Talent shortages are back! Look at any segment, sector, or stratum of the economy, and you will see more job openings than job seekers. Recent research suggests that for every unemployed, highly-skilled U.S. STEM worker, there are seven unfilled computer- or math-related jobsOpens a new window . Employers are also watching demand outpace supply among low-skilled workers, giving the upper hand to candidatesOpens a new window .
Though increasing wages and benefits is a natural and, at this point, a necessary part of our talent attraction strategy, we all know we can’t afford to keep bidding up the price of talent forever. It’s time to get creative about who, where, and how we source talent.
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that an employee’s physical location matters a whole lot less than we thought. For roles that needn’t be restricted by geography, smart organizations are widening, deepening, and diversifying their approach to sourcing and talent attraction. But to do it right, you need the right tools.
Now, the “right tools†doesn’t mean the most expensive tools, and it doesn’t mean whatever comes in the shiny wrapper. The “right tools†means software, systems, and sources of talent that are most likely to get you the right people when you need them at a price that you can afford. Too many internal TA teams today are stuck using a patchwork of hiring software that makes for a rigid, disorienting hiring process for all involved.
Learn More: The Right Way to Onboard New Gen Z Employees in a Post-Pandemic Economy
Can we all agree that the absolute last thing we need right now is to slow down recruiting? Getting the right people in the candidate pipeline is hard enough, but to make them wade through unnecessary, confusing steps and delays when they’re probably interviewing with three other firms at the same time? No thanks.
Increased time to hire means you have to wait longer for qualified candidates capable of closing your talent gaps. This costs you cash and productivity. To boot, you’re most likely losing high-quality candidates to your more nimble competitors for talent. Finally, out of desperation, you’re forced to compromise the quality of hire. Balancing hiring efficiency with candidate experience and quality in this environment will be more complicated, not less.
Complexity Is the Enemy
Convoluted recruiting processes and mismatched systems are creating extra work for your recruiters when they have less time to do it. We need a way to trim back these bloated systems and close talent gaps efficiently. Doing that means leveraging technology effectively and simplifying our workstreams to ensure talent attraction, vetting, and selection can happen in a single, accessible platform that supports the talent experience in totality.
As hiring and the business landscape, in general, become more flexible and varied, talent leaders need platforms capable of expanding to match the scope of our talent needs. So, how do we get it done?
1. Break Down Unnecessary Barriers to Talent
The old way of doing things just isn’t going to cut it anymore; employees and candidates have the leverage once again. With attrition approaching record levels, we can’t simply wash, rinse, and repeat.
Many organizations are removing artificial barriers between them and qualified candidates. Take a look at your open roles and ask yourself, does having a degree from an elite university really translate into elite performance on the job? Does a candidate even need a bachelor’s degree at all? Identifying and removing unnecessary barriers like this can put you in contact with a high level of talent you would never otherwise have had a chance to interview.
Alternatively, is it really essential for your next developer to work in a physical office with everyone else? Or does it matter more that they have the skills and work ethic to get the job done?
2. Use Technology To Streamline and Update the Experience for Everyone
Too many steps, systems, and hurdles are standing in the way of your next hire. The only way to solve this problem is to dismantle your hiring process and rebuild it from the ground up. Remove unnecessary steps and consolidate your tech and systems wherever possible to stop wasting the time of recruiters, hiring managers, and most importantly, your candidates.
It’s important to look for tech that helps you break unnecessary barriers between you and the talent you need. Video interviews can break down geographical barriers. Pre-hire assessment technology can give you a better preview of how candidates may perform on the job.
Learn More: 3 Ways To Build an Effective Onboarding System
Does it take forever to schedule interviews with hiring managers? Look for intelligent software to automate the process without the endless emails and phone calls pinging back and forth.
Is sourcing candidates overwhelming recruiters’ capacity? Maybe it’s time to consider leveraging AI technology to find higher-quality candidates faster instead of manually trawling LinkedIn and your ATS all day.
Not confident your screening process is giving you the right hires? Find partners that take the time to understand your organization’s unique needs while deploying technology to ensure only the best candidates make it to the final round.
Don’t make the recruiting process painful and slow. Make it happen!
3. Sense and Adapt
Finally, it’s important to keep monitoring your progress and innovating as you go. This should be an iterative process wherein you measure your results and adapt based on what you’re learning in the talent marketplace.
Like you, we see a tidal wave of change coming to wash away many aspects of traditional recruiting. Like you, we know that talent is not only the key to your organizational future, but it IS the future. Let’s find new paths to top talent and remove the unnecessary barriers standing in our way.
What steps have you taken to reduce the complexities when hiring new talent? Share with us on LinkedInOpens a new window , FacebookOpens a new window , and TwitterOpens a new window