With the March unemployment rate sitting at 5.6 per cent (March 2019), it’s not surprising that the job market is competitive.  

Above all, candidates can be choosy often juggling multiple offers. It’s a nail-biter for recruiters. 

With a smaller pool of applicants, it may take an organization a longer time to find the right person who meets job requirements.

And then we have the smaller companies struggling because they have fewer incentives to offer because of limited funds not to mention the lack of a visible brand.

Recruiters dig deep to pull out ways to jump over the many hurdles.  So here are a few suggestions to throw into the pot.

Stretching out the hiring process can be a losing game

Research conducted by the Addison Group, a leading professional job search firm in the United States, is a shocker:

“70% of job applicants will lose interest in the role they’ve applied for if they don’t hear back from their potential employer a week after their final interview. “

We tend to think that we have time to do this, that or the other thing.  But this is not the case during recruitment campaigns when unemployment is low. 

To clarify, good candidates will move on if it takes too long for a recruiter to decide and will head for the competition that’s waiting with open arms.

When you find a star, make sure they know you want them and move mountains to make it happen.

Ace your job posting online

If you want a candidate to click on APPLY when you post online, you need a drawing card.  For example, there are recruiters using the whole deck of cards with their creative genius. 

When demand exceeds supply, the ride gets a bit rough. Before that all-important click happens, there are the basics to consider. So your job posting must catch the eye of the reader.

Here’s a great example of a tight and explicit snapshot of Company X.  It doesn’t take much to see that this company is playing with a full deck by laying out the positives in the job description:

  • A Canadian-owned company that cares
  • The biggest independent Internet Service Provider in Canada
  • Competitive Salaries plus premiums
  • Health benefits, FREE snacks & drinks and much more
  • An equal opportunity employer committed to increase diversity
  • One of the recipients of the Canadian Employer of Choice for 2014-2018

Job description: a yawner?

If your company’s job descriptions are high-quality and personable, the candidates who reply to them will be too. As a result, give your job ads a makeover and see if you hear from the kind of talent you want to attract.  Consider these pointers.

  • Be sure to use the most relevant keywords in the description so that search engines easily find the type of position you’re offering.  For example, if you’re looking for a Client Advisor with extensive experience then it would be best to put in the job title, Senior Client Advisor.
  • Share key information about your company’s culture, values and what the job really looks like.
  • Put a little fun in your write up.  Be honest.   If it’s stiff and boring, the talented ones will rank you low on their scale. You want a potential newcomer to say, “Now that’s the place for me”.
  • In conclusion, many job seekers are hunting on their mobile. Keep the job description short so it’s easy to read on a small screen.

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth

Post Views: 1,607