4 Tips to Overcome the Most Common Recruiting Challenges
It would be easy to think that hiring the right people for your company is easy. After all, there are so many people looking for work, right? Well, the answer to that train of thought is no. Recruiting is a major challenge for both big and small businesses.
On average, it takes about 36 days to hire a new employee. Out of 250 resumes, less than six candidates will get an opportunity to interview. 76% of recruiters admit that attracting quality candidates is the biggest challenge.
41% face difficulties filling entry-level positions. Sourcing candidates takes about a third of a typical work week for recruiters.
Please read on for tips on how to overcome the most common recruiting challenges.
1. Getting Qualified Candidates in the Shortest Time Possible
From the statistics above, talent sourcing is one of the significant challenges faced by recruiters. A position can stay open for up to 36 days. Yet, one-third of the week goes into looking for the right candidate.
The ideal situation would be to cut down on hiring time. For maximum productivity, no job positions should remain open for lengthy periods. There is also the attendant cost of the money the company loses by not having a full team.
Small businesses may not have a dedicated in-house HR. Even with one, the teams could be struggling to fill the position for various reasons. A solution lies in hiring a talent sourcing company. The company benefits from expert recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) services.
Such companies can prove especially helpful when looking for candidates for hard-to-fill positions. This typically occurs in sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, life sciences, or technology.
The outsourcing companies use the latest recruiting technologies to look for qualified candidates. Such software helps achieve diversity by removing any bias from the process. The company can cut down hiring time by half.
Best of all, it relieves the pressure of filling job positions when you know experts are handling the job.
2. Recruiting Challenge of Attracting the Right Candidates
The surprising truth is that a candidate can decide not to work for your company. You must position yourself well in the market to attract the right people. The reality for many employers is the biggest challenge of a limited talent pool, especially in niche areas, as we highlighted above.
Those with the right skills are hard to find and harder to keep. Recruiters and headhunters always reach out to them. Public perception of the company can also have a big role to play.
What do you think when you hear employees speak negatively about their company? Indeed, they are the first brand ambassadors. So, they have a significant role to play in shaping public perception.
The company must work hard to build the brand. Take the example of companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Potential candidates see them as leaders in innovation.
Other than pay, recruits place great emphasis on company culture. They want to work for companies that show employees respect and are committed to their development.
3. Poor Job Postings Add to Hiring Challenges
Have you been finding it hard to fill job positions? Why don't you take a minute and look at your job descriptions? They may not be communicating what you want or expect from candidates.
You may also be using language that puts off specific groups. How many times do you read a job description, and despite qualifying, you do not apply? There is something about the language that is off-putting.
The company may, for example, be focusing too much on what they need. Yet, they do not address how they can help you achieve your needs. Refer to our point above on companies that are attractive to candidates. The emphasis on employee development shows that they care, and it is not only about output.
When writing job ads, avoid jargon, aggressive or biased language. Be clear about the job role and what you expect from candidates. Simplify your language as much as possible to avoid any misunderstandings.
Companies that have invested in AI recruiting software find the tools especially helpful with writing job postings. The technologies identify words that resonate with the target audiences. They can even drill down to location-specific language.
4. Lack of Efficiency in Recruiting Processes
Another reason your company may find hiring a struggle could lie in their processes. Sometimes the HR team may not even have the necessary knowledge. They may struggle with what to do and how to do it well.
Companies that have not embraced technology will also find it challenging to navigate the modern work environment. The use of data, for example, has become critical in finding the right candidates.
Yet, without the right tools to collect and analyze such, the HR team loses out. They will still rely on legacy or manual processes that can be ineffective.
The company must equip the HR team with the right tools and platform such as EnterpriseAlumni to help build and grow an alumni program. They can then develop policies and processes to achieve higher recruitment efficiency. All these go towards realizing smoother workflows and streamlining their activities.
Best of all, they only come in when there is a need. That means the company can operate with a very lean HR team. In the long run, you could realize significant savings in recruiting.
An expert recruiting agency can also provide consultancy services to the organization. They will help develop policies and strategies to guide the processes. This can effectively deal with the problem of an HR team that does not have knowledge.
Consider the cost of third-party help as an investment towards your company's growth.
Final Thoughts
Hiring issues are more commonplace than many employers would like to admit. Getting the right team on board can be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. Finding qualified candidates from a limited pool is one of the most significant challenges for recruiters.
Outsourcing such jobs to talent sourcing companies is a fantastic idea. You benefit from their expertise in looking for the right people, using the latest technologies. It frees up the HR teams to concentrate on other tasks like taking care of existing staff.
