Hiring in the U.S.? Here's how to attract the talent you need in a candidates' market

It’s a candidates’ market and everyone is hiring.?There are an estimated 9.7 million job openings right now in the United States, according to the job site Indeed. That’s a record, and several million more than the nation has seen before.

There are an estimated 9.7 million job openings right now in the United States.

The fastest-growing industries according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics are agriculture; utilities & energy; construction; manufacturing; transportation & warehousing; information technology including media, telecom, data processing; professional & technical services; environmental services; healthcare; entertainment & recreation; and hospitality.

2020 changed everything – how we hire, how we work, how we live.

2020 changed everything – how we hire, how we work, how we live. At the same time as we are seeing a record-breaking number of vacant jobs, a large number of people are re-evaluating their careers. Many have decided not to return to their pre-covid jobs…or at least not on the same terms.?Some have relocated from high-cost regions to lower cost and higher quality living. People are reassessing how they want to work, whether in an office, at home, or some hybrid combination. Workers are demanding more pay and better working conditions. They want more flexibility, autonomy, and purpose?at work.

And businesses are paying attention.?Here are a few things we are seeing (as recruiters) that companies do to attract and retain talent in a candidate-driven market:

1.????Create a smooth hiring process from the very first interview to the signed offer letter…to onboarding and career development.

2.???Picture yourself as the candidate. Create compelling messaging consistent with your company’s vision, mission, and culture. Make sure your communication and job descriptions are developed from a candidate’s perspective, answering the main question of why he/she should consider joining your company.

3.???When you find the winning candidate, time is of the essence. Have the offer ready to go while the candidate is still excited about joining your company. There is nothing worse than killing the momentum you have built up during the interview process by dragging your decision and presenting the offer.

4.???Be flexible and trust. Allow for remotely based set-ups (when possible) or a hybrid version of some days in the office and some from home. By now, there is a lot of data showing that we are just as productive--if not more--when we are working from home. We do not want to feel we are being closely monitored for the hours we put in. If you want to secure top talent, get rid of your time tracking software and give your people greater autonomy and flexibility.?

5.???Embrace diversity. Don’t just say that you care. Show what you are doing to create more diversity in your workplace.

6.???First impressions matter. Your future employees will gather information about your company from your website, career page, YouTube channel, and LinkedIn page. When was the last time you took a close look at how you come across on all your platforms?

7.????Benefits matter just as much as compensation. Is your compensation on a level where it needs to be to attract and retain talent. If not, your talent will be stolen by your competition.?Have you looked over your benefits lately? How much vacation and sick leave do you offer; what health care plan and 401K options do you provide, how do you support employee wellbeing, continued education, etc.?

We at YER-USA are standing by to support your talent acquisition needs.?Contact us today?[email protected]