The labor market is ever changing and so are the needs of organizations, and of course the demands of the employees. Talent acquisition is, in my view, one of the most business-critical factors. And if you are hiring it is important to do this thoughtfully and take the developments of the last years into account. To be prepared as an organization, this might be the time to rethink your recruiting strategies.
The world is changing and “ the future or work” is already here. As an organization working in innovative tech you’ll need to be very aware of not only what your target audience is currently looking for in a job, but also how recruiting “works”.
If you want to stay on top of your game, you want to attract the Top Talents in your Industry. You will need to find out the best and most effective recruitment strategies for today and tomorrow.
So, what has changed?
Employees are looking for workplaces that can support and reflect their lifestyle and give them opportunities to grow, to give meaning and purpose to their lives and to connect to others. They look for self-realization and their place in the world. They will be more likely to choose organizations that can satisfy these needs. Networking and connecting to others has become second nature and transparency and high-credibility are self-evident.
At the same time, the economy might fluctuate more and more the coming years. And with the current speed of developments in technology today’s winner is tomorrow’s loser. This means your organization needs to be able to adapt to the changing environment. You’ll need to make sure that the people you have in your organization are able to fulfill different roles when needed. In order to build long-lasting employee-employer relationships, you are investing on a different level. The relationship should be based on common goals, on equality and on entrepreneurship.
To review your recruitment processes have a look at the five aspects below
1 Align with your long-term strategy
You should make sure that you’ll have a clear picture of what kind of people you need to realize your organization goals. It is not so much the technical skills and experience, but think about the type of person you need to hire for the next few years and that will fit in your vision of the future. Because they might have to do a different job in a year or two anyway, competencies, values and the ability to adjust are getting more important than the exact requirements for the job they need to do when you hire them now. And remember, a mediocre hire is the biggest risk when recruiting!
2 Make clear what you have to offer
Like in any relationship, it is not just taking but also giving. What do you have to offer your future employees? What are your strong points as an employer? Do you have a fun, challenging exciting and flexible workplace? Do you have good terms and conditions or excellent career opportunities? Are you working internationally or very local? What is the atmosphere? Are you allowing your employees to work remotely and flexible? Can they bring their own device? Do you offer enough room for innovation and “play time”? Make sure you get a clear picture of who you are and what you have to offer, and then make sure to communicate this to the outside world.
Also, check if this is what your candidates are looking for to ensure a good match and long-lasting relationship.
(If an honest assessment makes clear that you might not be a top employer but merely a mediocre one, then use that conclusion as your stepping stone for both organizational development and for strategic recruitment. Work hard on improving your organization, hire people who are better than your current employees but don’t aim for the top talents (yet). After you have improved your organization to the extent that you can compete with the best in your industry, then you can also increase the demands on your new hires.)
3 Make your employees your ambassadors
Employees should be your ambassadors. You could not only get access to their networks to find your new employees, but they are very important were it comes to your reputation on the labor market. Not only social media, but also sites like www.glassdoor.com, will be affecting your employee branding. Grant your employees a bonus if they bring in a new hire, or be even more pro-active and get them to help you to do a search on LinkedIn to see who they have in their network that can pro-actively be hunted for openings.
4 Build strong relationships in the community
Today’s graduates from university might not only be your future hires, but they might be your future clients or strategic partners, especially in tech. So, getting to know your community and getting them to know you as an employer or supplier or partner, might be a double-edged sword. This is of course not limited to university students, but also for the broader community. Invest and build relationships (also through current employees and alumni). Create internships, and organize events yourself for the broader community your company is working in.
5 Use Social Media, strategically
Visibility might be key for a successful hire. Have a social media strategy in place to support your overall recruitment strategy. HR and / or marketing might be the owner of the social strategies, but make sure your employees are contributing to your social media strategies as well. They should be aware that their communication is in accordance to the companies overall vision and ideals and they should be aware of what might be too sensitive or crossing the line when it comes to posting online. But do make sure that they can share their enthusiasm for your company within their social networks!
Now it is your turn:
Do you have a recruitment strategy in place? Did you adjust this in the last couple of years? Or do you find that your “old” strategies don’t work anymore? Drop us a line if you want to get our support!
