So are you having some trouble recruiting talent this year? Has the recruiting process been exhausting? Has your role been open much longer than you wanted it to be open? Isn’t it enough that the job postings aren’t working anymore? Isn’t it enough that you are being ghosted? Isn’t it enough that you think you have the candidate you want and then you find out a competitor actually hired the candidate that you wanted?
Apparently not.
I am continually flabbergasted that this is really going on in today’s recruiting world. I, for one, know what it is like to hit the bulls-eye. It is exhilarating. Making the perfect match is one of the best feelings in the world. You know what is also a good feeling? Hitting right outside of the bulls-eye. Getting a close match (not an exact match) and seeing that person exceed every expectation. That too, is exhilarating.
Guys, the EXACT PERFECT candidate you are looking for is just not out there right now.
There is a reason why your internal recruiting department can’t find what you are looking for in a candidate. There is a reason why you have hired 5 external recruiters and they are delivering the same talent. They are all working somewhere. The PERFECT candidate on paper already has a really good job that pays well and they aren’t in the market right now.
As someone who lives in Austin, the headlines read “Apple is hiring 15k people”. Okay, so where in the hell do you think you are going to find 15k people?!! YOU’RE NOT!!
You are not going to find 15k people that all fit the bulls-eye. I know that for DAMN sure! You may make 15k hires, but you are going to have to find new graduates without skills, people just out of high school or with a GED, older workers, workers that have been incarcerated. Yes, I did just say that!! You are going to have to relocate people from every city, state and country. You are going to have to hire people with H1B Visas. You are going to have to have contingent workers as well. 
There is going to have to be a compromise somewhere along the line. I know that this economy can’t last forever, but for right now- it is freaking incredible.
What are you doing as a company to compete? So, you want the best of the best, right? So, let me point the finger at you then. Are you paying the best? Are you offering the best benefits? Are you offering stock? Do your employees approve of your leadership and their direction? Does your company have a clear-cut career path for the employees? Are you offering equity? Do your employees feel valued?
No?
Okay, you are screwed. Let me be real for a minute. Someone out there DOES offer those perks. The candidates will want those jobs much more than yours! It doesn’t matter who you hire. It doesn’t matter if you hire the best f#@king recruiter in the world- you’re not going to be able to attract what you think you want.
Oh and another thing…do you have a process in place that makes sense? I don’t mean 9 screening interviews, 2 tests and then an onsite interview either. I mean a legitimate interview process. Does each interviewer interview for a particular skill set? Do you have your process down to 2-3 weeks MAX?!
No?
Okay, again, you are screwed. Someone else out there does have their stuff together and they will hire the talent you are trying to attract. The talent you want will get disgruntled with the interview process. Then they will exit stage left and take an offer from the person that they feels value them more than you do.
As we enter 2020, it is time to evaluate how you are recruiting talent. If you want to be competitive and cash in on this unbelievable economy, you are going to have to have the right talent in place. If your number 1 priority isn’t hiring, it should be because your company will get gobbled up by the competition.
Love to hear your thoughts.
Harumph!
And the church said, Amen.
The frustration in this post is classic.
I am not convinced that we have a talent shortage though. Recruiting is harder when the market is tight, and a quick inmail with a fancy email subject isnt going to get it done. Recruiters still need to have dialogue, get engaged, and convince candidates that an opportunity can be better than current…even if that means working a little harder to do so.
But that isnt the real problem…our managers are weaker and are outsourcing too much to recruiting.
The hiring manager who is 1) willing to develop a new hire with new skills, 2) spend more time with them, and 3) is actively engaged in the early part of the recruiting process will be successful in this market.
This is not about recruiting or hiring…its about being desired genuinely.
Recruiters and hiring managers….here is the play:
Candidate, thanks for listening to me for a few minutes. I already showed your profile to the hiring manager. They hand picked you. We might have something better for you here, but it’s really early. What I do have though is someone who was in your shoes about 7 years ago who think you are a talent, and is willing to spend time with you as they truly believe it will be helpful to both. Can you take 15 minutes to listen? If you tell me what you might want to learn about, even if it’s just so you just have a good learning session, I can make that happen. How about it….talk Friday afternoon to X?
^^ if a manager doesnt want to play that game in this market…shame on them. And if a candidate doesnt want to take that call, you dont want them anyway right now. Not because they are bad talent per se…they just arent motivated enough to invest in their career that way right now (which means they arent going to move anyway)