Finding the right candidate to fill a position can be a challenge.
While there may be an abundance of job seekers, that doesn’t necessarily translate into suitable applicants.
If you are planning to expand your business or take on new employees in 2022 and beyond, it can be useful to understand the difference between expectations vs. reality.
Remember, forewarned is forearmed!
Expectation: Larger talent pool equals more qualified candidates
You have spent time writing the perfect job description, and it has delivered exactly what you wanted, hundreds and hundreds of applicants. Surely this means that you will have access to all the most qualified and experienced candidates within your industry?
Reality: More applicants means more unqualified candidates
Unfortunately, the reality of having lots of applicants for job postings does not mean that you have attracted the top talent within your field. More likely, it means that your job description was too vague and that your chance of finding the ideal candidate is akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
Solution: Select the right job portals
To target the right job seekers, make sure that you pick the right job portals and job boards for your job postings. Do not make the mistake of thinking that you can use the same job board for every role, as then you are highly likely to get applications from many unqualified candidates.
Expectation: Eager interviewees
You might think that any applicants who get through to the interview process will be falling over themselves to impress. They will ensure they are on time, dressed well, and fully researched on your business and the industry you operate within.
Reality: Several no-shows
The reality of the interview process is that you are highly likely to experience at least one no-show, if not more, for each position to are trying to fill.
This is particularly prevalent in cases of High Volume Hiring particularly Retail Recruitment, where you will find that candidates do not think twice about not showing up to an interview.
Solution: Automated scheduling
If you currently spend a lot of time and resources scheduling interviews, then you may want to consider automating the interview process with artificial intelligence technology.
The beauty of automation is that you can anticipate a cancellation and, therefore, plan your time accordingly. Automation software can manage nearly all your correspondence with applicants, saving you time and improving the candidate’s experience.
Expectation: Hiring a diverse workforce is easy
In today’s competitive world, hiring a diverse workforce is more important than ever before, and with such a diverse nation, it must be easy to hire a gender and ethnically diverse team, no?
Reality: Unconscious bias is unavoidable
Unconscious bias, sometimes known as implicit bias, occurs when you act on subconscious biases or stereotypes that stem from your upbringing, experiences, and environment.
When it comes to recruitment, no human is immune to unconscious bias. Even if you wanted to be completely neutral, it is impossible to be. Your natural gut instincts, knee-jerk reaction, and assumptions will always kick in.
Solution: Embrace blind hiring
Blind Recruitment removes details such as race, nationality, age, and gender from the hiring process. While this may seem extreme, it is one of the most effective ways to hire purely on talent rather than background or education.
Instead, look to creating bespoke tests that mimic the role’s challenges so that you can see how suitable a candidate is for the job.
Expectation: Applicants have to impress recruiters
Do you believe that it is down to candidates to impress you and not the other way round? Many employers are still under the impression that they hold all the cards regarding the recruitment process.
Reality: Employers have to impress candidates
Despite the pandemic and the precarious job market, high-quality candidates are still in a very strong position. If someone has the skills, experiences, and talent, it is you, as a recruiter, that needs to work hard to impress them, not the other way round.
This is particularly true in competitive industries where companies fight to attract top talent.
Solution: Utilize talent acquisition software
If you struggle to attract the best candidates within your niche, then a Talent Acquisition Recruitment Program is exactly what you need to gain that edge over your competitors. Using the power of artificial intelligence, this innovative software can help you to streamline your hiring processes, engage with the top talent and provide real-time recruitment reporting.
Expectation: The job is finished once you find the right person
Surely recruitment is all about finding the right person for the job, and then it’s all plain sailing from then on? You can see they are perfect on their resume, have all the right skills, and are passionate.
Reality: There is a lot more work to be done
Unfortunately, finding the right person is only the start of the process. As well as candidate screening, initial interviews and any follow-up discussions needed, you have to facilitate the offer stage, the acceptance, and the signing of the contract.
If you do not put enough thought and effort into these crucial stages, the entire hiring process can fall apart.
Solution: Focus on the 2nd stage
Make sure that you do not undervalue the importance of the second stage of the recruitment process, especially if you operate within a competitive industry.
Even the slightest mistake or error of judgment could result in one of your main competitors stealing your perfect candidate from right under your nose.
Make sure that your human resources team focuses on succeeding and that they will do whatever it takes to secure the deal and get your perfect candidate working hard for you.
Conclusion:
When it comes to Recruitment: Expectations vs. Reality, the harsh truth is that recruiters have to work harder than ever to attract and retain the top talent within their field.
Whether you choose to undergo the gruelling hiring process alone or you decide to outsource to a team of recruitment experts, there is no denying that technology will play a huge role in recruitment in 2022 and beyond.
