The job market has changed a lot over the past couple of years. Gone are the days of the candidate led market, where employers could take their pick from the cream of the crop and take their time to make sure they get the right person for the job.
Of course, it’s still vitally important to get the right person for the job, but the recruitment process is much quicker than it has been, with a smaller pool of candidates becoming much more sought after, as Rob Shaw, Managing Director of Rotherham based recruitment consultancy, Glu Recruit comments.
Start at the end
The candidate market is moving fast! Gone are the days of being able to mull over your interviewees and invite them back for second or even third interviews. There are fewer active jobseekers on the market at present, which creates a greater demand from employers who are making employment offers soon after the first interview (sometimes during the interview itself!)
Before you release that job advert, pick a desired start date for your new recruit and work back by 6 weeks – this will enable you to act fast when you find the right person.
But don’t jump the gun – you will need to make sure you have everything in place in the background. Are your offer letters and employment contracts up to date? If not, make this one of your first tasks!
Have you decided on the work model? Hybrid or remote working is here to stay. Staff have proved to their employers from the outset of the pandemic that they can be trusted to work remotely without any loss in productivity, so be clear what is on offer from the outset.
Back to the beginning
You’ve identified your start date and are all set up from a HR perspective. Next step – the job spec!
It’s just as important for you as an employer to sell your organisation to a job seeker as it is for them to impress you. Today’s candidates are not simply all about salary, they want to know about your culture, the flexibility of the role, if they are the right fit for the company as well as the job, and what progression opportunities are available.
So, don’t just re-use an old job spec. Take a fresh look at it and improve it! In today’s digital world, you could include video or image led content to give applicants a behind the scenes look at you and your organisation. Consider using employee quotes or testimonials on how much they love working there, tell them about any awards you have won, and don’t’ forget the all important benefits package. Whatever makes you stand out as an employer, be proud and shout about it!
Salary
Salary alone isn’t everything when it comes to moving jobs, but make sure you are open and transparent about it. Job seekers are more likely to apply for a job if it states the salary as they don’t want to waste their time applying for something significantly below, or too far above their current pay grade.
As an employer you also need to make sure you are compliant with all the latest wage laws. The National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage have both gone up in April 2022 so if you are offering at this level make sure you are up to speed with these changes.
If you are unsure where to pitch your salary, we have a useful ‘Value Your Vacancy’ tool on our website to help provide an accurate valuation for over 150 jobs across our specialist areas of recruitment.
The interview process
Are you considering internal applicants as well as external? If so, why not open the role out to staff first – your ideal candidate might be right under your nose!
As for the interview, pan for who is going to be involved in the process. Is everyone in agreement about every aspect of the role? If you are all rowing in the same boat, it will make the decision making process much more streamlined.
What structure will the interviews take? Make sure you know who is going to be involved at your side and that they will be available when you plan to conduct the interviews.
Also, what type of interview do you plan to hold? First stage interviews could be done via Teams or Zoom to cleanse your shortlist, with a more formal in-person interview to follow. Will you be asking for tasks to be completed? If so, make sure you give your candidates clear instructions and time to prepare.
A marathon or a sprint?
Whilst you don’t want to rush and make the wrong decision, you do need to be quick off the mark when it comes to making offers. Remember, candidates have many options available to them but if you have put a robust structure in place right from the start, you will be in a better position to make that all important offer quickly to ensure you don’t miss out.
Working with a recruitment consultancy like Glu Recruit can also help speed up the process. We can take away all of the leg work to make sure you only see the right candidates, as well as handling offers and further negotiations on your behalf. Drop us a line on 0114 321 1873 or eyup@glurecruit.co.uk and we will be available at every step of the process!