The Search for Exceptional Talent Has Changed. Has Recruitment Changed With It?

Finding and hiring exceptional employees is never simple. Arguably, though, over the past few years, it’s gotten even harder. Businesses aren’t just competing with similar companies in their industry or city; they are in competition with companies from all over the world for the top talent. Flexible working and high candidate work expectations are both making it harder for businesses to secure the best people for the job. They don’t just need to think about where they can find top talent, but how they can attract, evaluate, and secure the people that are going to make a positive impact in their business. 

To do this, bosses and hiring managers need to assess whether their approach to recruitment is up to scratch so they don’t miss out on exceptionally talented candidates. 

Talented Candidates Won’t Rush Into A New Role 

If you think that a competitive salary and impressive job title are all it takes to snap up the top talent, then you’d be mistaken. Professionals these days want more from a prospective job role, and they are willing to wait for the right opportunity to come along. Things like company culture, flexibility, benefits, company values, leadership style, career progression, and the overall employee experience are more influential than just money when someone is weighing up their career options. 

Candidates want to be certain that the role will fit into their lifestyle. To do this, they won’t skip researching their employers in-depth and comparing their options. At the interview stage, they also ask more questions to really drill down into whether an opportunity is right for them. This has caused the balance of power to move. Of course, as a hiring manager or business owner, you are assessing a candidate’s suitability for the role, but they are also assessing you. A vague or cold interview process can put the strongest talent off, despite what the role is offering. 

Job Adverts Are One Aspect 

Job ads are still important to get the word out there that you are hiring, but the truth is that the most exceptional candidates are not often actively looking for a new role. They might be happy where they are and only open to moving if the right opportunity presents itself. Instead of being passive and hoping the right person sees your advert, you need to be proactive with your recruitment. 

You need to map the market, know what will persuade someone to consider a career move, build relationships, and identify potential candidates. To make sure your proposal won’t be ignored, you need to be aware of what your competitors are offering and position yourself as better than that. You might reach out to people via LinkedIn or by using a specialist recruitment agency. If you are a business that is looking for fresh talent to join your HR team, then reaching out to an expert recruiter like VWA could be the way to go. They will be up to speed with what candidates expect from jobs today, and can help present your job opportunity that makes the best talent stop and think. 

Company Culture Is Important 

Potential employees take company culture into account when thinking about a career move. Typically, they want to know what the office environment is like if you have one, how people are treated, what the leadership style is like, and if the company seems stable. If any of these aspects aren’t quite up to standard, then don’t paper over the cracks. 

Candidates will appreciate you being honest with them so they can get a realistic image of what it might be like to work for you. So, be transparent during the recruitment process about what the expectations are, development opportunities, and any challenges. If you oversell or undersell the role, then you stand to miss out on the best talent either before you’ve even made a formal job offer, or they might leave soon after being hired. 

Candidates Must Be The Right Fit 

Of course, you need to hire someone who is up to the job you’re offering. However, someone could have all the skills and qualifications, but not be the right fit for the team. Outside of a person’s technical ability, communication skills, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and motivation can help you decide if they will slot into your business or cause a stir. Getting this wrong can negatively impact team morale and result in a wasted recruitment process. 

How Is Recruitment Changing? 

You shouldn’t only think about recruitment when your teams are stretched or when someone leaves. Instead, you need to take a proactive approach to recruitment so you don’t miss out on the best candidates that could stay with you long-term. 

Next time you’re thinking about hiring, ask yourself: 

• Are there any gaps in your current teams? 
• What skills will your business need over the next few months or years? 
• What is your company culture, and what sort of person would fit this? 
• What changes can you make to the hiring process to appeal to top talent?
• Are you being honest about job and company expectations? 

Finding exceptional talent has changed a lot over the years, and recruitment efforts have had to change with it. If you’re proactive, honest, and person-focused, you’ll be able to find people who can make a big difference to your company.