It’s amazing how things can change so quickly.  At this time last year, unemployment was high and jobs were scarce.  Now, job availability is plentiful, but companies are having difficulty filling their positions.  Why?

Job seekers can now be more selective with so many jobs available.  They are taking their time to find the job that best fits their professional and personal needs.  A job they would have craved a few years ago might not be as appealing today because it lacks professional and personal perks that other currently available jobs offer. 

The biggest complaint from hiring managers is that these more discerning job candidates are making it difficult to staff their vacancies.  Quality candidates may not be applying, or the ones who do apply are not qualified.  Hiring managers can overcome this obstacle by aligning their hiring strategy to meet this new discerning direction.

We’ll discuss three simple yet effective hiring strategies that can help you attract and retain quality candidates for your available positions.

1. Look Beyond Achievements

Success.  That word is probably peppered throughout your job descriptions.  And it’s often mentioned frequently in phone screeners and in-person or remote interviews—by both the interviewer and the interviewee.  Hiring managers want to know about the candidate’s various success stories.

While it’s important for the candidate to demonstrate their ability to achieve successful results, it’s also important to understand how they handle disappointments.  Hiring managers should ask the applicant to discuss a time when deadlines were missed, goals were not met, and success was not achieved.

By discussing a candidate’s ability to handle less than optimal situations, hiring managers can get a better understanding of the candidate’s character.  Are they quick to look for excuses and cast blame on others?  Did they step up, address the situation and turn a negative into a positive?  Did they accept the failure and work hard to implement safeguards to avoid future issues?  With solid answers to these questions, a candidate who appears less qualified on paper may be a great fit for the open role.

A candidate who aims for success is great.  However, a candidate who demonstrates an ability to aim for success during a challenge is even better.  They are more likely to learn and grow in the company.  And less likely to resign after their first challenge and look for a new position in the current job seekers’ market.

2. Invest in the Future

Choosy job seekers have led to an influx of inexperienced or under-qualified candidates applying for available positions.  While it wouldn’t be wise to hire someone who has no clear interest in the position (other than the salary), it may be beneficial to acquire less experienced candidates for certain roles.

In the past, less qualified candidates were often looked at as liabilities. In the current job market, this is a shortsighted observation.  While these candidates may lack years of experience, they offer companies an investment in their future successes.  Through training programs and mentorships, businesses can develop the next wave of talent and leadership within their company.

Not only can less experienced candidates be effectively trained according to the company's various policies and procedures, they can also be developed to assume existing and new positions within the organization.

3. Don’t Overlook the Obvious

While less experienced candidates are often overlooked by hiring managers, the same can be said of those with too much experience.  Many job seeking professionals in the 50+ age range are often dismissed as “overqualified” for various positions.

Yes, these candidates check more boxes than those listed on the job description.  However, after 25+ years in a certain position, they may be looking for something a little different or with more flexibility.  Remember, hefty salaries are no longer the only motivator for a career change.  Many of these candidates may be simply looking for a better work/life balance.

Hiring veteran professionals not only helps reduce training expense during onboarding, it also acts as another worthwhile investment in an organization’s future.  Pairing seasoned professionals with less experienced employees can fuel a company’s training, mentorships, and professional development programs. 

Utilizing these effective hiring strategies is a great way to overcome the challenges of the current job market.  Instead of over-stretching existing employees to continually cover open positions, companies can fill their vacancies with quality candidates that other organizations overlook.

A qualified hiring agency like Elite Personnel can help your organization find quality candidates to fill your current vacancies.  If you’re in Washington D.C. or Maryland, contact our staffing experts today!