The nature of work is rapidly changing due to emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, the gig economy, and automation. What does this mean? The skills that employers value and rely upon are changing. Now, with a decreasing unemployment rate shrinking the applicant pool, employers can no longer avoid the skills gap. In fact, 83% of HR professionals reported having difficulty recruiting suitable job candidates. To avoid missing out on skilled talent, implement the following practices:
Widen the Pool of Applicants
Be open to considering resumes from career changers or other nontraditional candidates. Focus on the knowledge, skills, and abilities you seek for the position when reviewing resumes and job applications. Older workers often possess years of experience, job knowledge, and polished skills, for example, and veterans have highly transferable skills such as leadership, teamwork, and attention to detail that can benefit most employers.
Rather than setting aside those resumes, analyze the skills and experience obtained through a previous job or through other experiences described on the resume. Recognize other nontangible skills that a candidate may possess, such as drive, loyalty, a desire to succeed and a sense of purpose. Look for a passion and willingness to learn.
Focus on the True Job Needs
Here’s a stat to remember: applicants are spending 40 seconds or less reading the descriptions before hitting the apply button and submitting their resume…or not. When writing a job description, it’s easy to fall in the habit of listing every single quality and skill that your perfect candidate would possess. In the age of the skills gap, it’s important to not have unrealistic expectations that can deter a perfect candidate from applying to your job. Most descriptions are focused on the company’s benefit and expectations of the role. It demands that the job seeker has a certain number of years’ experience, a specific education level, and talks about what the candidate will do day-to-day. Instead, flip this model on its head with a candidate-centric viewpoint. Suggest the desired level of experience, but don’t make it mandatory, and explain how their education and skill sets set them up for success.
Employer Brand is Key
What is going to make your perfectly skilled candidate up and leave their current job for yours? Employers and recruiters need a way to attract top candidates. If you want your company to be in the running for the best talent, then it’s important to build, maintain, and promote a quality employer brand. Once you have developed an employer brand that showcases your company’s value, it’s time to bridge that into communications with job seekers. Today’s professionals, especially those in the millennial generation, want to be part of something meaningful. Compensation isn’t enough to attract them, so you need to lay out the company vision to job candidates and explain how they would become an integral part of putting it into practice. Figuring out ways to cut through the noise and reach passive candidates through meaningful exchanges is key to deepening your talent pool and hiring the best workers.
Get Help!
A recruitment process outsourcing partner can make all the difference in your hiring practices, especially when you are trying to find those hard-to-reach candidates in the skills gap. Every company is looking for cost and time savings, and when you don’t have the time or resources to focus on hiring quality candidates, an RPO solution can help.
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