Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine MOMENTUM August 2017 | Page 30

How To Handle The Year of the Candidate? The last year or so has been billed ‘The Year of The Candidate’, due to skills shortages in the marketplace. Since the term was first coined in a Wall Street Journal article, the concept quickly gained momentum amongst HR circles and those who are passionate about matching the best people with the right roles. But as a business owner, how will this have an impact on the work you do? Basically, there aren’t enough white-collar professionals or skilled professionals (in some industries) to go around. If you want to fill your higher-level or highly- skilled positions, you are likely to face a struggle. It will take more time, and you will have to be much more thorough in your search. Here, we will take a look at what you can do to ensure you can find the right people, when you need them. It all starts with your recruitment processes. Instead of waiting for the right candidates to come and knock on your door, you might have to go out there and find them. Are you building your contacts? Do you know where you can access the best people? Are you keeping in touch with them regularly, to strengthen the relationship and build trust? 29 MOMENTUM / August 2017 By: Nicole Bellow, *DBA, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Sr. Human Resources Consultant Smarter HR Solutions [email protected] Whilst newer, online tactics are trending right now, and it is true that they can bring a massive amount of value to the traditional approaches. Real world connections can make all the difference in this type of climate. The best recruitment strategies will usually merge the two approaches and should be tailored according to your own business’s culture and priorities. Next, make sure you are showing your candidates that you value them, even before they step into your office. They are pressed for time, and they are assessing you as much as you are assessing them. They have other options, so they are going to look for the right culture, fit, and work environment. Hone in on your communication skills to make sure you are conveying and reading the right messages and invite feedback at all stages of the process. These trends will possibly last longer than the next 12 months, so if you are keen on winning the war for talent, you need to make sure that you are fit for challenge.