We are operating in a candidate driven market this year more than ever, with the onset of Brexit in the New Year, and the pandemic giving candidates more to think about as they accept their next job offer. Employers are faced with increasing challenges to engage and retain the best candidates whilst providing reassurance that they are an attractive company to work for and stay with.
Job seekers are under no illusions about the jobs market this year, and whilst it is the perfect opportunity for recruiters to source and place the best talent, it is also perfect for candidates to be more selective and not go for the first job that is offered to them. The insecurity of the jobs market and unpredictability of the economy brings an added pressure for both recruiters and candidates to think carefully about the future and making sure that they are in the best position long-term.
Whilst there is high unemployment, there are also a high number of employees, who although keen to find another role, are staying where they are this year. A survey by Glassdoor revealed that around two thirds of employees say they’re not planning on looking for a new job until the job market looks more positive.
Add to the mix, that working from home has become the new norm until post-pandemic, when it may become a more permanent arrangement and employers will need to become more flexible around working patterns. Joining a company that encourages a good work-life balance – to benefit both workers and employers – is one of the top selling points for nearly half of job seekers that Glassdoor has identified.
Recruitment is becoming increasingly difficult. It is essential that your talent attraction and candidate selection process is strong because you need to entice people to work for you but also keep them engaged during the application process and avoid drop outs.
If you have ever tried to find the right fit of candidate in a pool full of unqualified talent, you will know that your options are limited. You may choose the person you can find at the time but not always the best fit for the job or may be inundated with job applications but only a small minority will have the skill set you are looking for. The best way to hire the right candidate is from a smaller pool of more qualified talent.
Candidates with hard to find skills are not always visible on job sites and so the opportunity to head hunt them means taking on a more tactical approach such as LinkedIn or other digital platform where you can more directly approach them. You need to put extra effort into persuading passive candidates to choose your company over your competitors and if the hiring process becomes a long winded exercise of first interview, panel interview, aptitude tests, etc., this too can have a negative impact on the number of candidates who drop out and find a job elsewhere. Candidates who are in between jobs or need persuading to work for you, need to feel that they would be a great asset to the team.
At Fillmore Recruitment, we have noticed a shift in the jobs market this year; it is more competitive and only the most carefully thought through recruitment and selection process will bring out the best talent for your team. We take the risk out of your recruitment because we select the best candidates for the position from the outset and only the most appropriate candidates are taken through a rigorous process who have the relevant skills to proceed to the next stage. Our candidate selection process.
The fast pace of technology has left a shortage of digital skills behind, with companies struggling to find the resources that they need within cyber security. Equally, in the UK, investment in projects like HS2, for example, means that the best engineering talent is being utilised, whilst other engineering companies compete for talent. Where there is a skills shortage across the UK, it makes the recruitment market an added challenge and it is wise to open up your recruitment strategy to new pools of talent.
It is worth being proactive to the skills shortage, to find novel ways of engaging with your talent pool through a recruitment agency, so that you can combine strategies and gain from the vast experience that an agency can bring to your team.
As a recruitment agency, we act on the behalf of our clients by building up their employer brand to candidates. Where our client would have to spend time developing a recruitment strategy, we work as part of their team to help attract and engage the right fit of candidates.
It is thought that companies who invest in employer branding are three times more likely to make a quality hire. Because we ‘sell in’ a positive experience to each candidate, and give them an honest account of the company so they are under no illusions about where they will be working, this secures ‘buy-in’ and is a win win for the client and the recruiter in working together to source and retain quality candidates. It becomes a collective effort that lets you get on with your usual duties and lets the recruiter manage the recruitment journey to completion.
We have a good relationship with both our clients and candidates and once we have identified our talent pool for a particular job, we keep the hiring manager in the loop whilst also staying in touch with the candidate to ensure they stay committed and engaged during the hiring process.
Contact us now to discuss your recruitment needs.
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