Focus on Skills over Candidate Profiles
Simply adding desired skills to an existing job description is not enough to attract the right talent. Gartner research shows that only 16% of new hires possess the skills necessary to perform in both their current and future roles, primarily due to hiring managers sourcing talent based on candidate profiles, rather than the skills required to get the job done.
Checking the credentials and background of a candidate will not always secure the best person for the job. 43% of today’s workforce are self-taught in one or more of their role’s functions, meaning that hiring managers who do not delve into this might be missing valuable talent. Further to this, recruiters often fail to pay enough attention to another “golden” source - people who operate their own business. These candidates are notoriously multi-skilled in a plethora of self-taught areas and should not be overlooked when searching for talent.
Skills-based talent strategies are currently gaining traction in Australia, promising research from Mercer showed that in 2023 building for employability was a top priority for HR leaders around the globe. Meeting future workforce needs through a skills-based organisation is something companies are striving for more than ever.
Nurture Talent
Companies can often fail to sufficiently assess their current workforce when looking to fill a position. It is not enough for hiring managers to simply post a job advertisement internally and hope that the right candidate applies, they need to dig deeper into their potential, having honest one-on-one conversations with employees to learn about their career goals, and potentially unearth other skill sets.
Nurturing existing talent and creating a career plan will not only prepare them for their next role within the company, but also create a new talent pool to utilise next time a recruitment need arises. This enables a fast fill without costly onboarding expenses.
Biopharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb is a great example of an internal sourcing strategy has worked in practice. It advertised most vacancies within the business and made significant investments into the ongoing development of its people. As a result, the company was named a three-time 'Best Employer' by Aon Hewitt.
Hiring based on talent location is also an option, the Australian government started an initiative in 2020 aimed at attracting international businesses and talent to boost economic recovery.
Revamp your Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
There has been a significant shift in what matters to job seekers in today’s market. A better salary is no longer the main reason employees look for new job opportunities. 62% of Australian employees say non-salary benefits have become more important than a healthy base salary when considering a job offer.
To have a realistic picture of what job seekers really want, hiring managers should be constantly seeking direct feedback from candidates and employees. They should also be looking at what benefits their competitors are offering to attract the best talent.
Companies that have shown empathy for the personal circumstances of their employees have become a real magnet for post-pandemic job seekers. According to Quila Cervelli, the Global Employer Branding Manager at RMIT University, a successful strategy is to look at how prospective hires can work at home with children, or even make the role part-time to accommodate their personal circumstances.
Make Mental Health a Priority
Remote work often results in blurring lines between work and personal life. HR leaders in Australia face the issue of employee exhaustion from inability to ‘unplug’ from work, given the increase in people working from home. This is why HR must focus on designing workplaces that help foster mental and emotional wellbeing and encourage those working remotely to develop healthy habits to restore balance. These could be simple habits such as the workspace to be separate to downtime areas and breaks to be taken away from workspace.
Gartner claims employer support for mental health, financial health and sleep will become table stakes of the benefits offered to employees. Remote work is here to stay and according to Glassdoor, there is a 276% increase in the number of jobs for remote workers, and around 38,000 open positions for remote work.
Design a User-Friendly Job Application
HR managers should avoid asking jobseekers to complete complicated forms while also requesting their resume. Unnecessary duplications and complicated user interfaces may deter good candidates. Job descriptions are often an employee's first impression of a company, they should be written from the job seeker’s perspective, delivering the key information and avoid over-explaining.
It is important to clearly explain what makes the company a great place to work, as culture and staff treatment are huge considerations for the 2023 candidate.
Being transparent and including salary range in the job description is highly recommended to help gain a candidate's trust and avoid feeling as if they have wasted their time. LinkedIn has said in certain regions, seeing a salary range in the job description will affect an astounding 91% of candidate’s decision to apply.
Acknowledging receipt of an application will also go a long way in letting a candidate know that their time is valued. Forbes experts have said: “these actions tell candidates more about your culture than any fancy video, website or brochure.”
Invest in Your Online Reputation
Often the first thing a prospective employee will do is to check the company’s website and social media channels. As a result, it is imperative for businesses to keep their online platforms updated, ensuring content clearly reflects their professionalism and commitment to employees, and demonstrates industry value.
Top ways to manage your online reputation include:
- Make sure your channels show your current imagery, messaging, and values.
- Check all information about your business is up to date.
- Cultivate a positive user experience.
Finding the Right Candidates
Here at Evolve Scientific Recruitment, we pride ourselves on helping employers choose the right staff. We are the market leader in Scientific and Technical Recruitment, offering a high calibre of our service to clients and candidates alike.
We look forward to helping more businesses source elite candidates in 2023 and beyond.
Contact us today to learn how we do it or read our client testimonials.
