Eric Gregg, CEO and founder of ClearlyRated, which helps companies find the best staffing, accounting, legal, HR, and other B2B service providers through verified ratings from real clients, and Dave Kollmorgen, Sales Director at CareerBuilder, recently co-hosted a webinar to share the findings that emerged from our 2022 Job Candidate survey. Done in partnership with CareerBuilder, ClearlyRated, and the American Staffing Association, the survey polled 1,394 job candidates, revealing, among other things, how staffing firms can entice job seekers to join the Great Rehire through their open positions.
Five key findings from the 2022 Job Candidate survey and our webinar include:
Word of mouth is key
Your current and former candidates or clients are your best brand ambassadors. Eighty-three percent of respondents who have used a staffing firm and 80% of respondents who have not indicated they consider a friend or colleague to be “sources of information trusted when vetting a staffing firm.” Employ strategies to maintain positive contact with talent along the life cycle so you remain top of mind – and mouth -- even years down the road.
Money matters
Let’s be honest: money always matters, but in trying economic times, it is critical to workers across the U.S. Staffing firms are particularly attractive to Gen X and Gen Z/Millennials as they are influenced by the promise of a reliable paycheck. Leverage this factor as a selling point for temporary or permanent positions to incentivize talent.
On- and off-boarding candidate experiences are equally important
Respondents indicated that they were least satisfied with their staffing firm when staff and/or communication were poor. Survey workers regularly to ensure the candidate experience is positive, which will benefit your reputation and earn future endorsements.
Candidates want to be seen – and heard
The most effective way to increase your company’s Net Promoter Score, or NPS, is to personalize candidate experience as much as possible. It doesn’t have to be overly complex. The top things your representatives can do to improve your NPS include acknowledging receipt of a first-time candidate’s materials; setting expectations around communication between your firm and the candidate; assisting with interview preparation; and getting to know a candidate on a personal level.
Coaching counts
Maybe it’s the “Ted Lasso” effect, but in addition to your kindness and curiosity, candidates want coaching (and maybe some of Lasso’s rom-communism, i.e., the belief that everything will work out in the end). Providing coaching and feedback throughout the assignment cycle can dramatically improve a staffing firm’s NPS (38%) among placed candidates; by not providing either, the NPS fell to -13%.
Curious as to how else your staffing firm can continue to grow this year? Join us for our next free ClearlyRated webinar -- “What Staffing Clients Want: 2022 Staffing Client Trends” – on August 24th at 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET. Register today!
