Tag Archive for: Attracting qualified candidates

Understanding Candidate Expectations for 2024

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As another new year begins, many job seekers start thinking about their career goals and plans for the coming months. While the economy remains uncertain, the job market is slowly improving and there are opportunities worth exploring. As an HR manager, it’s important to understand what factors are most important to candidates when evaluating potential employers and roles. Staying apprised of candidates’ priorities can help you attract and hire the best talent for your organization.

By exploring various topics candidates look for in their job search, we hope to provide helpful insight into how your company can position itself as an employer of choice and make the strongest possible impression on applicants.

In this blog, we’ll explore the key attributes that candidates consider in 2024.

1. Communicated Priorities

Having a clear understanding of their focus and goals can greatly motivate employees. It instills a sense of purpose and provides a clear direction, ultimately boosting their performance. That’s why job seekers often seek employers who effectively communicate concise and well-defined priorities. When employers have clear priorities, it helps employees structure their work, prioritize tasks, and stay focused on their objectives. Employers can promote clear priorities by creating a transparent environment where information flows freely. This builds trust within the organization and makes sure everyone is informed.

In addition to improving employee motivation and performance, effective communication of priorities can also lead to better decision making and overall success for the company. With this in place, employees can make informed decisions that align with the organization’s goals. This results in employee engagement, trust within the organization, and an inclusive environment.

2. Transparent Leadership

In today’s job market, candidates are increasingly seeking transparent leadership from potential employers. They want to work for leaders who are honest and open, and who demonstrate integrity in their decision making. It is crucial for employees to have a clear understanding of the company’s mission and objectives and how they individually contribute to those goals. Employers who are honest with their employees about challenges and opportunities can create a more collaborative environment where employees feel like they are working together towards a shared goal. This also fosters connection within a team and helps them feel valued.

Businesses can incorporate transparent leadership into their organization by promoting openness, collaboration, and mutual respect. It begins with open communication, where leaders are not only willing to share information but also actively seek input and feedback from their teams. This collaboration leads to better decision making and problem solving. When employees feel their opinions are valued, they are more motivated to contribute and take ownership of their work. This creates a positive and inclusive culture where everyone feels respected and heard. Overall, this leadership style fosters trust, boosts morale, and increases team alignment with organizational goals.

3. Autonomy in Work

In 2024, candidates are looking for greater autonomy in work and a sense of control over their own tasks. This is because they desire a break from the rigidity of strict micromanagement. Firstly, employees feel that micromanagement stifles creativity and hinders their ability to think outside the box. When given autonomy, employees are able to take ownership of their tasks and come up with innovative solutions that benefit both themselves and the company. This sense of ownership boosts their productivity and instills a sense of pride in their work.

Autonomy also fosters personal growth and skill development. When employees are given the freedom to make decisions and guide their work processes, they learn problem-solving and decision-making skills. This leads to reduced stress and greater job satisfaction as employees feel valued and trusted by their organization. By creating a culture of trust and allowing employees to take ownership over their work, businesses can experience increased innovation, greater employee retention, and a better overall bottom line.

4. Flexibility

In today’s workforce dynamic, it is of employers best interest to provide hybrid opportunities to attract and retain talent. Remote work first became popular at the start of the pandemic. Since then, employees have grown accustomed to working from home and having the flexibility to choose when, where, and how they work. According to recent data, “59% of US employees prefer hybrid or remote work and nearly a third of employees prefer working remotely outright.” As this shows, many workers are not ready to give up the benefits that remote work has provided. It allows them to maintain a healthier work-life balance, reduces commuting stress, and provides an opportunity to work in a conducive environment of their choice. This flexibility can lead to increased job satisfaction, productivity, and mental well-being.

For businesses, offering hybrid work arrangements is the happy medium between employees who want to work remote, and leaders who want them in person full-time. This flexibility has proven to increase efficiency and productivity. Employees who are no longer confined to a traditional 9-5 schedule can work during their most productive hours. As a result, they are able to eliminate distractions from the office, which allows them to focus on their tasks at hand. This helps them be more efficient in their work and produce better results. Overall, flexibility has become a highly valued attribute among job seekers in 2024 and will continue to be a key consideration when evaluating potential employers.

5. DEI

In 2024, candidates expect potential employers to have robust Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in place. This shows them that the company is committed to providing equal opportunities. Employees want to work in a positive culture that is inclusive, diverse, and equitable. When they see that the company values diversity and actively works towards creating an inclusive workplace, it shows them that their employer cares about their well-being.

