6 common recruiting challenges (and how to overcome them)
As a recruiter or hiring manager, you know that it takes time, effort, and a little patience to find the right candidates for an open position. There are many recruiting challenges you might face in your role, whether you're struggling to attract top talent or dealing with inefficiencies in the hiring process. It's helpful to know about some common hiring problems that most recruiters face, along with some strategies you can use to minimize them. This guide looks at six common recruitment problems and solutions you can use to overcome them.
1. Finding qualified candidates
If you struggle to find qualified candidates for open positions, you're not alone. A recent report from ManpowerGroup found that 75% of companies worldwide have trouble filling roles. Some industries feel the impacts of a global talent shortage more acutely than others. For example, the survey found that employers in these industries have the most difficulty in filling positions:
- Health care and life sciences
- Consumer goods and services
- Information technology
- Transport, logistics, and automotive
- Industrials and materials
- Communication services
- Financial and real estate
- Energy and utilities
A tight job market means you're likely competing for qualified candidates with many other companies in your industry. Without a clear strategy, you might be losing out on good candidates who choose to apply elsewhere.
How to overcome
You can't change the market, so you need to find ways to make your organization stand out. Consider what you can offer to set your company apart. For example, benefits such as flexible schedules, remote work, and unlimited PTO are popular with many job seekers. You can also implement hiring bonuses to encourage qualified candidates to apply.
Besides attractive benefit packages, another solution may be to look internally. Do you have people on your current team who want to build or improve their skill sets? Offer training and professional development programs to upskill your existing workforce. Investing in your existing employees can allow you to promote from within the next time you have a tough position to fill.
"A tight job market means you're likely competing for qualified candidates with many other companies in your industry. Without a clear strategy, you might be losing out on good candidates who choose to apply elsewhere."
2. Attracting top talent
Have you ever posted a position and immediately been bombarded with tons of applications, most of which don't meet the minimum requirements for the role? Attracting top talent can be a headache for many recruiters and hiring managers. For every qualified candidate you find, you may have to sift through the resumes of 50 unqualified candidates. This recruiting problem can create a backlog of work, slowing down the hiring process and turning off the top candidates who have applied for the position.
How to overcome
Start by revamping the job descriptions you're posting. In the job description, make sure you're crystal clear about the position's requirements. Consider encouraging candidates to apply if they meet a certain percentage of requirements, such as 80%. This strategy can help to deter candidates from applying if they're not a strong fit for the role.
Think about adding some questions to the application process to screen candidates. For example, if you need someone with experience using specific software, include a yes-or-no question about their experience with this program. Disregard all candidates who answer no to the question.
3. Minimizing the time to hire
When you have a vacant position, you want to fill it quickly. After all, the longer it remains vacant, the more it costs your company. A recent study from The Josh Bersin Company and AMS found that it takes companies an average of 44 days to fill open roles. If you have a hard-to-fill job requiring advanced skills or education, it may stay open even longer.
A lengthy time-to-hire rate can prevent a company from moving forward on critical projects or long-term business objectives. It's one of the biggest hiring challenges facing recruiters and business leaders today.
How to overcome
If it's taking months to fill vacant positions on your team, consider ways you can streamline the hiring process. For example, if you're hiring for a marketing writer position, you might remove a skills test from the hiring process, choosing instead to focus on candidates' portfolio samples. In addition, evaluate the effectiveness of the recruiting platforms you're using. You might have better luck posting a hard-to-fill position on niche job boards or advertising the role with industry organizations.
4. Defining an employer brand
Your company's employer brand is the reputation it has as a place to work. It's usually influenced by factors such as the company's mission, values, culture, work environment, and employee experience. If you don't have a strong employer brand, candidates may decide not to apply because they're not sure what you have to offer. A negative employer brand can be a huge turnoff for potential applicants, especially those who prioritize a positive workplace culture.
How to overcome
If you haven't yet, start taking steps to build your employer brand for recruitment. In job descriptions, include details about the company's mission and culture. Mention the company's annual employee retreat for team building and camaraderie. Leverage social media to post about what it's like to work for the company. Highlight employee success stories, or share photos from company events to give followers a better idea of the organizational culture.
As you build your employer brand, take the time to engage with people online. Read reviews of the company, and respond to both the good and the bad. For example, if someone posts a negative comment about the hiring process, respond politely and let them know you're considering their feedback. Over time, this engagement can create a positive perception of your company's brand.
5. Communicating efficiently with candidates
Inefficient communication with candidates is one of the biggest problems in recruitment. If you're too slow to reach out, a candidate may have moved on by the time you're ready to interact with them. Likewise, sending impersonal, automated messages can discourage candidates who've invested their time and energy into applying for a position with your company. These communication challenges can have serious consequences when you're working to recruit the best candidates for a position.
How to overcome
Use technology to improve communication with candidates. For example, consider investing in an applicant tracking system (ATS) with automation features that you can use to send emails to job applicants. Develop recruiting email templates to send messages quickly based on a candidate's stage in the hiring process. Whenever possible, personalize these automated messages to show candidates you value their time. Add their name to the email, for example, or include specific details about their application to personalize the message.
6. Managing unconscious bias
Some recruiters may be unaware of unconscious bias in the hiring process, making it one of the biggest recruitment issues. If you're having trouble attracting or hiring diverse candidates for vacant positions, the problem may have to do with unconscious bias. This type of hiring bias can come in many forms, such as confirmation bias, which involves making a judgment and finding ways to support it. When left unaddressed, bias can lead to a homogenous workplace, compliance issues, and even legal challenges.
How to overcome
There are many ways to work toward a more diverse recruitment process. Try different strategies to find what works for your business. These solutions may include:
- Using ATS software to review and filter resumes
- Reviewing job descriptions closely and adjusting them to use neutral language
- Asking candidates to complete work samples before the interview process
- Conducting structured interviews by asking all candidates the same questions
- Participating in unconscious bias training
Whatever recruitment challenge you're dealing with, there are strategies to overcome it. Use these tips to attract qualified candidates, improve efficiency, and eliminate bias in hiring. With the right strategy in place, you'll be well on your way to filling your next open position.
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