Tips for hiring managers in times of labor market tightness
The current record tightness in the labor market is not news. We also experience the difficulty of finding suitable professionals. For hiring managers, it must be even more challenging to keep up with the developments in the labor market. As a result, they often don’t know how to respond to the tightness. Therefore, we provide some guidelines to fill open roles as quickly as possible.
In our fields of expertise, we often see department managers also responsible for the selection process of new employees. This makes sense because these professionals will join their teams.
Since selecting suitable professionals is not their core task, we offer the following tips to help them with this process.
1.Act swiftly
With the current labor market tightness, recruiters work hard to find, engage, and retain suitable professionals. Fortunately, most hiring managers respond quickly to this and schedule introductory meetings.
Unfortunately, it also happens frequently that, after extensive and intensive search efforts, it takes a long time to receive a response. This is very frustrating, not only for us but also for the professional and the client.
In a tight market, professionals are approached from all sides. By acting swiftly and keeping the application process short, you prevent a suitable professional from receiving another offer and becoming unavailable.
2. A match is more than just a resume
You won’t find a suitable professional by solely focusing on a resume. On paper, someone may have a lot of knowledge and experience, but can they also communicate and apply this knowledge? Conversely, someone may lack knowledge and experience but be highly motivated and a quick learner.
Whether someone is suitable for a role can be discovered by looking at professionals with an open mind. Engage in a conversation to see if someone fits the role and the organization.
3. Think in opportunities
In a market where professionals have many options, it’s time for employers to think in terms of opportunities. Why should you only look for the “unicorn” candidate with all the desired traits? Why not give a candidate with potential a chance to further develop? Let them grow, both personally and professionally, and develop that “unicorn” candidate yourself.
4. Seek advice
Are you a hiring manager struggling to find suitable professionals for your team? Our Business Managers can assist you. They are up-to-date with the latest developments in the labor market.
They will assess your needs and requirements, creating the ideal profile for a professional. This profile becomes the basis for our recruiters. With this approach, they provide you with tailored advice. As a hiring manager, this gives you a realistic view of the market and increases the chances of finding the right professional.
