Over the last few years we have seen major changes to recruitment and the way candidates are hired and inducted into a business. To ensure you keep up with changes and have best practice recruitment processes in place we’ve asked Dan Jones from Team Finder to share his insights on the changes to recruitment that both employers and candidates need to know.
Guest Post by Dan Jones, Teamfinder
In years gone by employers had significant control in the recruitment process. Candidates would be drawn to an employer and eagerly await the results of a traditionally slow process to find out if they were the one selected for the coveted role.
But now, due to skill shortages, specific workforce needs and technology advances, the tables have turned, giving candidates more control in job searching and selection.
So how can employers and candidates navigate the rapidly changing area of recruitment to gain a greater competitive advantage and the best talent or career opportunities? It starts by understanding how recruitment has changed.
Recruitment changes for employers
Candidates are now moving faster; it’s not unusual for them to be applying for multiple jobs or receiving multiple job offers. This puts candidates in a position of bargaining and gives them the opportunity to choose which opportunity suits them best.
As it’s a candidates market, there is a need to speed up the recruitment process, so great talent isn’t snapped up before you’ve had the chance to show why someone would want to work for your company above others. In many cases now, the companies who have faster and better recruitment processes are the ones who are securing the best talent.
These changes demand that companies innovate their approach to recruitment. Candidates now need to be treated like customers and have a genuinely enjoyable experience with a recruiting business. The business adage “Hire slow and fire quick” no longer applies. Now employers need to hire quick – and provided the right recruitment and induction processes are in place, hiring quick should be a low-risk move.
As an employer, your recruitment process should be online, efficient and to a certain degree automated while still allowing personal contact to build rapport and interest for the candidate, as well as opportunities for you to properly evaluate each applicant. To keep candidates engaged, you need to keep applicants informed even if it is a quick email to say “Your application is still active, as soon as we know more we’ll let you know.”
Heading into the future the greatest competitive advantage your business will have is a standout recruitment process.
Recruitment changes for candidates
While candidates have more power in the recruitment process, in some cases this power can work against them. Overconfidence in salary and being too picky about roles can result in jobs being offered to other candidates. It’s important to be confident, but also realistic with requests and expectations.
As there are a lot of people applying for jobs (sometimes 70-80 candidates for one role), it’s important to pay attention to the details and read instructions carefully. Many candidates don’t realise how many opportunities are missed because they didn’t answer the requirements. Also show initiative, if there is a number to call to find out more, call it! In some cases, employers will automatically interview a candidate who has taken the time to call.
Personalise your pitch and do your research. Take the time to find out the HR Manager’s name, change your resume and cover letter to suit the role and get to know the business to which you are applying. Keep in mind that you are judged from the first point of contact you have with an employer, so give yourself every possible chance.
Lastly, candidates need to recognise the importance of showcasing their personality. With recruitment processes becoming increasingly automated and streamlined you have only a few small windows to stand out from the pile of other candidates. Employers want to see who you are under the “hire me” mask, so while it is important to be professional, don’t make the mistake of being so professional that you are robotic and forget to be yourself.
What changes do you see through the recruitment process?
Dan Jones is a recruitment expert and the Founder of Teamfinder, a recruitment agency bringing fresh thinking and energy to how businesses fuel their growth through their teams. With extensive experience in operational recruitment and a strong belief in people over process, Dan helps employers find and prepare the right candidates and build meaningful workplace relationships with them to create strong employment brands.
