CLIENTS: How to secure Top Talent in an ever-decreasing market? Lesson 1 – Speed
Over the coming months, we’ll be releasing our “Top of the Pops” of how to get your positions filled. So, if you’re a Line Manager struggling to get in the resource you need or you’re HR battling to get through all the admin, then this is worth a read.
It doesn’t matter how much we try and sweep it under the carpet, the substantial drain of our technical resource is becoming a much bigger issue than we first thought. Skilled South Africans are leaving in their masses which has led to a highly competitive recruitment market. More and more companies are feeling the effects of not being able to retain or replace staff. So, what can we/you do about it? The point of this article is not to try and change the behaviour of those leaving SA (factually way above our pay grade) but to rather throw a few pointers to help companies better streamline their processes, so vacancies get filled, quickly.
It’s not rocket science – the more skilled people that escape our shores, the more difficult it is for a company to hire. If you’re the only one fishing in a pond full of fish, you’ll catch a few. If you’re fishing with the masses, in a depleted pond….. you’ll struggle. This is precisely what is happening in South Africa – all companies are desperately trying to secure that top candidate for a new position, but many are coming unstuck.
To overcome this, companies must start putting themselves in the candidate’s shoes. They need to start thinking like a candidate. i.e. what kind of process would they want to engage in if they were looking for a new job? What approach would work for them and what would give them the confidence to push forward with their application as opposed to going with someone else? Nine times out of ten, it comes down to how quickly a company is prepared to act.
How long should it take a Line Manager to review a CV and feedback to the recruitment agency?
How long should it take for an interview to be scheduled and for that interview to happen?
How long should it take for feedback to come post-interview?
Rhetorical, yes. But the answers are obvious. If you are serious about hiring, then you need to run a swift process. Do the opposite and your vacancies will remain open months down the line. Speed (or lack thereof) is one of the main contributors as to why a process falls over and why a candidate goes elsewhere. Let’s be fair, if you are applying to three different companies for a similar position, you’re more likely to go for the one that shows interest early on. Why? Because it’s reassuring. It gives you confidence that these guys take their recruitment seriously and it gives you insight into their decision-making process.
Speed – it’s all about speed. From the moment an application is received, to interviewing, to getting the offer out. If your process isn’t jacked up, then we strongly suggest you consider changing it, starting with Lesson 1.