Inbox empty? Applications stalled out? When you have several openings to fill but no inquiries, whether you're an agency or an internal recruiter, that's a worst-case scenario.
Employees are, after all, the foundation of every business, and recruiters need to bring in the right talent to ensure the company runs smoothly. Candidates are deterred from applying to your openings for various reasons, not only from economic uncertainty. There are a few ways to spot the error many businesses make while hiring, which could prevent you from moving forward.
What is a "Recruitment Strategy" as a whole?
A recruitment strategy involves more than just a single process or stage. There are a series of steps involved. Each step is important, from posting a job advert to employer branding and how your interview process is structured.
Businesses can often excel at some parts of the hiring process while struggling with another part of the recruitment process. For instance, even if your recruitment marketing effort is excellent at drawing people in, the application procedure may need improvement once they reach the employment website. Below are some ways to help you detect if your recruitment strategy is falling short.
How to detect if your Recruitment Strategy is falling short?
It takes you over one month to schedule a quality candidate interview.
Do you need to get the required number of quality candidates worth moving to the next stage? Poor quality and low quantity of applications may indicate that you need to advertise in the right places. Make sure your job postings produce the results you require; if quality applicants aren't applying to your positions, it may be worthwhile to reflect! Additionally, make sure to spread the word about your open positions by posting them on social media or asking your present staff to do so.
You are frequently in doubt about whether you're interviewing the right candidate or not.
It can be challenging to choose the right candidate when you don't know the signs that show they are qualified for the position. Some of the most efficient ways to tell if the person being interviewed is the right candidate could be finding out if they have a growth mindset or learning about their level of resourcefulness. Most importantly, listen well to the questions they ask. This will help you learn more about the extent to which they possess an analytical mindset.
You regularly feel like the candidates you are speaking to are overpaid.
When you frequently come across candidates who you feel are being overpaid and who would typically demand more significant compensation than your budget permits, you can get creative! For example, you can opt to consider a higher-ranking title. That said, you can entice them with a more prestigious work title, depending on the role and where they are in their career. Getting a "Director" or "Vice President" designation on one's resume may be worth a few dollars to a candidate.
Secondly, you may also consider wooing them with benefits! Nowadays, employer-sponsored benefits, such as retirement programs, paid time off, and health insurance, are no longer merely perks; they are now taken for granted! These benefits convey to potential employees that the company cares for their welfare beyond work. Another alternative could be showcasing your company's culture because some candidates may find a supportive workplace environment more appealing than competitive pay or benefits.
You rely heavily on technical assessments to progress a candidate to the final round or offer stage.
Many companies today assess the technical proficiency of candidates for a particular position at a firm during the interview process. Being a recruiter myself, I have come across several reasonable technical assessments, but I've also seen some that are long and could stand alone as independent projects. It is always good for companies to strike a balance here by reflecting on the following:
At which stage of the interview/recruitment process does the introduction of technical assessments occur?
Can the candidate accomplish them in a timely manner that is fair, reasonable, and not absurdly long?
In addition to the technical checks, how many steps are in your interview process?
Candidates most often withdraw from your interview process or accept competing offers elsewhere.
Candidates can afford to be picky and aren't afraid to change their minds rapidly in a competitive market. Begin by getting to know the candidate's objectives and goals. By eliciting a response, questions show the candidate that you are interested in assisting them with making wise career decisions. Gaining the candidate's trust can be beneficial in the long run, even if it doesn't work out, because they might be eager to hear from you about other opportunities.
You feel that retaining top candidates is next to impossible because as soon as they join, they'll get a higher offer elsewhere and leave.
It can be challenging for employers in the technology sector to find new engineers to join their teams. Job searchers have the power to negotiate competitive employment packages because these days, you're sure to find more openings than qualified candidates! As the market is competitive and highly sought-after candidates have such high levels of competence and skillsets, it's pretty simple for them to go and work elsewhere. As an employer, you must do everything possible to keep the top talent on your team.
In addition, growth opportunities are one of the primary requirements for job seekers today. Your top candidates may look for employment elsewhere so they can advance their careers when the time comes if your organization doesn't give them a chance to grow.
Although we agree that finding the right talent in the recent competitive job market is challenging, those mentioned above are some elements you can reflect on to detect whether your recruitment strategy is falling short and make the most out of your openings! By making the necessary preparations now, you'll be able to streamline your procedure and be prepared for the future.