Today’s guest blogger is Bill Benson with WilliamCharles Search Group located in Grand Rapids, MI. WilliamCharles is an executive search and professional recruiting firm specialized in finding managerial and executive talent in finance, HR, operations, sales/marketing as well as president/CEO roles. They have a concentration of clients in Michigan but they also work across the US. Bill is a past chairman of the NPAworldwide Board of Directors. Bill shares hiring tips below to help employers adjust to current labor market conditions.
How to win talent in a candidate-driven market
This is not about remote work… in case you are tired of that topic! The “great resignation” or “great reshuffle” is causing many employers to venture into the hiring market to find new people or refill positions. How do you expand your candidate pool while attracting and hiring candidates that will be successful and thrive in your culture? Here are four hiring tips where a change of traditional thinking may be necessary to be successful in this candidate-driven market.
Talent trumps specific experience.
If you’re looking for someone to check specific boxes like a software program, a certain product or experience within a preferred industry, you may miss the chance to hire top talent. Consider the question: does having previous exact or specific experience predict certain success? Sure, they may learn the job more quickly, but they may not be the best employee long-term. Consider first the talent and track record of the individual. Past success is a strong indicator of future success. Evaluate a candidate based on their promotions and accomplishments doing something similar or relatable. If you relax the list of requirements, you can be more opportunistic and you will be fishing out of a bigger pond.
Culture trumps everything.
Is your organizational culture attractive to a potential new hire? You might find a qualified and talented individual, but if they do not fit your culture, you will not keep them long term. (And long term… “ain’t what it used to be.”) Look at your current team and consider the characteristics of the high performers and those who fit best in your organization. These characteristics have nothing to do with race, religion, or gender, or even their specific background. Finding talent will require you to be inclusive and open-minded. Important alignment factors include: motivation level, values, work environment (e.g., formal or informal), and work style. People can learn skills but their personality, values and how they relate to people will not change.
Write postings to attract talent.
Many job postings or ads feature a laundry list of requirements or experience. While this might seem to be the right approach, it does not speak to what is important to the job seeker. You want your ad to attract candidates rather than screen out candidates. This is no longer an “employer centered” hiring market.
Expect less stability on resumes.
Before 2008, candidates were viewed negatively for being unemployed, having gaps in their resume, or making too many job changes. We saw significant instability on resumes during the 2008 to 2011 Great Recession. Companies became more understanding of job changes and the stigma of being unemployed lifted. Fast forward to the present and expect to see more job changes on resumes over the 2020-2022 period. The pandemic caused companies to lay people off and employees’ priorities changed. Many have moved physically to be closer to family and others are making the decision that they want to work remotely. We are just beginning to understand the pandemic effect on the workforce.
It remains an unsettling time so expect employee priorities to continue to evolve. We know younger generations will make more job moves than their Gen X and Boomer predecessors. Hiring authorities need to adjust their attitudes on this topic.