Comment
By Sandra Innes
Covid disrupted the world of talent acquisition. Sourcing, interviewing and onboarding went virtual while talent acquisition departments faced tough reductions in budgets and personnel and as a result, recruiting and hiring are the biggest concerns employers have for the coming year, according to a survey by XpertHr.
So, how do you improve your recruitment process? Unfortunately, there’s no “one size fits all” solution to the challenges presented by the pandemic. Employers across different industries and geographies face different issues. However, there are actionable ideas and strategies that can be implemented to help improve your talent acquisition process.
There’s a lot of uncertainty in today’s talent landscape, but for employers one factor remains constant: without competitive compensation and benefits, job-seekers will look elsewhere. This is especially important in traditionally lower-wage industries like leisure and hospitality.
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The health risks presented by the pandemic have been clear, and the elderly are among the most susceptible. As a result, some workers are taking early retirement. To help fill the gaps, employers’ recruitment strategies should focus on the next generation of leaders and talent entering the workforce.
In the current talent landscape, your organisation can’t afford to screen out candidates solely based on experience or because they lack all of the desired hard skills. To compete, employers should look for candidates with transferable skills. Rather than assessing candidates for potential and dismissing those who don’t have the requisite experience, employers should look for those with key soft skills. Assessment techniques like the whole person model can build a better view a candidate’s full range of abilities to determine whether they're a good fit for a role, regardless of experience.
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The challenges of the past year have changed what candidates look for in employers across all industries. Regardless of the strength of your brand prior to the pandemic, nearly all employers need to shift their messaging to stay competitive. Additionally, you need to communicate changes you’ve implemented regarding workplace safety, compensation, benefits and remote work policies to let candidates know upfront what they can expect.
Hiring during a pandemic is enough of a challenge, so your talent acquisition process has to be on point if you want to get ahead of the competition. With these recruiting strategies in mind, you can set yourself up to attract more candidates, make the right hires and get back to business as soon as possible.
Sandra Innes is client relationship director with TMP UK
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