Embrace New Hiring Tools to Help Fill the Gap in your Labor Shortage
The US is experiencing a historically tight labor market. The Labor Department counted nearly 11 million open jobs at the end of December, and the supply of available jobs is well above the demand from job seekers. Yet the speed of the current recovery is far outpacing the last recession and changes in the public health outlook can easily sway demand for workers especially at businesses such hotels, restaurants, and hospitality that rely heavily on in-person contact with customers. With spring break and summer just around the corner, employers are desperate to add workers over the next few months. If each new hire, server, housekeeper, cook, or retail associate can help produce an additional $1000+ per day, companies risk losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential revenue if they are not fully staffed.
With extremely high competition for a potential applicant’s attention and the huge risk of NOT getting their attention, it’s important that employers are not afraid to go beyond the usual job listing sites and meet applicants on the platforms they use. Getting in front of applicants by advertising jobs on google search, display networks, mobile apps, and social media is essential, and can help your company’s branding through increased exposure.
Here are a few quick tips when advertising your available job positions:
MAKE IT VERY EASY TO APPLY: Making it very easy for passive talent (those that have jobs already) to apply is good practice. The best way to attract their attention is to make it easy for them to apply to your job.
FOLLOW-UP QUICKLY: Once you have a lead from your ads or get someone to apply, follow up quickly. Failing to review resumes on time can result in top talent no longer being available. Also, the candidate is more likely to remember where and when they applied and what piqued their interest.
STICK TO FILLING ONE POSITION AT A TIME: Advertising multiple open roles at the same time or simply sharing that you’re hiring will muddle your messaging. The more specific the messaging, the more specific you can be with your targeting, and the more relatable your message becomes to your audience of potential applicants. Focusing on the most important jobs is the best way to get your priority positions filled as soon as possible. You may have several recruitment needs posted at the same time, but you should choose to advertise, review resumes, and schedule interviews for the most critical ones first.
USE IMAGES OF YOUR EMPLOYEES: Your current employees are the type of people you want to attract. After all, they applied to the role you’re now hiring for, you vetted them thoroughly, and they’ve loved the job enough to keep working for you. People are attracted to others that look like them, those that are relatable, or those that seem familiar.
KEEP IT SIMPLE: Use 2 to 5-word headlines that clearly communicate the job title, job benefits, and call-to-action you want to communicate. Don’t try to be clever or catchy, and don’t use too much industry or technical jargon. Even if the person isn’t familiar with the role, they might know a family member or friend that is a perfect fit.
STAY IN CONTACT WITH CANDIDATES OF INTEREST: In addition to getting back to job seekers quickly for that first contact, be sure to connect regularly with your candidates of interest. A weekly call or email will give them reassurance that you value their time and the opportunity to include them on your team. If they are the right person, but in the wrong seat, you have an opportunity to share with them the other more appropriate roles for them.