It's true. As we continue to move forward working with the challenges of COVID-19, the employment market has without a doubt bounced back and is pretty hot right now, meaning great candidates will have choices when it comes to their next career move. Top talent can be tough to not only identify and attract but importantly to secure for your business and ensure they don't end up working for one of your competitors! It's no secret that hiring the right person for the job is essential to the success of any business. The process of finding and securing your preferred candidate can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. In this blog post, we will discuss 5 ways that you can improve your chances of hiring the best person for the job! Current reports suggest time to hire has increased to upward of 50 days on average which in this market is a huge risk. Combined with low application rates, and the number of opportunities increasing, partnering with an agency can certainly help find the talent you need and reduce the days to hire.

1. Timing is everything
 

The first step in finding your preferred candidate is to define the role and requirements. This will help you to create a clear job description that will attract potential candidates that are a good fit for the role and it is also important to be realistic when defining the requirements of the role. One of the most important aspects of the hiring process is timing. You want to make sure that you are efficient with your time and that you are not taking too long to interview potential candidates. Make sure you have approval for your role prior to going to market, and if you need to involve your colleagues ensure you have checked

their diaries prior to commencing a process. It's a good time to review your processes - if historically you have taken candidates through a 4-5 stage process it's worth thinking about how to cut this down.

Once you have conducted your interviews and found your preferred candidate, make sure you are available to discuss with them (or your recruitment partner) as soon as possible, let them know they are the preferred candidate and move to references and any other pre-employment checks swiftly. If you don’t have a formal offer letter prepared for this person, at least be able to put a verbal offer to this person asap. It is common for people with multiple offers on the table to make their decision within 24 hours of receiving all offer letters, so you want to get your offer out first and make sure it's the best one!

2. Engagement
 

Make sure you are actively engaged with your top candidates. Stay in touch with them, let them know where they are in the process and what to expect next. This will help to ensure that they remain interested in the role and are not lost to another opportunity. During the recruitment process, find what resonates with them and be available to answer any questions they may have outside of a formal interview setting. Give constructive and positive feedback along the way and be sure to identify what is important to them. It's worthwhile sharing as much as possible about the company culture, be transparent about the challenges of the role and how the role and company will align to the candidate’s career aspirations and values.

3. Show off your EVP
 

Tell your candidates why it's a great place to work and give examples of what their day/week/month will look like, and a vision of the overall work environment. Make sure you're giving an accurate picture so that when they start working for you it won't be a surprise and most importantly, they are invested and bought in from the get-go. Your company's culture is something that should be shared and demonstrated to candidates throughout the process. Let them know what to expect and how they will fit into the organisation. This will help remove any uncertainty about what they might be getting themselves into and importantly give them specific tangible outcomes they can picture themselves delivering. Make it personal. Candidates want to feel special and that their skills are of value. It's important to understand them as an individual and what makes them tick so you can have a more meaningful conversation with them. Talk about the future of the organisation, how it's growing, and where they fit into that picture. Candidates want to be part of something bigger than themselves; if your company has a big vision or is disrupting the market in some way, be sure to talk about it. Remember, your employee value proposition is key to a candidate asking themselves ‘’why should I work for your company instead of somewhere else?’’.

4. Feedback is breakfast of champions
 

Always give feedback to candidates. The good and the bad so they can improve their opportunities in future interviews or even if you take them through to a 2nd stage and ultimately hire them. This will show your commitment to constructive, genuine feedback and demonstrate you care about how they can put their best foot forward. This will help the candidate to stay engaged with the process and learn and grow as professionals. It's also a

way of building trust and showing that you're willing to be transparent with them. Remember, feedback is a two-way street!

5. Make an attractive offer!
 

Obvious as it sounds, make sure your offer is as attractive for your candidate as it can be. Make it appealing enough that they want to work for you over other employers and whilst base salary is certainly important, it's not the whole package. Look at ways you can offer other perks and selling points - flexible working arrangements, additional annual leave, short and long-term incentives, great technology, accelerated career progression path, on-site health and fitness facilities, salary sacrifice options, increased super contributions, subsidised canteen etc. Show much respect for your candidates and remember what it's like to be on the other side of the table. Try not to leave them hanging and keep in touch, always provide feedback after interviews and acknowledge their strengths and skills. Keep their interests at heart throughout the process so they feel valued and impressed throughout their experience with you.
 

If you can ensure that you are following these tips, you will be well on your way to securing the best talent for your business. Good luck! However, if you are struggling to find your next superstar, please reach out to the team at West Recruitment who can help you identify, attract, engage and retain the best talent there is.