The Skills Shortage - What can you do?

3 years ago I got annoyed.

Through my career to that point, it was apparent that clients and business I worked with across multiple sectors were saying the same thing to candidates:

"More experience needed".

The expectation for general roles were that candidates had 10 years experience, were fully qualified, and all for as cheap as possible... No wavering, that was the bottom line.

*** Note: these are only for roles that anyone could do - not roles that must have certain requirements, or managerial roles and above. ***

The problem when a herd mentality in one sector like this occurs - is that candidates become scarce, or even just don't exist through extinction. The expectation of having it all right now or nothing, gets more and more flawed as time goes on. If you aren't flexible or support training/development, and only recruit the top end experience - the pool dries up. FAST.

Fast forward 3 years and here we are - hate to say I told you so...

Inevitably we have hit a time where there are so few "skilled/qualified" people that companies are in real trouble of not being able to provide services as a result. They have been left wondering where all the talent went and why no one wants to join their business. All those people that "did not have enough experience"... gone from the sector, or no longer consider you an option.

Never has there been such a painfully clear and apparent candidate led market, than we are in right now.

The good news is that, with the right planning and program, business can be saved! Here I will some potential things business can do to make a suitable change, maybe this just saved your business?

1. Adaptive Recruitment - You have a live role, but no candidates. That job has skills that are not exclusive to that role (Customer Service, Administration, Sector General Knowledge, etc.,) - there are different sectors, or roles within the sector that many of these skills can be utilized, the specific parts of the role can be taught through training and development from your already skilled employees.
2. Cross Recruitment - Similar but a bit more general than the above. If you work in one sector and there is a similar sector (i.e., Estate Agency & Property Management) those skills and experience can still be utilized, but generally require more training - it is all property in this example but different in terms of what the job is doing. Still a useful way of bring people into the sector.
3. Take Your Opportunities - When that candidate does come along, great experience, qualified - sometimes there is a unique situation (relocation, current company folds, etc.,) they are available NOW. Not when you are ready to recruit. If you genuinely have nothing going on then fine, leave it be check in later. But if you have developments coming along, it is worth the risk to bring them in before the requirement - they will be actively looking, do not wait around. But just on that point...

4. Pre-Plan Your Recruitment - Do not wait until the moment it happens to recruit. There is nothing wrong with starting looking into bringing people in, what the market is doing, who is available BEFORE the event occurs, you have only to commit once the need is necessary.

5. Keen/Eagerness is NOT a bad trait - I have seen this so many times over the years, you have a candidate that reallllyyyy wants the job. USE THAT ENERGY. Investing in someone that really wants to do the job, be part of your business, or enter the industry - can be a much needed battery for powering your business forward. I cannot comprehend how this has ever been a reason to reject anyone...

6. Create/Develop Training/Career Pathways - apprentices and trainee roles are brilliant for bringing new people to the industry, and grow your business directly. The trick that most places have missed out on is a succession plan AFTER they complete it. Candidates have higher retention when Career Pathways are detailed and laid out in front of them. It doesn't spoke because they completed your training. Making sure pay, progression and promotion feature heavily - don't wait for them to get offered to another company to insight these! I have developed many of these, and the proof is certainly in the pudding!

In summary, the bottom line is simple:

If you are flexible/adaptive with your general roles, if you invest at the lower end that has a clear succession plan, you can never really run out of skilled/talented people supporting your business and its development. How you keep them thereafter is up to you.

But if you expect the best of the best candidates only, non-negotiable on roles that anyone could do - at a time when there is a national skill shortage... Then send me a postcard from the dark ages, must be nice in this climate...