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Continuing the conversation around the “Crisis for Talent,” a recent staffing industry survey of nearly 3,000 senior hiring managers identified the top 5 hiring challenges that companies are currently facing in the US (and very likely abroad).  Companies continue to add more new jobs yet find themselves struggling to fill the roles.  The well-established candidate-driven market has been causing headaches for businesses trying to increase their workforce for the past several years.  Record low unemployment only adds to the difficulty of being able to find and attract qualified talent.

As companies realize employment market conditions are impacting their bottom line, they are slowly but surely looking at internal solutions to help alleviate the pain points surrounding recruiting. By identifying the issues, companies should be able to make adjustments, revise policies, craft better messaging and ultimately improve the entire process.

Here are the top 5 obstacles companies identified in the hiring process:

1. Generating Candidate Interest – 35% of those surveyed feel that they lack the ability to attract qualified candidates in the first place. Not possessing the proper tools, strategy and manpower to formulate a cohesive plan to get in front of the right candidates is the number one reason companies cannot fill open positions.
2. Asking the Right Interview Questions – 20% feel that they are failing to bring the proper questions to the interview. Many rely on outdated, standardized interview methods which often results in failing to truly understand candidate motivation and the inability to identify if a person is the right fit for the job as well as the company.
3. Developing Well Constructed Compensation Packages/ Navigating Salary Negotiations – 19% of respondents admit to being unable to construct a well thought out, attractive package based on market value and current climate indicators. Not to mention the delicate dance of salary negotiating which is more important than ever. Top talent have options. That cannot be stressed enough.
4. Reviewing Application Materials – 13% have trouble simply getting through the lengthy, often disjointed and sometimes unimportant information/ documentation that comes in with applicants. This can be attributed to time/ resources as well as having an archaic application process in place.
5. Creating Value Driven Job Descriptions – 13% realize that a major component in attracting the right candidates to the job and organization in general, lies in the job description. Often this is the first introduction job seekers have to your company.  Using the old, typical job description is not going to work anymore.  Candidates want to know “why” they should go to work for you.  Seeing a list of “requirements” and “responsibilities” does not cut it anymore.

The bottom line here is not to bash companies hiring processes, but to recognize that there are areas to improve upon.  All of these issues can be reviewed and revised to promote a better, more successful strategy in targeting and ultimately hiring the right candidates.  As indicated earlier, often companies do not have the internal capacity, time or resources to invest in making these changes on their own.  This is when partnering with a trusted, qualified external recruiter can be a great business decision.  Every one of these areas are what recruiters specialize in on a daily basis.

By taking the time to learn about your company, what makes it tick, and what kind of person would be the best fit and then being able to craft a strategic plan to bring that person to the table is what it is all about.

Consider this:

• An external recruiter has the experience to draw candidates into your company by presenting you in the best (yet honest) light. They have the ability to create job descriptions that are attention grabbing and can set you apart from the competition.
• Using a thorough, organized screening process to replace the clunky application process is another tool recruiters use. By providing a glimpse into what it may be like to join the organization, talking about company culture, attesting to value statements, using specific behavior-based interview questions are all ways to make sure the person is the right fit, outside of technical skills alone.
• Good recruiting firms keep their thumb on the pulse of the market. That means staying abreast of current salary, benefits, perks and other “compensation package” industry norms.  This goes a long way when it comes to the offer stage and negotiating process.

Times are tough right now recruiting good talent. There is no doubt about it.  Candidates are turning down offers left and right because there is another, better offer waiting for them. The crisis is real, but trusting a dedicated, professional recruiter to reach candidates for you, can and will help relieve some of those pain points.

Written By: Angie Barnes, The Q Works Group