Hiring Best Practices in a Competitive Job Market

Welcome to the new normal.

If you’re a hiring manager, business owner, or other company executive responsible for recruiting talent, you’ve likely noticed that the job market today isn’t what it was 8 or 10 years ago.Hiring Practices in a Competitive Job Market

 

It wasn’t so long ago that prospective applicants were clambering and fighting for the best jobs out there. Now, however, the tables have turned and it’s a highly competitive job market. But thanks to a healthier and scarce job market, you’ve now got to work harder to entice and hire stellar employees.

While some hiring best practices are better left in the past, like using traditional job descriptions and posting practices, others are not.

Here are 3 hiring best practices you should be using to land the best workers for your business.

1. Work faster.

We’ve already established that you’re not the only one looking for great candidates. This means that in order to hire the people you want the most, you can’t afford to let your hiring process become long and drawn-out.

Look at your list of candidates and choose the best 5-10 that you’d like to interview. It’s okay if there are less; that will actually make this part easier! Start scheduling interviews ASAP and ideally, have them all completed within a week.

You may have some other important steps in your hiring best practices process, but do your best to avoid making your candidates wait more than 2 weeks between the application cutoff date and telling them if they’ve been hired or not.

2. Think outside the box.

Much of the competitive job market today is made up of young people – millennials, to be exact. Don’t let any negative connotations about this word go to your head! While it’s not the rule for everyone, many millennials are innovative, passionate, and dedicated.

You’d be silly not to consider recruiting millennials for certain openings at your company. While they’re not well suited for every position, especially those that truly require years of experience, they fit well into a number of different jobs.

If you’re catering to millennials, be honest and transparent. Be willing to be flexible like you’ve never been before. And be ready to be challenged. These workers often bring fresh perspectives and have creative ideas that can help propel your company forward. Lead them honestly and they will pull out all the stops for you.

3. Recruit differently.

It’s smart to use all your resources to post an open position at your company. It’s even smarter to talk to the people around you about it.

Ask your customers for recommendations of candidates who may be a good fit for your company. Talk to your neighbors. Talk to the people you interact with on any given day.

Sometimes, the best people for the job are right under our nose and we don’t realize it. When you’re shopping or out to dinner, keep a lookout for an employee that offers great customer service. Could they fit in at your company? Would you be offering them a better opportunity?

Leave no stone unturned when searching for great candidates. Depending on the requirements for the job you’re attempting to fill, you might just find the perfect fit in a place you never expected.

Hiring in a competitive job market doesn’t have to be difficult. If you make a few changes to your process and work hard to cater to the candidates you’re hoping to attract, you’ll have your open positions filled in no time.

It’s a fact that your business won’t prosper without quality team members. When it is time to energize your recruiting, I offer a complimentary coaching call to help you develop a plan.

Coach Dave

Dave Schoenbeck
Follow Dave