Bridge Insights

A 2022 Hiring Guide: Effective Strategies for Hiring Talent in Today’s Market

Nov 10, 2021

Although the dust is settling from the economic upheaval caused by the pandemic, we’re by no means out of the woods. Professionals who are seeking new opportunities are coming out in full force and more and more employers are feeling the pressure driven by this remote and pandemic-driven job market.

As talent acquisition professionals, we must be able to adapt to changing job market trends and the feedback we receive from job seekers to find the best talent for our organization.

Research, Engage, and Listen

Be aware of what the market is doing around you. One of the easiest ways to do this is to talk to your peers, interviewees, business partners, and content floating around on LinkedIn or other platforms.

Get a conversation going with everyone involved. When you speak to candidates, ask them what type of role and offer would get them excited. Did they accept another position? Ask them what made them choose that role versus this role. Do market research constantly; it changes every day. Remember market research does not just mean finding the market salary rate. It also means researching benefits and flexibility (and signing bonuses) others are offering, too.

Bridge Personnel Recruitng strategy report card - see how your hiring funnel compares

As a hiring leader, having a pulse on the market is one of the easiest ways to gain knowledge and make your hiring strategy competitive. Get involved and talk to others around you. Talking to your recruiters, talent team and even staffing agency partners can help you see what others are seeing as well.

Be Flexible

Flexibility means different things to different people, but from a candidate’s perspective, showing flexibility throughout your hiring process is far better than telling them how flexible your organization is during the interview.

Some ways to show flexibility are to offer options for interviewing including:

  • A variety of interview times
  • Virtual options for those who don’t feel comfortable coming into the office or who can’t get away from work
  • Consolidating interviews into 1-3 interviews (depending on the level)
  • Giving feedback!

Stay in Touch

One of the easiest ways to lose a potential candidate is to “ghost” them or leave them in the dark about what’s going on. Keeping candidates engaged, providing feedback on their resume/interview, and keeping them in the loop while you make your final decision will make or break your hiring process.

Something as simple as an email, quick call, or simply text to give a status update lets them know they still matter in the process and that your team is organized and cares about its employees. Letting others know you appreciate their time and patience can boost candidate retention and even attract applicants through referrals and word of mouth.

Be Realistic and Transparent

One of the best ways to attract talent is to be upfront from Day 1. Some businesses struggle with this because their philosophy when it comes to hiring is to communicate with a “need to know” mindset. (See above for why this can hurt your retention rate.)

Fortunately, it’s easy to work transparency into your hiring model. Being forthcoming with aspects of your opening like salary, work structure (remote, hybrid, or onsite), employee benefits, and even your response to how the company is handling COVID-19 in the workplace. Not only will this attract the candidates you want, but it can also save your team time, and help your recruiters save time sourcing talent since this information is listed in the posting.

Top professionals like to see they will work for a forthcoming and responsible employer. If you’re able to demonstrate this in your job posting, candidates will be more likely to apply.
Having a realistic hiring timeline, setting expectations, and delivering on those expectations (letting a candidate know when to expect an offer or answer) will also help keep your candidates engaged and excited about your opportunity.

Adapting in a Way that Works for Your Business

Although changes are needed to attract more talent in today’s market, not every technique will work for every business. Of course, not all roles can be remote, nor do all roles lend themselves to flexibility, but that doesn’t mean your hiring process needs to come to a halt because of it. If you can put yourself in the job seekers’ shoes and keep communication flowing both ways, your hiring process will thrive regardless of the market.