The new year is here and with it comes a set of new business goals to achieve between now and December. Hiring new talent is most likely part of that plan. All signs are indicating 2017 will continue to be a candidate’s market because of the skills gap and low unemployment rate, and that means competition for great talent will remain extremely fierce. There is no better time than now to start looking at your hiring plans and put a game plan in motion! Hiring the best takes time, don’t wait.
With a competitive hiring environment, you can no longer afford to stick with the status quo. Here are several recruiting resolutions for 2017 that will help you adapt to the current environment and improve your recruiting process:
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the ratio of unemployed Americans to open jobs is 1.4 to 1. With a shrinking pool of job seekers, there are fewer available candidates which means shifting your hiring efforts to attract passive candidates who are already employed.
- Make sure your candidate experience is top-notch. Because of the competitive nature of the market, the candidate experience will be more important than ever when it comes to getting top talent. Make sure you are communicating with your candidate so they feel like they know where you are in your decision-making process. Make sure you streamline interview and hiring decision timelines so you don’t miss out on the best candidate for your organization. Make sure you are offering competitive compensation as well. Candidates with skills that are in high demand will most likely have several options. Their experience with your company can be the deciding factor as to whether or not they take the job.
- Start using people analytics. According to Deloitte’s 2016 Global Human Capital Trends, “businesses have recognized they need data to figure out what makes people join, perform well in, and stay with an organization; who will likely be successful; who will make the best leaders; and what is required to deliver the highest-quality customer service and innovation.” Collecting and analyzing this information will allow you to create very precise job descriptions, interview questions and the appropriate skills assessments in order to attract and hire the best person for the job.
- Take a look at your brand. Candidates are researching companies like consumers are and they want to find qualities that resonate with them and ensure your company will be a good fit both professionally and culturally. Make sure you are aligned with your marketing brand and messaging as it builds trust and effects every stage of the hiring process from the first interaction to the onboarding process.
- Know what you need. The goal when hiring new talent is to fill the position with someone who is going to make a significant contribution to your company. Make sure you are keeping the company’s goals in mind when crafting job descriptions and participating in the interview and selection process. According to Uptowork’s Recruiting and Hiring Stats for 2017, it can cost a company six to nine months of an employee’s salary to find and train a new employee but on the flipside, making the right hire can be extremely lucrative – increased productivity, increased sales, increased profitability. Know what you are looking for before you start the hiring process.
A solid recruiting plan will help ensure that you meet your goals for effectively hiring new talent in 2017. We’d love to help you with your hiring plan in 2017 and ensure you are hiring the best talent that is available!
