Hiring today is different than it was a few years ago. Employers need to up their game in relation to being able to attract, hire, and retain top talent. There is a lot of noise out there about using various tools to ensure the best fit in terms of skill and ability makes it way to the employer via the hiring process. The tools in of themselves are not the issue. The best software and strategic use of these tools will not address the root cause many employers face in terms of hiring great people.
To have great people want to work for an employer the talent acquisition or recruitment process needs to be updated. That includes a high touch candidate process. That looks like keeping all candidates in the loop regarding where the hiring process is. The days of the tired statement – “only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted” are obsolete. Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) is more than capable of having mass emails sent to applicants advising them of their status well before interviews take place. Following up with candidates that have been interviewed requires retooling. Once again, a competent ATS is more than capable of handling this type of activity within a few days of the interview process.
Employers indicate that ghosting by candidates is an issue. The other side of the coin is that ghosting by employers in terms of candidates is no longer an acceptable practice.
While great strides have been made in terms of hiring for Diversity and Inclusion the one area where candidates still face challenges is ageism. A well functioning work environment values wisdom from all age sectors. Employers that do not value people from a recent graduate to a 60 plus person are not availing themselves of the richness of experience in attracting and keeping top talent.
Flexible working arrangements now are the norm as candidates are not prepared to work the 8 – 5 routine any longer. Another refurbish is to include time during what used to be typical working hours for other activities that are important to people. In other words letting go of concern over an employee who leaves early or shops during working hours and still manages to achieve the results required.
As an employer the need to have a faster turn around time from posting the job to hire is essential. Different working arrangements including fully remote from different parts of the country may need to be embraced. The use of software to its fullest capacity is mandatory. Improved communication, incentives, and appropriate compensation round out the updating process.
Marie-Helene Sakowski, Transformational Consultant, info@effectiveplacement.com
