6 ways to hire the right candidates in todays tight labor market

6 ways to hire the right candidates in todays tight labor market6 ways to hire the right candidates in todays tight labor market6 ways to hire the right candidates in todays tight labor marketIn a time of record unemployment and a time when there are more job openings than job seekers, its harder than ever to find the right fit for positions you need to fill.Candidates have so many options right now, says Stephanie Naznitsky, executive director of OfficeTeam, a division of Robert Half. Its important that a company sell themselves well and paint the picture of what the future will look like for them if the company chooses to bring them on board.Before you set out to make your next round of hires, look at our updated list of great hire best practicesReally hone your job descriptionMake sure the job description has been updated and reflects what the job requires. If you can, have the outgoing jobholder give the writeup a once-over to make sure its correct. If the job description isnt ac curate, youre setting the organization up for either a bad fit or quick turnover.I accepted a job as a regional HR manager, and the job description said, 25% travel, says Matthew Burr, a human resources consultant in Elmira, NY. The job was 90% travel. After six months, I said, This isnt for me.In a tight market, candidates can pick and choose among opportunities. The more upfront and honest we can be in the description and in conversations, the better chance well have of landing the ideal candidate, Burr says. (You might even consider a video job description, which you can create at Studios.)Get your brand out thereIts crucial that your company has a coherent public presence, and that it appeals to potential employees.HR departments and marketing departments need to work together to make sure their brand identity is well conveyed and aligned and consistent, says Linda Pophal, owner and marketing communications consultant with Strategic Communications in Chippewa Falls, WI.What exac tly is it we want to be, how is it supported through our products and services, and how are you going to communicate that when were in the process of filling a position?People who are applying to spots at your firm should understand what your brand means and how its reflected in the specific job available. If you need some guidance, consider The Foundry, which helps companies build better, more compelling career sites.Embrace videoVideo job ads are a great opportunity for candidates to get a better feel for a company and for the job in particular. They bring your firm to life, so to speak, giving you another way to attract potential applicants. In fact, eight out of 10 Americans feel that a video of a recruiter talking about a role as part of a job ad would help them better understand a job opportunity, according to Monsters 2019 State of the Candidate SurveyCandidates can get a good sense of where theyll be working and who theyll be working with, Pophal says. They can also use augm ented and virtual reality to actually let job applicants put themselves in that position to get a sense of what it would be like.Consider how much time people spend on screens and engaging in interactive content. Its definitely an interesting model, and its probably going to be the wave of the future in buchung to attract and engage some of the younger generational talent, Burr says. Studios can help with a variety of video projects.Incorporate search toolsTechnology can make your search for the best hires easier. In a market where the ideal candidates may be employed elsewhere, or in which there are many applicants for one position, knowing how to search and using the right tools will not only save you time, but can get you better results.There are certain tools that are really helpful to screen through resumes in a portal, Naznitsky says. And there are a number of tools out there that Ive found larger companies tend to use because they have more response to particular jobs.For ins tance, Monsters Searchtool allows users to search for and engage qualified candidates in a variety of ways. The platform allows you to narrow or broaden your parameters as necessary and drill down for additional information when needed.Searchalso delivers qualified candidate matches ranked and scored based on your criteria. Candidates are scored based on their strengths and depth of skills.Tools like this would help recruiters screen out people who may not have any of the required skills, Naznitsky says.Be flexibleIf youre looking for the 100% perfect worker, you may never find him. Consider the potential of the candidates youre seeing, rather than trying to check all the boxes.We absolutely need to be open to people that might not be a total fit, but we can help build their skills, Burr says. Companies need to look outside of just the degree requirements and see what theyre bringing to the table.For instance, are they motivated? Do they have a desire to succeed? Are they engaged an d willing to work hard? If they possess those skills, those qualities and traits, that should take a very high consideration, provided you have a good leadership team that can train them in the fundamentals, Naznitsky says.Develop your existing employeesConsider your current workers your brand ambassadors- everywhere they go, theyre advertising and informing people about what its like to work there. In finding the right people to work for you, its key that your current workers spread a good message about your company.Employees are a very trusted source of information about a company and whether its a good place to work, Pophal says. Its important that theyre saying positive things.That means crafting a great workplace culture and creating a company that fits what youre selling. You cant just pretend youre a great place to work, Pophal says. It has to bea good place to work, and employees have to like working there.has the tools and technology to help you attract and hire the right c andidates, even in a tight labor market.See if Studios and SearchMonster might be a good fit for your hiring needs.