It's hard out here for a recruiter. Candidates have competing offers, they want regular communication and a reason to believe in your organization's vision. Gone are the days of posting a job and simply watching the resumes flood in. We've got to work hard to hire the best talent on the market.
As you approach hiring this year, rather than be overwhelmed, you and your team should ruthlessly prioritize what's most important: recruiting employees to help your business grow. With that goal in mind, here are a handful of dos and don'ts to keep you on track. You're already in the right place, Glassdoor; now you just need to put the following advice into action. Ready, set, hire!
Do
1. …Move Fast
Finding and recruiting top talent has never been harder. Not only is it taking longer than ever to fill a role, but businesses have never done as much hiring as they do today. According to Glassdoor research, 71% of job seekers have received 2 or more offers at one time.
In order to hire the best, you need to move quickly. The key is how fast you and your candidates can assess a mutual fit. By nurturing job seekers with a compelling employer brand & communication —yes, even passive candidates — you are primed to hire the best quickly. With so many open roles on the market and the scarcity of quality talent, it’s imperative to build a hiring strategy that can attract, nurture, convert and retain.
RELATED: How to Hire Your First 10 Employees
2. …Lean Into Employer Branding
An employer brand is how you market your company to job seekers. It’s how you present yourself—and how you respond to those who leave reviews about you. Winning top talent in 2020 and beyond requires HR professionals to build a compelling case for why candidates should want to work for you.
Your Glassdoor profile maybe someone’s only exposure to your company. You have to make the most of it. Tell a differentiated story about your company, feature and respond to employee reviews, share photos and videos, and benchmark your employer brand against the competition.
Remember, nearly 3 in 4 (74%) of Glassdoor users read at least 4 reviews before forming an opinion of a company. Furthermore, 4 in 5 (79%) Glassdoor users are more likely to apply to an open job if the employer is active on Glassdoor (e.g. responds to reviews, updates their profile, shares updates on the culture and work environment).
Employer branding isn’t a “nice to have.” It is a must-have.
RELATED: How Employer Branding Can Solve Your Recruiting Challenges
3. …Prepare for a Downturn
Despite a healthy labor market throughout 2019, Job openings shrank 1.8 percent year-over-year in December, the first annual decline in more than two years. What does this mean for the new year? Glassdoor data indicates 2020 may get off to a weak start.
While this is not a clear sign of a recession, HR professionals need to be ready as economists do predict a downturn. And even if hiring slows, the need to beat the competition will not.
Get ready for a recession by considering ways to shift open roles to contract or part-time positions, continue to build your employer brand presence on Glassdoor, and double down on your retention efforts.
Don’t
1. …Avoid Employee Reviews
Sticking your head in the sand or ignoring employee feedback on Glassdoor is a losing strategy. 83% of employees/job seekers are likely to research company reviews and ratings if deciding on where to apply for a job. Therefore, if you fail to respond to reviews or if your brand feels defensive, candidates will see that.
The best way to respond to reviews is to be professional, say thank you, address specific issues, and be authentic. Furthermore, utilize your reviews to fix problems and build company culture.
Don’t forget, Glassdoor is an important tool for employers to give candidates a preview of what a job/company is like.
RELATED: Responding to Negative Glassdoor Reviews: FAQs
2. …Solely Focus on Hiring Millennials & Gen Z
While Gen Z and Millennials are the new kids on the block, so to speak, they are not the only candidates you should have your eyes on. The fastest-growing segment of the labor force in the coming decade is aging Baby Boomers. Employers who broaden their definition of inclusivity to welcome older workers, and develop the learning programs to make the most of the 65+ talent pool, will enjoy a strategic hiring advantage in 2020 and beyond.
Get in front of mature talent by appealing to the unique motivations of older workers to recruit top-tier candidates.
RELATED: Millennials vs. Gen Z: What You Need to Know About Recruiting the Next Generation
3. …Be Afraid to Take a Stand
Candidates want to hear who you are, why you do what you do and what’s in it for them if they join. In 2020, this likely means that talent wants to see where companies stand on political and national issues. For employers in highly competitive sectors looking for ways to stand out from the crowd, taking a political stand can be a winning strategy for distinguishing themselves from the competition and strengthening their appeal to talent.
Whether your leadership team is looking to speak out on social or political issues or not, it’s imperative to identify a solid mission and author company values to help define the causes that align with your company values.
Don’t be afraid to put a stake in the ground if there is a value you feel strongly about as a company — even if it’s polarizing. Your core fans will likely become that much more loyal and motivated.
