‍Candidates have the upper hand

Attracting and retaining the best talent is one of the trickiest challenges HR professionals face today. According to Gartner Inc, a staggering 62% of Chief Human Resource Officers claim that their talent attraction strategy is not aligned with the needs of their future workforce. 

The shift in power from the company to the top candidates is due to the plethora of options these candidates have, compounded by the fact that it is easier than ever to switch from one job to the next. The best candidates are in demand. And when you are in demand, you often hold most or all of the cards. As a result, this can often tempt HR managers to fall into the trap of implementing a quick fix with a poor hire, making it incredibly detrimental to a company in terms of time and cost.

Putting the candidate first

As much as a recruiter will judge the candidate, the candidate will also judge the company and process, right from the off. Once a candidate clicks the ’Apply’ button on a vacancy, your journey for them should be as smooth and personal as possible.  

Even the small things can go a long way, such as acknowledging receipt of an application, or responding to a candidate with feedback in a timely manner. It could well be the difference between a negative and a positive review on Glassdoor!

For example, applicant tracking system, Teamtailor, have given candidates the chance to add a personal touch by answering more light-hearted questions such as fun facts and favourite things, or altogether creating questions themselves. 

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Injecting these conversation starters into an application can really allow the recruiter to get to know the candidate beyond a work setting. 

Create a unique culture

Nowadays, candidates apply for more than just the role itself. They consider factors such as how a team operates, what a company represents and whether they feel they belong in a company. Additionally, organisations can use diversity and inclusion initiatives as the foundations for a strong and healthy work culture. It’s hard to disagree that the more diverse teams not only succeed in attracting and retaining the top talent. More often than not, they also tend to generate higher levels of output. Hiring in such a way though is not straightforward.

Teamtailor’s anonymous hiring feature has enabled companies to eliminate pre-existing bias in the initial stages of their recruitment process. When a candidate sends through an application, personal details such as gender, age or cultural heritage are removed and names are replaced with colours and animals. Only job-specific skills are taken into account, creating a fairer playing field for all candidates.

Companies should offer flexibility

Whatever values your culture embodies, it’s also crucial to showcase the perks your company offers and convey the USP of your employer brand. For example, your company could offer learning and development opportunities, which is a huge boost to your employee value proposition and helps you remain competitive in the market. According to Deloitte, companies that foster an education culture have retention and engagement rates 30-50% higher than those that don’t. Realistically, employees are more likely to stay at your organisation, particularly in the long run if they know you are investing in their skills and increasing their career prospects.

Other policies may involve hybrid working, which in this current day and age seems a necessity in attracting talent. Gone are the times of the five-day-a-week commute on a stuffy train. If companies are too rigid in how they require their staff to work, they are likely to fall behind, especially if competitors are already offering something more appealing. 

According to a study by intelligent learning platform HowNow, more than 67% of remote workers feel disconnected from their colleagues, admitting that this was having a negative impact on how they viewed their job. Many companies are now providing opportunities for a staggered return to the office, whilst converting individual space into collaborative space and social environments where workers can get together. By providing more of these creative spaces, companies are able to revamp the office as more of a destination than an obligation.

Recruitment is always changing

In a candidate-driven market where businesses do not pick talent, using the tools to review your recruitment process frequently can take you on leaps and bounds. Maintaining a relationship with all candidates in every aspect of the recruitment process is key to building an extensive pool of talent that can be utilised in the long run. For instance, a candidate who isn’t successful for the initial role they applied for, could be suitable for another role further down the line.

Teamtailor is the applicant tracking system made for all types of companies. With modern features optimised for you and your candidates, you will get everything you need to recruit successfully.

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Learn more about Teamtailor here and head to your Team Admin Dashboard on Juno to order Teamtailor for your organisation.