5 Ways To Secure High Quality Candidates In The Current Market

As a recruiter, much of the advice I've seen published about the hiring process is aimed at the candidate, and how to make your profile more appealing to a client.

The current job market, on the other hand, is very candidate-driven, with each candidate we see having multiple opportunities and offers. As a result, it is now more important than ever to make your company and job as appealing as possible.  The demand for top-notch talent has never been greater, and businesses must adopt innovative strategies to secure the best candidates for their teams. To help you navigate this landscape, we've compiled five effective ways to attract and secure high-quality candidates in the current market.

Below are some tips on how you can go about ensuring you maximize your possibilities of securing high-quality candidates in the hiring process:

Strong Job Advert

Gone are the days of generic job descriptions that merely list responsibilities and requirements. A job advert is one of the first impressions a candidate will get of both you as a company, and then about the role. Create your job descriptions and job announcements with as much precision as possible. It’s more about adding the “right” information, not the “most” information.

To attract high-quality candidates, tailor your job descriptions to reflect the specific skills and traits you're seeking. Highlight the challenges and opportunities the role offers, emphasizing how the candidate's contributions will drive the company's success. Incorporate your company's culture, mission, and values to paint a comprehensive picture of what it's like to work for your organization.

Knowing this, you need to really make your advert stand out from the rest. Use your advert to sell back to common desirables that candidates in your market often look for. If you have really strong benefits, include them! If you have a great development program, mention this! By doing this and putting a little bit more time into your advert, it will not only increase the number of responses but increase the quality of people.

By addressing what candidates can gain from joining your team, you'll pique the interest of those who align with your company's vision.

Build and Showcase Your Employer Brand

In a world where candidates have access to a wealth of information about potential employers, your company's reputation matters more than ever. A strong employer brand communicates your company's values, culture, and opportunities, making it a magnet for top talent. Develop a compelling narrative about what sets your organization apart, and share success stories of current employees who have thrived within your company.

Utilize social media platforms, your company website, and industry-specific forums to highlight your unique value proposition. When candidates can see themselves growing and succeeding within your organization, they are more likely to consider you as their ideal employer.

Have a Good Hiring Process

The current market moves very fast for good candidates. If your interview process is too long, or too straining on the candidate’s time, this can be the reason for losing a candidate to a company with a faster process. Seen an excellent candidate that ticks every box? DO NOT DELAY in making an offer! With many more jobs available than candidates, they will likely have more than one offer on the table (even from their current employers trying to keep them!). Wait too long and you will likely lose them.

It may be hard to hear, and although WE may know that your company and the opportunity you have is amazing…the market is filled with hot job opportunities that are all looking for your good candidate. Is not doing that technical test really going to affect you in the long run, or are you going to be more affected by losing out on good candidates?

Choose the Right People to Interview

It’s all well and good to shorten and improve the length of your hiring process, but it is then important to be selective about who you are putting in to interview candidates. From previous experience, this person needs to be able to truly represent your company, be a good advocate for your brand, and give a good first impression. By only choosing the decision makers to conduct the interviews, one can lose rapport with the candidate who may want to get a sense of what the company is like from someone more junior.

Implement Employee Referral Programs

Your current employees can be powerful advocates for your company, referring potential candidates who align with your culture and expectations. Employee referral programs incentivize your workforce to recommend qualified candidates, thereby expanding your reach to a pool of candidates who are more likely to excel within your organization. These candidates often have a better understanding of your company's dynamics, reducing the risk of a cultural mismatch. Recognize and reward employees for successful referrals, fostering a sense of engagement and camaraderie.

Competitive Salary, and a Strong Offer

The most obvious way to secure good candidates, but something I see getting overlooked way too often, is the importance of paying a competitive salary. This is something that we as recruiters can definitely help you with as we have extensive market knowledge and will have insight into what salaries competitors are paying, and what good candidates are expecting.

It is easy to think your job opportunity is amazing even at an average salary rate, and although this saves you money, it will not appeal to candidates who are financially driven. The national average in the US for a salary increase is 14.8%, meaning candidates will expect a good offer for them to consider leaving. On top of this, it is important to make your first offer strong. It is extremely hard to go to a candidate with a second offer after you have already lowballed them. They will ask questions like…If that flex was there to start with, why did they try and offer me lower? Do they really appreciate my value by offering me lower than we originally agreed?

Streamline Your Recruitment Process

In a competitive market, swift action is key. Lengthy and convoluted recruitment processes can deter top candidates who have multiple options on the table. Streamline your hiring process by optimizing communication between HR, hiring managers, and candidates. Use technology to automate administrative tasks and facilitate timely feedback. Engage candidates throughout the process, providing them with a transparent timeline and updates on their application status. A seamless and efficient recruitment process reflects positively on your company's organizational skills and professionalism.

Offer Flexible Work Arrangements

The modern workforce places a high value on work-life balance and flexibility. Offering remote work options, flexible hours, or compressed workweeks can be a major draw for top talent. Many candidates are seeking opportunities that align with their personal lives and preferences. By accommodating these needs, you not only attract high-quality candidates but also retain them in the long run. Flexibility demonstrates that your organization prioritizes employee well-being and is willing to adapt to the changing nature of work.

Use Us, Recruiters!

Although potentially a bit biased, one of the best bits of advice I can give regarding securing good candidates in a tight market, is to utilize your chosen agencies…this really is what we are good at! As recruiters, we have extensive market knowledge and can help add value to your hiring. We also build up strong relationships with candidates and are trained negotiators, so will actively help you secure the candidate through knowing their selling points and lowering their expectations if needed. We also have the time and resources that are required to find those candidates that aren’t on job sites and aren’t going to reply to your job adverts. Don’t miss out on an entire pool of candidates, let us help.

In Conclusion

Yes, finding and retaining the right candidates might have become more challenging than ever before. However, the avenues of talent sourcing are also emerging rapidly. All you have to do is keep an open mind to the new and emerging tools and techniques, try out different things, and above all, know where and how to get in front of your potential candidates.

Securing high-quality candidates in today's competitive job market requires a strategic and holistic approach. Building a compelling employer brand, crafting targeted job descriptions, leveraging employee referrals, offering flexible work arrangements, and streamlining your recruitment process can collectively help you attract and secure the best talent for your organization. By prioritizing these strategies, you position your company as an employer of choice and create a talent pipeline that will contribute to your company's long-term success.

We hope the above tips, ideas, and suggestions will help you get through this talent crunch gracefully. If you need help when it comes to hiring for your team, we have a talented team of recruitment consultants on hand to assist you in the process to find that perfect candidate! Contact us today to find out more.