How to Attract Candidates for the Toughest Jobs to Fill in 2017

According to a Jobs Report by CareerCast.com, the toughest jobs to fill in 2017 will be:

1. Data Scientist
2. Financial Advisor
3. General and Operations Manager
4. Home Health Aide
5. Information Security Analyst
6. Physical Therapist
7. Registered Nurse
8. Software Engineer
9. Truck Driver

These careers are predicted to have between 7% and 30% growth over the next decade. And it’s likely there won’t be enough qualified candidates to fill them.

According to HCI (Human Capital Institute), less than one quarter of organizations feel they have a strong enough talent pool to fill their most important positions. If you don’t want to be among the companies stuck with a large number of open positions and a low number of interested applicants, you need to plan for your future recruitment needs now.

Here are some strategies to help generate interest in your organization and its jobs so you can create and maintain a robust network of talent.

According to HCI (Human Capital Institute), less than one quarter of organizations feel they have a strong enough talent pool to fill their most important positions. If you don’t want to be among the companies stuck with a large number of open positions and a low number of interested applicants, you need to plan for your future recruitment needs now.

Here are some strategies to help generate interest in your organization and its jobs so you can create and maintain a robust network of talent.

Join Industry and Trade discussion groups – If you want top talent in a particular field to be interested in working with your company, it helps to take an interest in what’s important to them. Make an effort to get to know the talent you want to recruit.

Advertise on university websites and college career services offices – One of the best ways to create a strong talent pool is to provide internship opportunities for college students. They get experience and exposure to your company, and you get to test drive a potential future hire. They can make your company name recognized among peers and faculty.

Have a strong corporate website – Make sure your website has engaging, interactive information, along with a robust, up-to-date social media presence. Make it easy to find job opportunities and key company information.

Provide the opportunity to interact with company staff members – Whether applying for a job today or considering future employment with your company, potential candidates want to feel welcome and like company employees are knowledgeable and responsive to any questions.

Provide an honest portrayal of the company’s culture, values and vision – Candidates want to know how well they will fit in with the organization and that what’s important to them is in line with the company’s principles. A clear description of the work environment up front can prevent unrealistic expectations and possible disappointment later if the applicant is not a good match for the company culture.

Be flexible as well as willing to offer flexibility – Be open to alternative work experiences and degrees. And, consider offering perks such as flexible scheduling and remote work options. This can entice strong candidates to join your talent network and broaden your reach for finding qualified talent.

Create enticing job ads – Understand who your target audience is and speak to them directly with your ad. Make the job title interesting and be specific about the key responsibilities and expectations. Convey your company culture and use an inviting voice that sells people on why it’s a great place to work. Try using video and great graphics.

Stay connected – Continue to actively engage with people who show some interest. Whether it’s in a virtual community, a newsletter, or through email or engagement on social media sites, keep in touch. Working with a vendor who offers things like automated, yet personal, messaging and cloud-based recruiting software will candidates will greatly enhance your recruiting efficiency and effectiveness.

When candidates do apply:

• Make your response quick and personal – Responding to applicants with personalized messaging doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming—but it does need to be fast. There are many automated options that can provide an immediate response while still adding a personal feel. At the same time, a personal phone call still goes a long way in making a candidate feel valued, so make the effort to reach out to people you don’t want to lose.
• Be honest – If the individual doesn’t seem to be the right fit for the current job, that doesn’t mean he or she wouldn’t be great for a future position. Don’t alienate good candidates by giving them false hope or mixed messages, and then never getting back to them.

To keep potential candidates engaged, continue to provide significant information and resources they could find valuable. Show them that you have their best interests in mind and that remaining in your talent community can open them up to great opportunities now and in the future.

For more information on building the perfect talent network call us at 888-280-0808; email sales@talentcircles.com; or visit talentcircles.com.