By Louise Green
“How’s the market?” This is a question we have been asked several times a day in recent times. It is difficult to answer because whilst the answer is not exactly positive, there’s still a tremendous amount of activity carrying on.
Every day we’re reading about the latest waves of redundancies impacting a variety of industries, as a result of the post covid-19 economy.
The reality is that many people are finding themselves on the job market, and for some, it’s the first time in many years this has occurred. So, the obvious question we get asked is: “you must be overwhelmed with candidates … what’s your response to this?” Yes, there’s more people on the market, but finding the RIGHT candidate is still an issue.
There’s always been a war-for-talent, and it’s long been mused that the talent had won. Today, this notion is still very true. Yes, we’re seeing an increased response to advertised jobs but that doesn’t necessarily translate into a bigger pool of the right candidates.
The importance of having a sound database, robust processes, sound advertising practices and targeted search is still the best way to acquire the ultimate candidate; not just find someone who can merely “fill the gap”. And currently there is an increased risk of doing this. The risk of making a wrong hire is even more acute now when the market conditions are benign.
For many businesses during this difficult time, it’s also important to consider your employer brand. We know that some of our clients are currently overwhelmed with job applicants and they don’t have systems in place or the internal capacity to get back to these candidates in a timely manner. Remember that for many, the recruitment process is the closest people are going to get to understanding your company without directly working for it or with it. First impressions always count!
If you’d like assistance with this…don’t forget about the Sheffield Mailbox Service - a service that can provide administrative support to the front end of your recruitment process, to take the pressure off you. This service includes:
- Writing and placing the advert and developing any supporting documents for potential applicants, such as the job description.
- Managing the full enquiry and response management of the advertising process (including answering queries and informing candidates as soon as they have been deemed unsuccessful). This ensures your employment brand is well maintained, through keeping applicants informed with swift communication.
- CV screening and making recommendations regarding those candidates initially most suited to your role (long listing). This would include the summary report of all candidates, along with their CVs.
- We would then hand over for you/your selection committee to then manage the interview and appointment process.
- We can also complete psychometric testing and probity checks on the preferred candidate, along with background reputational checks. These are important steps to manage risk in your appointment process.
For more information about our Sheffield Mailbox Service please get in touch.