This Year’s Low Unemployment Bad for Recruiters?

A tight job market can cause problems for your recruiting efforts.  Low Unemployment Bad for Recruiters

How can great economic news and low unemployment be bad news for employers and recruiters? In periods of low unemployment, like today’s job market, there is a smaller pool of qualified candidates to choose from. This means more competition for recruiters and companies to hire those qualified candidates. There are even instances where recruiters have found themselves competing with one another for the same candidate. This type of competition results in more choices for the candidate to choose from, and it makes it harder for the recruiter to make sure his offer is the one the candidate accepts.

What’s a recruiter to do?

What can the recruiter do to make sure they can deliver the best candidate in a timely fashion to the employer? The following are strategies to operate in this tight job market:

1.  Positive experience. The candidate needs to have a good experience during the hiring process. A well-designed and executed job portal is one of the first things that the candidate sees. Keeping the lines of communication open with the candidate, keeps them involved and motivated. Job candidates see good communication during the hiring process as an indication of how the company treats and values their employees. Keep the interview short and to the point. Lengthy interviews can discourage candidates and gives them the opportunity to seek employment elsewhere.

2.  Don’t overlook candidates. Some candidates are highly qualified but interview poorly. These candidates are generally introverted, shy, or nervous. They may not know how to present themselves in an interview. Offering them some tips as to appearance and suggestions about how to conduct themselves is a great way to help them prepare for their interview with the employer. It would also be useful to alert the company about issues like this so that the interview can be more social and not so much like an interrogation. The company may have to overlook social awkwardness to gain this “gem” of a candidate who may have the experience they need for the position.

3.  Optimize available time. Using a Candidate Tracking System is a great way to focus on what is needed to get that candidate to the finish line in a timely fashion. By keeping the process moving forward, you show the candidate that you are organized, and this can prevent them from looking at other offers during the selection process. This also helps to free up time, so the recruiter can focus on finding new candidates and forming relationships with both the candidates and the employer.

4.  Relationships are key to success. Successfully placing someone in a position is a great way to get recommendations from that person for future candidates. They probably know someone who may be looking for a new position in the near future or is unhappy where they are. This is a great source of future business. The same holds true on the other side of the coin. An employer you have successfully helped with a hire is much more likely to use you again and recommend you to other companies.

5.  Know your audience. The baby boomers (born between 1946-1964) and their work attitudes are nearly gone. It is the Millenials (born between 1980-2002) and Gen Xer’s (born between 1965-1979) that are the ones who you should be concentrating on. They have different views from the previous baby boomer generation on what is important to them in the workplace. The characteristics of this group that are important to consider include:

• They are more responsive to texts than phone calls, at least initially. Save the phone calls for later contact.

• They are very interested in benefits, working conditions, and company culture. Offering mentoring programs would be an attractive lure for them. Salary is important to the Millenials and Gen Xers, but so are these additional factors in getting their acceptance of your offer.

• They are more open to changing jobs. Gone are the days of staying with one firm forever. If it is to their advantage to change jobs, they will. Determine what their goals and expectations are for the job you are recruiting them for. Do they see it as a long-term position or a short-term position? It will save embarrassment with the employer later if this is made clear to them from the beginning.

• They are more open to contract work. The employer may not have considered this at first, but it may be advantageous for both the candidate and the employer if the need is urgent but not necessarily long-term.

6.  Understand what the hiring manager is looking for. What are the specifics of the job? Is this clearly spelled out in the job description? Knowing what is needed for the vacancy is key to finding the best candidate. This information is necessary to communicate what the hiring manager expects from the candidate. This will prevent problems later in the hiring process by giving the candidate a more precise picture of what the job will entail.

7.  Be honest with the hiring manager. Make sure the hiring manager knows the level of difficulty involved with finding a good candidate and the time frame needed to do so. Giving them assurances of a quick resolution when you know that is unlikely, may get you this job, but make it unlikely you will get a call for their next vacancy. Honesty is the best policy when dealing with the client.

This year’s low unemployment rate can be difficult for recruiters and employers. Do you give up? Lower your expectations and accept inferior candidates? No, you choose a proven team to get you through the difficult times and make sure you get the candidates you want.

Mankuta | Gallagher can help you find the best candidates for your positions. We overcome the obstacles a tight job market throws up at us. We have a pipeline of well qualified and well-vetted candidates that anticipates your needs.

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