HIRING IN A TIGHT LABOR MARKET

March 27, 2018 Emerald Staffing

HIRING IN A TIGHT LABOR MARKET

Hiring Strategy

Having a hard time finding that perfect candidate for your job opening? You’re not alone — it’s estimated that 45% of employers in the U.S. are having issues finding qualified candidates for their openings, and for 58% of those employers, job vacancies are lasting 3 months or longer. These are common symptoms of a strong economy and low unemployment — as of February the U.S. is at a 4.1% rate of unemployment.

So what’s a hiring manager to do? Maybe you have revamped your company culture to attract more applicants, or perhaps you’ve reconsidered pay and benefits structures. These are legitimate ways to recruit and keep talent, but if your goal is to ultimately hire amazing candidates, and retain them, there’s a clear solution: use a staffing agency to help strengthen your hiring process. As experts in recruiting and current labor market conditions, we make it our priority to do the “dirty work” for you – we dig and find you the candidates you need! Here are a few reasons why using a staffing agency can benefit your company, especially during a time of low unemployment and fierce competition for quality employees.

Exclusive Access to Top-Tier Talent
We use a range of tools for recruiting top candidates for your openings. Not only do we use multiple job boards, advertising and social media channels to engage candidates, but we have a large database of candidates with a variety of skill sets and backgrounds. In addition, we will always let clients know if a position is in our wheelhouse or not – we want to give you the best possible HR and hiring experience, with the best possible candidates.

Save Time
Using a staffing agency, you don’t have to sift through piles of resumes, screen applicants, and go through an endless stream of first interviews. We save you time by vigorously screening applicants for your opening, and only presenting you with the best candidates available, saving you time and giving you peace of mind.

Flexibility
Hiring, much like dating, can be unpredictable at times. Sometimes you hire someone, and initially everything goes smoothly – but then it becomes clear it may not be a good long-term fit. If you decide the candidate isn’t the right fit for your company, we handle the awkward breakup for you! We have flexible options available for whatever your hiring need may be – temporary or long-term.

Knowledge
As an accredited staffing firm, we make it our priority to stay up to date on market conditions, labor laws, and local/national legislation that can affect the workplace. We are always looking out for our clients to make sure they have all information available to make informed hiring decisions.

Whether you decide to hire on your own, or use a staffing agency, keep these hot tips in mind for hiring in a tight labor market:

It’s a candidate’s market,
so most applicants are interviewing with multiple companies concurrently — as a result, you are competing with dozens of other hiring managers for the top talent. Think about how your company sets itself apart from your competition. What perks and traits make you unique? What can you offer that other company’s cannot?

Timing is everything. If you interview a top-notch candidate that clicks with your employees, aligns with your company values AND they have the right professional background, move quickly before they take a job elsewhere. Keep them engaged throughout the interviewing and hiring process to ensure that they don’t stray!

Take a hard look at your job requirements. Does your ideal candidate really need a Master’s degree, or that super obscure software program? Many hiring managers are searching for a “unicorn”, or a perfect candidate that doesn’t really exist, except in myths. Re-examine your essential job requirements, and consider areas that you are willing to train in. As a result, your candidate pool will widen, and you may be surprised by the results.

Revisit wages and benefits. Now more than ever, candidates are considering the entire package deal when looking at a new job. With higher costs of living (especially in large cities in the NW) and rising costs of healthcare, American workers are looking for companies that will provide stability and opportunities for growth. The hourly rate that you offered for a position 5 years ago will likely not cut it in 2018! Besides wages and healthcare, think about other non-traditional benefits you can offer – paid volunteer hours, weekly lunches, gym memberships, transportation passes, etc. All combined, your wages and benefits programs can make or break a job offer.

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