For many people it is back to work following COVID-19, for others they sadly find themselves seeking a new opportunity due to the negative impacts coronavirus has had on the economy.
Whatever the situation, one thing is for certain people will now have a different or clearer sense of what is important to them and this will include work and their employer.
It has always been mooted that you leave your boss and not the organisation and whilst some leaders may be a little arrogant and ignore this, people always have choices. Adding this into the mix of having lockdown reflection time, it is now vital that business leaders and managers take time to ensure they retain 'Rock Stars' and recruit new top talent.
Now is a great time to embark on updating, designing or implementing a ‘Talent Acquisition' [aka recruitment] plan.
Where to start?
I could write for hours on the subject of Candidate Experience, it is so often overlooked as the key to effective Talent Acquisition.
It is all about first impressions, standing out from the competitors, showing why the job you are offering is the one they really want. Sounds obvious but so often you see adverts that are boring, a job description that is basically a to do list & info that is in no way linked to the culture where they will be working.
Social media is making it a doddle for prospective candidate to do their research on you and your company. You’ll have been Googled, Linked In & Glassdoored before even knowing an applicant is interested in your vacancy. Effort in highlighting your business through these platforms is well placed especially if you are looking to recruit.
Once research is complete, the potential candidate will want their application submission to be short and slick. Think about society today, we want things to be fast and simple: Amazon next day delivery at a swipe, boxsets on demand, pause and reward for almost all TV shows. We demand ease and this is no different within the candidate’s journey.
Do you have an effective applicant tracking system [ATS]? This can significantly reduce in-house stresses and greatly enhance the candidate's experience… they do not have to be expensive either! What is the core info you need to collect? Remove the need to know everything - if everything doesn’t matter!
Can the applicant apply via their mobile? In 2019 research suggested that at least 79% of applicants used smartphones to apply for jobs, it is vital you have the option to accept mobile applications.
After this initial planning, think about the behaviours and attitudes you would like the new joiner to bring with them. If I think about recruiting a Marketing team member who has say 3 years experience and is CIM qualified, how am I going to select the right person? CIM gives you basics, the experience will give you some reality but I want a person who has tenacity, confidence and is creative. So, my advert and JD must to be eye catching, show how the role contributes to business success and how autonomy is key. Ensure that the wording clearly shows these attributes are requirements of the role.
Think about describing the role in terms of success and outcomes not what they will do on a daily basis
Consider binning the traditional CV & covering letter, why not ask for a short video or mood board submission?
Assessment methods can be varied and should include testing these core behaviours not just testing knowledge.
Applications will flood in and already you will have ways to differentiate good and great candidates through your planning.
There is a lot to consider if you want to get it right, I’ve only just scratched the surface of a plan so if you’d like help in creating and rolling out a Talent Acquisition plan to make sure you are in the best place to attract top talent please get in touch.
"Investing at the beginning of a candidate’s journey will give you the best chance of attracting & retaining your future Rock Stars"
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