Before the pandemic, the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.5% (a 50-year low) and recruiters and hiring managers had a difficult time finding the right talent for open roles. And now, due to the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impacts, companies and staffing firms have a unique opportunity – reimagining teams and roles, and the candidates to fill them.
Businesses are gradually reopening and finding new ways to operate with public health initiatives in mind, and it’s time to think about hiring again. While some organizations are utilizing temporary workers – historically a positive sign of recovery – others are investing in permanent hires.
And in the past six months, job seeker priorities have shifted, the hiring and interviewing processes have changed, and you’re likely inundated with applications from candidates with a variety of backgrounds. How do you take advantage of a wide talent pool while getting people back to work quickly?
HR tech tools will help you identify and find the right people, and your culture will seal the deal.
Be seen where candidates are searching
From networking sites like LinkedIn, to CareerBuilder as the fastest growing job site, is your company’s online presence visible and optimized? Wherever you’re posting about your company, it should be easy for candidates to apply to jobs, learn more about you and get engaged with your organization. This goes for teams that are focusing on building a talent pipeline, as well as actively hiring.
Focus on skills
This is so important as you reconsider roles, prioritize diversity and react to changes within industries. In a new world of at-home offices, socially distanced workplaces and rotating schedules, flexibility and a multi-faceted skillset are vital – for both job seekers and employers. Consider how a candidate might have acquired and mastered skills that are essential to your role, even if they haven’t held that specific job title (or ones like it) at previous companies. Not only does this approach drive overall diversity, it gets people back to work quickly and can bring innovation and creativity to your teams. This is the time to think about exactly who you want – and not just a checklist for each role.
Consider your audience
Learn as much as you can about the candidates you want and tailor your messaging to them. Think about the job posting from their point of view, and in addition to listing job duties, company mission and qualifications, connect your company to the current environment. Specify the interview process – is it completely phone and video calls? Will the company be remote for the foreseeable future? Are you open to other time zones and locations? How are you supporting working parents? These are important topics right now that reflect your culture and help candidates envision themselves in that role – both crucial components to finding the right person.
Highlight your culture
This piece of the puzzle will distinguish your company as a top employer. And with the reality of remote or socially distanced environments, you need to work extra hard to provide a glimpse into day-to-day life at your organization, along with your commitments to diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Even if you have workers in a physical workplace and you’re conducting some interviews in person, there’s a good chance the snippet of office life the candidate will see is just that – a fraction of what the culture is really like. Many remote workers have shifted to virtual team bonding by utilizing social media to recognize hard work and peer feedback, through hosting companywide events or town halls, or launching employee portals to stay connected. Showcase these activities and give potential new hires a chance to check out your unique culture before they join the team.
