The headlines as of late tell a grim story: Employers are looking for workers to fill millions of open positions, while employees are reconsidering the kind of work they want to do and how they want to spend their time.
How can hiring managers best address the need for talent while understanding the old expectations might not pass the test?
As you prepare to hire new employees in 2022, it’s best to understand and accept the old ways won’t work anymore. It’s time to try new things to find new people.
Consider your company’s brand.
How do people view your company? What do people think when they hear your company’s name? What are the comments on social media? Facebook just changed its name to try and reinvent itself following a series of scandals and ethics questions — your company isn’t in that position, but it’s good to know what people think. A less-than-favorable reputation means there’s work to be done. But a positive association is something you can utilize to recruit new talent. If you’re not sure how people feel about your company, start looking into this before you try to recruit new hires and respond accordingly.
Revamp the candidate experience.
Candidates who spend weeks waiting for a response after an interview will tell others about their experience. Much like your company’s brand reputation, the speed and efficiency of your hiring process can make or break your relationship with a candidate, regardless of whether they become an employee. People who want to join your team should be treated with respect in terms of timely communication. Are there ways to improve this? Can responses be streamlined? Devise a timeline and ways to stick with it so when a candidate has an interview, they can have a sense for when they’ll hear from you again.
The future includes automation.
If time is a pressing matter — and, really, when isn’t it? — consider adopting automation tools to help streamline the process. Automation can help review resumes faster and find qualified candidates more quickly by matching keywords with the important qualifications, education, skills, training and experience for each open position. Hiring managers are left with a shortlist of people who would make a good fit for your time, without having to review them individually. Plus, automation removes the possibility of any kind of unconscious bias.
Utilize new channels for recruitment.
If you’re still having trouble finding good candidates, consider shaking up your tools. Try new avenues for recruiting: Are you posting open positions on social media? Are you in communication with local vocational schools, colleges, professional groups, etc.? If you haven’t tried working with a staffing agency, this could be a great time to start, especially one that works with both permanent and temporary job candidates and specializes in your industry and line of work. They likely have a deep resume pool and can quickly find people who match what you’re looking for, and these are candidates who are ready to get to work when the opportunity is available.
Looking for qualified candidates? Sterling Personnel has them!
Staffing agencies like Sterling Personnel are well-positioned to help companies like yours meet their staffing needs quickly and efficiently. Contact us today and see what we can do for you in 2022.