Businesses can implement DEI efforts in numerous ways. It starts with creating a diverse and inclusive hiring process. This could involve using blind hiring practices to eliminate biases, or actively seeking out candidates from diverse backgrounds. Inclusion efforts can also extend to fostering a workplace culture that values and respects differences. This might involve training sessions on cultural awareness, or the creation of resource groups for underrepresented employees. Additionally, equity ensures everyone, regardless of their background, has access to the same opportunities for career growth and advancement. By focusing on DEI, businesses attract varied perspectives, skill sets, and experiences, fostering innovation and expansion.

Conclusion

Prioritize clear communication, flexible workplace policies, transparent leadership, autonomy in work, and diversity in 2024. Employers who offer this will go a long way in reducing employee anxiety around burnout and layoffs, as employees can find a work-life balance and feel more engaged in their work. Creating a better workplace for the future can be a win-win for both employers and employees, as it fosters happiness and helps companies grow and achieve their goals. As hiring professionals, it’s our duty to ensure the workplace has evolved into the best version it can be. Check out our services to see how we can aid your business in 2024.

8 Tactics for Attracting Talented Candidates

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In the current economy, it’s difficult to find quality employees for a variety of reasons. Not only do workforce trends, therefore employee expectations evolve on a regular basis; after the pandemic, many people’s lifestyles have changed drastically. This has influenced the way jobholders believe employment should work. While it can feel like it’s hit or miss when it comes to bringing in new talent, there are many tactics you can use to appeal to job seekers in your industry. Here are some of the factors that commonly get overlooked when companies are trying to draw in new talent:

1. Have a Detailed Job Post

When you’re trying to fill vacancies, you want to be as informational as possible without making the post too long (300-700 words is a good criteria). Remember, there are a ton of others trying to attract candidates as well, so the key is to stand out. Job seekers always want to know, “what’s in it for me?”, so believe it or not; a lot of companies are steering away from having a requirements and duties/responsibilities section in their job posts. Start by discussing why your company is a cut above the rest and what a day in the life of one of your employees looks like. Talk about desired perks like paid vacation, health & retirement benefits, and wellness programs. Then, towards the bottom, describe the job and what’s to be expected if hired. This will ensure the post is engaging and that applicants read it from top to bottom before moving on in their search.

 

2. Advertise Team Building and Company Ethos 

Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Not only will your company be more efficient and productive if you implement team building into your strategy, but employee retention will increase and people will be more apt to apply. Gone are the days that people want to work somewhere solely for a certain wage or as a status symbol. Now it’s about feeling like they are a part of something. Knowing that they will be entering an organization with positive employee morale and one where everyone works together will make job seekers feel more comfortable and will attract candidates who truly want to be there and are not just inquiring for the sake of a pay check.

 

3. Promote from Within

Employees want to know that they will have long-term careers with the companies they are currently working for, but only half of employees actually feel like they do. From an employee perspective, there is nothing more discouraging than seeing somebody from outside the company get the job that they are just as qualified for. In fact, in their mind they are more qualified because they have already paid their dues and contributed to the company. Promoting strictly from within will give your employees a bigger sense of security and shows that you appreciate them by being willing to advance them in their careers.

4. Have a Join Our Team page on the Company Website

If you want to bring in top candidates, simply having an “Apply here” button is not enough. An entire page dedicated to marketing the company as a great place to work will attract many more qualified applicants. Make the page as visually appealing and engaging as possible. This is the place to talk about the company culture, post photos of the office, post employee profiles & testimonials, and showcase awards that the company has won. A “join our team” page should essentially give prospective employees a taste of what it would actually feel and be like to work there.

 

5. Craft an Appealing Job Title

Since the title is the first thing that people see when perusing through job boards, making it eye-catching title will make all the difference in the amount of applicants you get. This is your first opportunity to make an impression on someone who could be the next MVP of your company. Don’t give them the chance to reject you by underestimating the importance of the job title. Call the job what it is and avoid using terms like “guru” or “rock star”, as this doesn’t give any insight on what the job entails. A quality title will use general vocabulary (not jargon that is only understood within your company). It can also be advantageous to add the location and mention some of the job perks or benefits you offer.

6. Treat a Job Posting as Marketing for Your Company

In order to bring in top talent, your company must be reputable as a place that current employees enjoy working. This means that your office practices should be highlighted in the job post. If your company has won awards for its culture or being a top place to work, be sure to include that. All too often, hiring managers only post “job requirements”; but applicants need to know what the environment and work-life balance looks like to decide if they can envision themselves being part of it. This is your chance to activate candidates by getting them excited about the possibility of working there. Use it to your advantage by having a section dedicated to discussing the collectively enjoyable aspects of the job/company. Nowadays people aren’t just looking for a prestigious job title and a paycheck. They want to know they have something to look forward to every day when they walk into work.

