Move Fast: Job Competition is Fierce this Time of Year
Abbie Martin
September and October are the busiest months of the year for recruiting and job hunting. With summer vacations over and everyone getting back to business as usual, companies are beginning to plan for the fiscal year and identifying gaps and needs within the organization. Candidates, however, are less likely to change jobs than ever before. Once considered the “Job-Hopping Generation,” Millennials need more than exciting office amenities to switch employers. Take these extra steps to ensure your organization has a competitive advantage when recruiting talent:
- Sell More than a “Dream”
When interviewing with a start-up company, candidates are often sold on the culture or mission. Although it’s important that the candidate fits within your company culture, it’s not as strong of a pull for job seekers anymore. “I’ve had a candidate tell me he doesn’t want to travel for work,” says Abbie Martin, Managing Director for HireBetter, “and he decided to stay in a job he hated because the travel time required for another position wasn’t appealing to him.” Consider what you can offer a candidate, and how you can make that as appealing as possible. - Stand Out
In the recent past, being contacted by a recruiter on LinkedIn was not common, so candidates took notice when they received a message from a recruiter. Today, candidates are recruited in a variety of ways through multiple channels. When a recruiter contacts them about a job posting, it’s possible they’ll ignore it. Having some marketing materials about your business, its perks and culture (whether through a short video, a PDF, or an active social media channel), will help candidates understand what makes your company stand out. - Know Your Limits
Candidates are speaking up for what they want in a new job. They are asking recruiters about benefits and compensation earlier in the process than ever before. It’s important that companies know where their line in the sand is. If they can be flexible in one or more areas for the right candidate, they need to be. If flexibility is not an option, then patience should be. -
If You Have the Ideal Candidate, Don’t Wait
If you have someone in your interview pool that is a stand-out star, move quickly. Because there is so much competition for a candidate’s time and attention, you could lose an ideal candidate by waiting to bring them in for a final interview. Some companies intentionally have lengthy interview processes to ensure they make good hires for both the role and the company as a whole. While the reasoning behind lengthy interview processes is (usually) understandable, it’s important that, in today’s competitive market, you make interviewing a top priority and bring that candidate in as soon as possible. Otherwise, you risk losing them to a company that moved faster. -
Be Patient
With candidates unswayed to transition from their current positions, it may take a while to find the right person for your company. Keep in mind that flexibility in what you are looking for and how you can support that individual will be paramount in helping you find the best fit for your team more quickly.
In summary, there are fewer job-hoppers out there than ever before and attracting them with an interesting mission and a ping pong table is not enough. Be open to candidates outside of your initial expectations around who might be a good fit for your open position and be flexible on what you can do to recruit that individual. If today’s trend continues, your new hire will likely stick around for years to come.
