At 33 Talent, we’ve strived to compile and enact the best tips and tools of the trade in order to help our clients empower their people and make sure they have the best talent strategy in place. Since COVID-19, we know this information and knowledge is needed more than ever, so we’re launching a multiple article series where we can share our expertise with you! Whether it’s keeping your business agile, ensuring your team is thriving during turbulent times, or other pain-points and questions our clients are facing today, we’ve got you covered!
This week we’re starting with hiring talent as a result of this pandemic, and the burning question, is it really an employer’s market? And if it is, how do we harness these opportunities whilst still putting people first in 2020 and beyond?
The key difference in 2020’s hiring strategy is that there is now an availability of talent (see: our Candidate Lookbook for some examples) that hasn’t existed in years, and companies with talented teams are having to restructure and having to let go of even their best personnel. In some ways, this is recruitment heaven. But it sure doesn't feel that way for many candidates, and maybe even some of us, who are vulnerable to fluctuating market conditions and fortifying bureaucracies. Nevertheless, there are things we can do to maximise our talent strategy in these conditions.
1. Having a strong employer brand while everyone is listening
In a climate where everyone seems to be #opentowork, your job advert is probably going to be seen more times than before. The opportunity of having a strong employer brand is that sometimes, and especially now, you might be able to fill these roles by advertising alone -- particularly when the right talent is contacting you with the right purpose because there is clear branding on what you’re looking for. Ask yourself that when a talent is looking at your career page, social media, and job adverts, are they getting the picture of your brand you want? Are these pages telling them what you do, what skills you champion, and the culture you’re offering?
All your content (even the lengthy job listings!) needs to be a real brand touchpoint for candidates. Make sure that even if unsuitable candidates come across it, they can still be impressed with your offer and your company, and hopefully keep you in mind a few years along the line while sharing and referring the posting to their network.
Action points:
Review your job ad
verts, LinkedIn, and other landing pages. Make them vibrant, look extremely productive, or whatever you think properly encompasses your brand’s core.
Explain clearly which skills are essential and be cautious of filling the posting with loads of information that could be unnecessary
Note 3 or 4 non-negotiables in your listing or communicated within your hiring team to ensure an efficient pipeline when it comes to the next steps of your strategy
2. Exploring technology to hire
While “remote” is slowly becoming the new buzzword (guilty as charged, check out our guide on remote onboarding here), the best companies aren’t just using technology reactively, but have been implementing HR solutions with tech for years. These months of interim and uncertainty might be the best opportunity to explore and invest in digital solutions and see it transform your company in the future.
In the recruitment world, there are all loads of hiring ATS systems, software, and apps that can help you get smarter when hiring talent. In 33 Talent, we’re big advocates for platforms like Jobadder, which automates our workflow and makes it all available on the cloud (perfect for work from home), Active Campaign, an integrated CRM and email marketing software, and Volcanic, our resident host and designer for our site and other staffing websites out there. Other than that, here’s a great list on the top recruiting software of 2020 from AI to streamlined video interviewing apps.
Not only can tech speed up copious amounts of manual activity that will eventually free your team to focus on other priorities and leads, integrating technology into the early steps of recruitment can build buzz and attract likewise tech-savvy and digitally literate Gen Y and Z talent.
Action points:
Cross-reference your company’s goals and existing roadmap with the capabilities of the solutions you already have -- are there gaps in the process? Is there anything that can be accelerated or dismissed altogether with new tech?
Ask yourself what other companies are doing and investing in --LMS, AI, VR, any more acronyms? If they are looking into it, maybe so should you.
3. Prioritise and align touchpoints from the start
Did you know that nearly 33% of new hires look for a new job within their first 6 months on the job? The last thing you’d want is for your new starter to feel under - or overwhelmed by the role, especially when there is so much more right now to worry about. The cost of an unhappy or unfit employee is often astronomical and disheartening for all parties involved.
Ultimately, it is your job when you are hiring to make sure the candidate is educated on all aspects and expectations of their role, specifically what success would look like in the first 3 months, 6 months, and a year. A solid journey, even if it's just explained in conversation, can really help set the future hire up for success and build a sense of excitement and momentum before they even start! It can also help the candidate have one final touchpoint to see if their vision for their future is aligned with your company’s and whether being onboarded is the right next step.
In the same realm, even if you were not to hire a candidate but they are already a few steps into the interviewing process, it is more important than ever to be proactive in giving timely, honest feedback. Comments from many of our candidates on the job hunt is that responses (or rejections), especially personalised, are appreciated to keep them motivated in their search, and really shows them which companies are genuine in their people-first promises. As much as it is an ‘employer’s market’, candidates have taken to time to tailor their CV, prepare their Zoom outfit, or in some cases, venture into the outside world to meet you for an interview, so they deserve to feel appreciated and valued by their interaction with you (and the company you represent). Other reports in Singapore also claim that candidates are becoming increasingly conservative and taking more time to think about what company they’re joining and whether they will feel secure there.
Action points:
Make sure the interviewing process is recorded and continuously updated on a document or spreadsheet, making it easy to see which candidates have passed onto the next stage or are unsuccessful and require feedback
Keep promising candidates in your network through LinkedIn
Increase touchpoints for candidates throughout the interview process so they are never uncertain where they stand, what the job entails, or what the future holds for them in relation to your company
Besides complimenting impressive candidates, make sure to increase morale and respect by also asking them how YOU can improve and what they think of your company
And that’s it! 3 simple but actionable tips to harness your company’s potential while hiring during COVID-19.