The search for people with the right skill sets is an ongoing concern for HR managers. As of 2021, 69% of US companies struggled to find top talent. The job market has evolved quite a lot over the years.
Before, employers seemed to have more control. Now, recruits and employees have more deciding power. A good paycheck, for example, is not reason enough to keep an employee. Only 12% will leave a company because they’re looking for more money. Yet, this is in contrast to what 89% of employers think.
Millennials and Gen Z are the majority in job positions. Companies have had to readjust their strategies to these demographics and place skill development as a top priority. The business must expand its offering beyond good salaries and perks to attract them.
With such high demand for talent, HR must get creative in their hiring strategies. But how can they do that?
1. Outsource Recruitment
The HR department in a small company may not find it too hard to take care of the recruitment processes. But, larger companies that need to fill many positions may struggle. The same situation applies to hard-to-fill posts. This is typical in industries like life sciences, technology, manufacturing, and healthcare.
In such instances, recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) may be a viable solution. The advantages are many, including:-
- All-inclusive RPO solutions, thus faster hiring at a lower cost
- Use of AI, advanced search technologies, and social media recruiting to increase diversity
- Better decision-making through strategies like talent mapping and market intelligence
- Headhunting capabilities thus the ability to reach passive candidates. RPO recruitment companies have a talent database. They can reach out to them if a position becomes available.
Consider outsourcing some of the recruitment to RPO consulting experts. They take care of the hard work of finding suitable candidates. For the in-house HR, it frees them up to concentrate on other core areas of staff management.
2. Go Where the Right Candidates Are
Relying solely on traditional recruiting systems is no longer a good idea. Advertising job positions in print or electronic media may no longer work. The same applies to job sites.
People with the right skills know that their services are in demand. They are not likely to be on job sites or the ad pages looking for openings.
The trick is to go right where they are likely to be. Tech lovers have forums where they meet, network, and share ideas. Professional groups are plentiful on platforms like LinkedIn. Scour Reddit channels and social media networks.
Establish a presence within the groups by being active. Join the conversations and start to build the company brand. Brand knowledge and reputation are critical factors for potential recruits. 86% will research a company and read ratings and reviews before applying. 75% will express an interest if the employer works at managing its brand.
3. Work at Creating Relatability
As we stated, brand building is critical when recruiting. Now, take it a step further by working at reliability. What does this mean? Allow potential candidates to see the people behind the brand. When a job candidate visits the website or social media pages, it should not be all business, all the time.
Create a personality that people can relate to, much like you would a friend. Instead of the typical job postings on the career page, how about some fun videos. They could be educational or provide company information in a light informal way.
Get employees to answer questions about working in the company. A potential team member wants to come into a welcoming work environment. So, show them the culture and those who contribute daily to the brand.
The idea is to inject authenticity into the communication. People respond to and engage better with stories or experiences.
4. Use the Networks Within to Recruit
The HR department needs to start looking inwards when recruiting. The usual course of action is to advertise the position or look up the available pool of candidates. It can end up taking a lot of time and money.
Yet, there may be a workable solution right within the company. Employees have friends and colleagues in and outside of their industry. They are also in professional and social networks.
Let’s go back to the example of tech lovers. The forums we talked about are a collection of like-minded individuals. Asking the IT guy to post about a vacancy in the group can be an opening to attracting the right talent.
Implementing staff referral programs can work as an incentive. The Cloud software company Salesforce attributes 52% of new hires to in-house referrals. The company has deep pockets because each successful outcome means a $2,000 bonus.
Of course, not every company has such resources. But, HR can think up inexpensive rewards that will not take a massive chunk off the HR budget. Shopping vouchers, gift cards, or dinner for two will not cost much.
5. Hire Entry Level and Remote Workers
Should you hire candidates right out of college or university? Experience is something many employers look for. And we do not argue about the need for this in some positions. But, offering fresh graduates entry-level jobs is not a bad idea.
As stated, skill development is an important priority for millennials and Gen Z. The company should have the right strategies to encourage this. Employees who find fulfillment in their jobs are not likely to leave.
The other idea is to go for remote workers. The digital space has broken down the geographical barriers to hiring. You can find the best talent outside of your location. The social media manager with the right skill and experience may be thousands of miles from you.
Now, it is possible to have the expertise, thanks to technology. Research indicates that 16% of global companies are fully remote. That means zero investment in infrastructure, thus cost savings for the company.
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Final Thoughts
The modern work environment is not what it was some years ago. Candidates can choose who to work for. The talent shortage has also made it quite challenging to fill specific positions. Some creativity in the hiring process is necessary.
We have shared some workable tips, including RPO talent acquisition. In this case, you let the experts do the hard work of finding the right people for your company.