7. Consider Remote Employees

On account of team building and camaraderie, many company leaders prefer to only hire local talent so that they are able to come into the office every day. But with the new implementation of communication tools like Zoom and Slack over the past year, it has proven to be easy to connect and keep in touch no matter where someone is working from. In the current market, it is difficult to bring in new talent. However, work still needs to get done if you want your business to thrive. Being open up to remote employees for administrative and marketing tasks gives you the whole world as your candidate pool. Also, people are more likely to apply for and accept a position that gives them location freedom.

8. Offer/Promote Learning Programs

Despite what degrees or certifications one may have, many people are resistant to apply for positions because they don’t feel qualified enough for them. Job postings and descriptions only tell you so much; therefore, if someone feels that they don’t have the right experience, they will be too intimidated to apply. If you make it a point to let applicants know that you have programs and will train them, (not just in the beginning, but on a constant basis) you will see more applications coming in.

If your business is currently in need of more talent, we at Award Staffing are here to help you. Contact us here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Tactics for Recruiting Quality over Quantity

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The HR Challenge: Attracting qualified candidates, rather than a realm of respondents who not only lack the required experience, and skills – both hard and soft but also fail to fit your culture.  It’s a complicated process and involves much more than reviewing resumes and interviewing a short list of candidates. Bad hires are costly and time-consuming. If you want better results, consider revamping your system. Consider these steps.

Face the Current Challenges –

A talentnow post lists three recruiting challenges, which play a role in today’s market.

· A talent shortage: According to surveys almost 75% of employers are struggling to find relevant candidates and more than 85% of the qualified candidates are not actively seeking a new position.
· Qualified candidates hold the reins: When top talent appears on the market, they’re typically hired within ten days, which boils down to a candidate-driven market. In fact, more than 20% of recruiters struggle with meeting the demands of qualified candidates.
· Your company brand is lacking: This challenge is perhaps the easiest and the hardest to change. Easy, because you can take specific steps; hard, because a negative reputation is hard to overcome. In our social media world, candidates can quickly glean who is and who is not their dream employer. In fact, 84% of job seekers say a company’s reputation is a critical factor.

Respond: Companies can’t change the shortage, and said shortage is why candidates hold the reins…but you can build your reputation and establish an attractive culture.

· Operate on ethical principles and maintain integrity.
· Stand behind your company claims.
· Be involved in your community, as well as globally.
· Treat your employees as your most valuable asset. Show appreciation and offer the best compensation program you can. Know your “market” when determining which benefits and perks to include.
· Communicate with employees. Ensure that they understand the big picture and how their role connects to it

When you create an attractive culture and a solid reputation, your company will naturally entice more qualified talent.

Adopt up-to-date recruiting tactics –

Be intentional about hiring diversity. According to LinkedIn’s Global Recruiting Trends Report, 49% of companies surveyed say intentionally incorporating diversity provides a better representation of their customers, 62% claim it improves company performance and a whopping 78% attribute it as a factor in improving company culture.

Create a robust and affirmative employee referral program: Focus on your top performers and engagers. Communicate your job description to them and reward them well when their recommendations turn into a great hire.

Reinvent your interviewing process: Make use of technology.

· Utilize video interviews, rather than phone screens, to narrow the list.
· Interview in a setting similar to your workplace culture.
· Include soft skills and emotional intelligence assessments.
· Adopt virtual reality assessments – it enables the candidate to “try on” a job.
· Use data to help make strategic hiring decisions and predict hiring outcomes.
· Use social recruiting strategies. 80% of employers claim that social recruiting helps them find passive talent.
· Consider mobile-enabled application processes.

Change your job description focus –

Evaluate what the job’s absolute requirements are, what you can train on the job, and what really doesn’t matter in the big picture.

Obviously, specific skills – especially technical ones – are crucial, but sometimes those skills are developed via experience, certifications, and online learning, instead of a degree. And sometimes, the candidate with a degree is sadly lacking in emotional intelligence, communication, and other critical soft skills. In addition to essential skills, pay attention to aptitude, attitude, work ethic, integrity, and people skills.

Attracting qualified candidates will remain a challenge, but companies who present an attractive culture and build a strong reputation, while staying informed on and embracing technology will reap the results they’re seeking – qualified candidates, who become great hires, rather than a pool of much less potential.

If you’re looking to hire the best talent in the business, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find the right employees for your unique business needs. If you’re searching for more tips and trick on how to improve your company’s workforce, check out our hiring solutions blog.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

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