As of October 2019, the unemployment rate was a measly 3.6%. Companies and recruiters can’t focus their recruitment strategy solely on the unemployed. Instead, they need to incorporate facets that aim at working professionals as well.
Approximately 70% of job seekers are passive candidates. They typically don’t have the same sense of urgency about finding new opportunities, even if they are part of the 87% of active and candidates who are open to the idea. Without a modern recruitment approach, you are less likely to tap critical talent pools effectively.
If you want to make sure your recruitment strategy is ready for 2020, here’s what you need to do.
Enhance the Candidate Experience
Since one could easily argue that it’s a job-seekers market, candidates typically have choices when it comes to switching employers. As a result, top talent is empowered. They have the option to forgo an opportunity if the candidate experience isn’t ideal as another one likely isn’t far away. On average, leading job seekers are only on the market for ten days before settling on an offer. If you want to capture their attention, you genuinely have to stand out from the crowd!
Enhancing the candidate experience is a multi-faceted process. Often, it involves a significant amount of streamlining while also making recruitment engaging for job seekers. By embracing certain technologies, you can make a substantial amount of headway.
Today, technology enhancements need to be part of your approach. First and foremost, embrace a mobile-friendly recruitment process, as most professionals rely more on their smartphones to find new opportunities than a traditional computer. Additionally, eliminate redundancies – like asking for a resume and a completed proprietary application – and reduce burdensome tasks, such as several lengthy essay questions.
Facilitating communication is also critical. Employer response times are listed as an area that 69% of candidates would like to see improved, so implement technologies that make this easier. Timeline updates can be automated, ensuring job seekers are aware of any progress they’ve made through the hiring process. Similarly, pre-programmed alerts can let recruiters know when they need to reach out to candidates, giving them a chance to have meaningful conversations at critical junctures.
Embracing chatbots can also be a smart move. On company recruitment pages, consider creating a chatbot that can answer questions and guide candidates through the hiring process. That way, the job seeker doesn’t have to wait for a reply.
If you want to enhance engagement with a social media job announcement post, consider adding a video highlighting what your company has to offer. Application rates rise by 34% on average when a video is part of the ad, so that can be a wise addition.
Cultivate Your Employer Brand
Since top talent have choices when it comes to employers, you need a strong brand that showcases your employee value proposition. Your goal should be to accurately and enticingly demonstrate what you, as an employer, bring to the table.
With 49% of job seekers citing compensation as the reason they accepted a role, make sure to include salary ranges on job ads. Highlight your career pathways to entice the 33% of candidates who take roles for professional development opportunities. Showcase your work-life balance programs to capture the attention of the 29% of job seekers who consider that one of the most important decision-making factors for them.
Additionally, increase your social media presence by getting on Instagram. The platform is incredibly popular with young professionals and gives you the ability to easily share images (like infographics about a role) and videos. You can also post stories to provide a comprehensive look into your workplace, the daily life of a person in a particular position, a recent innovation, or other parts of the employee experience.
By focusing on your employer branding, you can become a more attractive option to top talent. As a result, your recruitment strategy should yield reliable results.
Ultimately, all of the tips above are beneficial additions to your hiring strategy in 2020. If you’d like to learn more, the skilled professionals at Cloutera can help. Contact us to learn more about how to attract top talent in a competitive market and see how our recruiting expertise can benefit you.
