for dozens of jobs and wait patiently without hearing a word. Today, though, if you want the best ones to apply and interview, it’s important to design your application process around a better experience.
Make it easy to apply. Respond to every candidate, even if they’re not a fit for you, at least with an auto-reply email. Make sure the interview process is as efficient as possible, so your competitors don’t scoop up your top-pick candidates. And keep candidates in the loop during the hiring process. If your candidate is in the dark and frustrated, they will move on to other opportunities with a bad taste left in their mouth about your company.
Build a strong online presence.
You should be communicating and promoting your company culture internally, as well as publicly. When you have a strong presence on social media and online, potential employees will get a stronger sense of what it’s like to work for you. And if your company comes across as a positive and innovative place to work, you’ll have a better chance at attracting and recruiting the best people. So post content, whether articles, blogs, videos, photos, and more that bring your culture to life, so candidates get exciting about working for you.
Ensure compensation is more than competitive.
While perks, like scheduling flexibility, are more important than ever to today’s candidates, compensation will always be key. So beef up what you’re offering wherever you can, whether it’s with actual salary or through a more generous health insurance package, extra vacation days, or other hiring perks.
Also, talk about salary and compensation from the beginning, so candidates don’t feel like you’re trying to hide it from them. This will also help them determine whether your opportunity is the right fit – with minimal time wasted if it’s not.
Need help filling your job openings?
As one of Spokane’s leading recruitment teams, we can connect you with qualified and skilled candidates who are ready to get to work. You can focus on other priorities and goals, while we handle the hiring. Contact us today to learn more.