It's a Candidate's Market!

The candidate market now has a voice and with that voice comes choice. It is a not so glacial phenomenon and one that will catch on leaving adaptable organisations attracting or retaining top talent. Tailoring recruitment strategies to align with an organisation’s EVP’s is one of the top sellers on how to attract candidates that are a future fit within an organisation. The strategies are as simple as crafting a captivating advert to more complex decisions such as hiring expert talent specialists who understand an organisation’s vision. Gone are the days when Talent acquisition is JUST a team of recruiters and admin pushes. Now the call is on strategic war rooms and independent decision makers who understand that the brand is in their hands. The goal is to ensure that the feeling a candidate has during the recruitment process is sustained till they leave an organisation. That should they leave, they remain the word of mouth that continues to attract quality talent to your organisation. Quality candidates must choose you!

Below are a few simple pointers that can mould a market top pick in collaboration with Talent Acquisition:

Ensuring job adverts are succinct and customised to the role at hand is crucial to attracting top candidates who may not be openly looking but are specific about brand association as well. First have the calibre of candidate you want in mind in order to build an advert and job description that will attract this kind of talent. Data and analytics can show us if the skill set exists, where it is found, what would need to be compromised and if this future fit role is realistic in the current market or simply needs to be homebrewed.

The job profile growth prospective is long becoming the equivalent of the salary conversation. If candidates don’t feel there’s growth that elevates them to the next role after the one currently presented, they are likely to seek the growth with their current organisation where there is smoother internal mobility and saving their reputation from being viewed as job hoppers. Talent acquisition needs to prepare for this conversation when it arises by selling the role’s EVP’s that appeal to candidates as well as interesting prospects about the role that may not necessarily highlight immediate growth but carry weight for a future CV e.g. autonomy and projects involved.

A precise recruitment process and communication forms the make-up of the candidate experience and eventually a successful hire. If candidates are impressed with your recruitment process they come in as organisational additions and not just culture fits. This experience is all initiated by Talent Acquisition as the first point of contact for organisations.

The oxygen of brand building is online presence. Showcasing the organisation’s achievements and answering the “why choose us” question consciously and unconsciously. Outside of referrals, online presence is the attraction tool every organisation is getting behind. it is especially crucial for organisations seeking to change their brand perception to utilise this tool more effectively. Showcasing your EVP’s (especially Intrinsic benefits, speaking to the values and psychological aspect of candidates) e.g. focus on diversity, wellbeing, recognition and social responsibility, are winning tickets. Also remember there is no better EVP sold than one sold by your current employees! So be reminded that a Talent Acquisition team with an online presence is the future marketing tool.

Work life balance has become one of the top asked questions when an interview is presented to a candidate. Future employees are interested in striking a balance of remote work while using the hybrid model to collaborate with their employees and maintaining the company culture. That four-day work week will be rearing its own collaboration and organisations in the forefront of this change stand a chance to retain the valuable employees they have while multiplying productivity. An organisation that can innovate on increasing productivity while striking the hybrid balance stands to win. You ask, what this has to do with Talent Acquisition? It is a benefit that makes part of the attraction package easy to sell to candidates.

Exit interviews like internal employee surveys have become a relevant data tool for organisations seeking to improve on their attraction strategy. Instead of using this tool passively or as a tick box exercise, its questions can lead and align to the desired result and answer questions such as whether your organisation is truly the best to work for and where the improvement areas are. Nothing like a reference from an employee waving goodbye.

In all the above pointers Talent Acquisition has a vital role to play in partnering and changing the landscape of talent experience. I hope the read was insightful.