The economy and the energy market are going through difficult times. Companies are announcing layoffs and hiring freezes, while employees are expecting higher salaries. But what should organisations and companies do if they wish to grow their team despite uncertain times?
1. Knowing the market is key to successful recruitment
Excellent employees are always sought after, so it is important to know where to find them. Stay up to date with your competitors’ activities, keep an eye on the economic news of the market and use your network to stay alert to the inner life of companies and respond at the right moment. Dissatisfied employees in another organisation can be your future team members if you have a well-considered plan and act on it. Knowing the market is also necessary for assessing the competitiveness of your company and preventing the unwanted situation where your employees start looking around in the labour market.
2. A clear message speaks to people
Recruiting announcements quite often sound as though the position on offer is in the coolest company in the world, with friendly colleagues and exciting work assignments. Surely, many companies are very nice to work at, but this idea is better conveyed by facts, not mere statements. If you know the market situation and your target group, you can approach them with the most attractive message and statement. Some people want a family-friendly employer, others are seeking the possibility of working only from home, while still others appreciate the possibility of driving a company car. Values depend on a person’s age, marital status, field of activity and specific role. Understandably, people in sales positions expect to be able to use a company car, and for some, driving the right model is important. Meanwhile, software developers are more interested in technical challenges, and the more clearly these are formulated, the better they understand the role being offered. For example, the message of our company, CVO Recruitment, is not that we have long-term experience with many recruitment projects, but that we have been operating in the market for more than 20 years and carry out more than 150 recruitment projects per year.
3. Know your uniqueness
Once you are familiar with the general market situation, you can focus on promoting your company. Successful recruitment communication requires input on several levels to identify the strengths and special qualities of your company, rather than selling what you think candidates might expect. Embellishing the situation and creating a false image may initially attract more candidates, but they may not stay with the organisation for long if inconsistencies emerge. The management and employees often have different points of view, so you should listen to the opinions of all parties and combine these as if fitting together the pieces to a puzzle. There may be a need to highlight several strengths and messages when recruiting for different roles; with numerous parts to an organisation, it is important to find a keyword that speaks to the specific target group. Organisations and people’s expectations are constantly evolving, and because of this, it is useful to reassess your special qualities from time to time.
4. Approach people on an individual level
It is worth remembering that your employees are always the best recruiters with the most effective messages. In addition to spreading the word in their social circles, employees can become official brand ambassadors who help future colleagues to better relate to the company and their position. Job offers and career pages stand out more, when they feature names, faces and feedback from existing employees. You can use direct quotes as well as express colleagues’ thoughts more generally; person-to-person messages are more effective and help prospective new employees to identify themselves with their new job.
5. Always leave the door open
There are situations where the preferred candidate either ends up not accepting the offer, you cannot hire all the people you would like, or an existing employee moves on to a new company. It is important not to interpret these situations as the end of your relationship as you never know what the future holds. By making it clear that these people are welcome to return, and showing interest in contacting the candidates in the future, your company will ensure a positive experience and your paths might cross again. We have witnessed several situations where amicable professional farewells have later blossomed into successful cooperation.
In order to stand out in a small and competitive market, you need to think about your company’s uniqueness and image. Being aware of what your current employees value and the situation in the market, you can address the desired target group with a specific message that speaks to them.