Talent Acquisition in Low Unemployment Areas

For several months now, unemployment has been creeping downward. More people are getting back to work, making acquiring the best talent more challenging than ever.

As talent pools in certain positions and geographic areas dry up, how can you land the best candidates (especially passive ones) quickly and cost-effectively? Today, PrideStaff offers some practical advice:

• Improve talent identification. Merely finding candidates is easy. LinkedIn, resume databases, referral programs and search engines have made uncovering information quicker and simpler than ever. But to identify the best talent, look for examples of measurable results. Read recommendations on LinkedIn, searching for evidence that makes you say: “I have to get this person on my team.” Then, focus your valuable resources on attracting only those candidates with the best potential.
• Actively sell the upsides of your opportunities. At every stage of the hiring process – from initial job posting through offer acceptance – be your company’s greatest cheerleader. In tight talent markets, candidates aren’t simply looking for a job, they’re looking for a great job. Promote the upsides of your available positions, including why a candidate should leave his current position to come work for you; the unique opportunities and culture benefits your organization offers; reasons the available opportunity is exceptional (including things like growth potential, skills development and/or better training).
• Train interviewers to handle objections. If a great candidate has reservations about your company or the job, your team must know how to ferret them out and ease the individual’s concerns. Give your interviewers the training they need to adapt their questions and responses to whatever the situation dictates – and ultimately keep passive candidates interested in your opportunities.
• Accelerate your timetables.  The longer your hiring process takes, the more time applicants have to explore other job options – and the more opportunities employers have to poach your top candidates.  Consider combining first and second-round interviews into a single event, or streamlining your post-interview decision-making.  Do whatever you can to shorten your time-to-hire (without sacrificing quality), so fewer candidates drop out during the process.
• Outsource portions of your hiring process.  A recruiting firm like PrideStaff specializes in finding top talent, especially in positions or locations where great people are the hardest to find. We can shorten your time-to-hire, handle the time-consuming administrative burdens of recruiting and screening, and consistently deliver high performers who want to work for you.  Best of all?  You only pay a fee if you hire a candidate we refer, and we guarantee our results.  Learn more about PrideStaff’s On Target fulfillment process today.