The candidate search and hiring process is very different today than it was a decade ago. With record levels of unemployment, it has become a candidate-driven market. Staffing industry leaders have had to change up their tactics to focus on the passive candidate. While always a targeted audience, with only 4% of the labor market unemployed, staffing teams must now focus on the 70% of employees that are thinking about a better job but not actively looking.
What are some of the biggest challenges staffing leaders face in this candidate-driven environment and how are they coping with the new realities of the hiring and job market?
Adapting to Today’s Staffing Realities
Candidates today have a variety of choices in job opportunities. But hiring managers often still require an arduous application, a lengthy interview process, assessments and more. But in a candidate’s market, moving more quickly to make an offer improves the odds you will land the talent you’re targeting. Long lead times can kill opportunity.
Five to ten years ago, placing an ad on the internet was enough to attract good quality candidates. Today, those ads are less effective at attracting talent; however, 70% of job seekers today are searching and applying for jobs on their mobile devices. Developing a mobile recruitment strategy with a responsive website design is imperative to beat the competition. This includes staffing agencies that list jobs for their clients.
On the web, job and career sites must be easy to navigate and consistent with the brand image. Employers should focus on sharing positive images of their culture and make sure the candidate experience is straightforward, positive and streamlined.
Staffing agencies are facing more competition than ever before today. From small startups to enterprise organizations, all businesses are seeking talent. Startups are often fueled by a large influx of capital, which creates better benefits for employees that enterprise organizations sometimes simply do not offer. Startups are often unencumbered by established compensation structures and can offer more attractive financial packages to entice candidates.
Also, staffing agencies are competing against sometimes hundreds of other inquiries by recruiters. The techniques that worked well a decade ago simply do not work today. Staffing agencies need to work harder to stand out and prove themselves and make an effort to sell the culture of the client they’re working for. Candidates want to know the company cares about them before they even go through the application process.
Staffing agencies also work with their client partners to encourage a culture of recruiting in the organization. Using tools like recruitment marketing can help companies stand out from the competition.
Finally, staffing agencies are using new digital technologies, like Exelare recruiting software, to manage their candidate sourcing and application process. Next generation recruiting tools automate many functions that slow down the hiring process. Recruiters can build and manage call lists; managers can easily track staffing team activity; and candidates can stay engaged with regular, measured contact.
In today’s competitive staffing markets, you need the right tools to get the job done. Schedule a demo with Exelare to learn about improving your talent and staffing process.