Hiring During a Crisis
In response to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, experts expect nearly 50 million new candidates to flood the market. For the first time in years, we’re seeing a shift from a so-called “candidate’s market” to an “employer’s market,” with a greater number of potential employees than there are open jobs. Many organizations and hiring managers are taking this time to rest on their laurels, assuming that candidates will come to them.
Regardless of what type of market we’re in, candidate’s or employer’s, you should always prioritize your hiring process. Extending offers quickly, remaining competitive, and maintaining contact with candidates during this time is critical.
Let Addison Group take the stress out of your recruiting and hiring process. Our consultative approach and commitment to understand your company culture make us an ideal partner. Find your perfect match with Addison Group.
Companies are Still Hiring
While it’s true that around 1/3 of companies surveyed expect to freeze their hiring process, that still leaves 2/3 who are not freezing. 2/3 of your competitors are still reaching out and extending offers to the most eligible candidates right now. Don’t fall behind.
Hiring managers all across the country are swooping in and interviewing qualified candidates. No industry or company is immune to the economic turmoil caused by the novel Coronavirus. Because of this, many organizations have had to make the difficult decision to lay off otherwise brilliant employees, by no fault of their own. With such a large influx of new and highly skilled candidates to explore, those who are actively recruiting during this time have found some of the most valuable employees on the market.
Continue Recruiting Even if You Aren’t Hiring
For some, the inherent cost of extending an offer and onboarding a new employee is not feasible at this time. As noted before, no industry or company is immune to the economic reaction to COVID-19, but some have been hit harder than others.
Don’t sweat it if you truly cannot hire any new employees now. However, you can, and should, still actively recruit and remain in contact with your candidates. Maintaining an open line of communication and being transparent about your current hiring operations will keep your company relevant and top of mind with candidates. Keeping them engaged, even if it’s as simple as checking in with them, increases the likelihood that they will want to come work for your company once you resume hiring.
Chris Vennitti, Addison Group’s Mid-Atlantic president stresses the importance of actively communicating with candidates. According to Chris, “Companies need to first let the public know they are still open, still hiring and moving forward,” because “The available candidate pool will gravitate toward those firms active in outreach.”
Your level of outreach will largely depend on how far along a candidate was in the recruiting process. If they only made it through a phone screen or the very beginning of your hiring process, you should till reach out to them, but keep it brief. Candidates with whom you’ve developed a rapport, or even extended an offer to however, will require a greater level of attention, like a personal phone call.
However you communicate with your candidates, remember that transparency and honesty are key. Avoid “stringing people along,” if you know you cannot extend an offer now, be honest about it. Nothing travels faster than bad news, and a disgruntled candidate is far more likely to spread the word.
New Hiring Strategies to Explore
While navigating our new normal, you and your company will invariably want to explore new strategies to support your hiring process. We’ve pulled together a list of a few of our favorite out-of-the-box recruiting tactics.
- Focus on Content Creation- during this time, you may find yourself with a more flexible schedule. Commit to creating as much original content as you can, and share, share, share it! Focusing on content about recruiting and hiring, interview tips, and related topics will be especially effective.
- Implement a new email marketing campaign- nurture your candidates and regularly send them relevant content. Offering advice and interview tips will support them as they try to find employment, while also keeping your company top of mind.
- Explore new media channels- Does your company use social media? Do you see more success on one site as opposed to another? Try your hand at new posts with a new audience. Post original content regularly.
For even more expertise, contact us today! At Addison Group, we take a consultative approach, delivering people with the precise skills and knowledge each client needs to fill important positions and solve specific business problems. Ready to learn more?