Ask a group of job seekers and they will likely say how tough it is to find a quality job these days. Talk to an employer and they are likely to feel it is equally difficult finding the right people to fill their job openings. So what’s the problem?
It might be that many job seekers have hit too many walls and have become discouraged in their job hunting efforts. Their frustrations could easily translate into a poor job interview. However, employers shouldn’t have this same issue. Since according to all estimates there are more bodies available for fewer jobs (8 people for every 1 job in Los Angeles according to figures from Indeed.com), if employers are having problems finding people to fill their openings something else must be going on.
Right Job, Wrong Skill Set
One of the biggest problems that can occur when a company is looking for new talent is to have a pool of candidates who just don’t have the right skill sets. Obviously if a local manufacturer is laying off machine workers and a nearby hospital is hiring nurses there is a disconnect. However, where there are jobs that don’t require specialized education and training some employers do themselves a disservice by seeking only candidates who fit a specific profile.
Yes, of course it’s nice to find a candidate who has the exact skills, education, experience and knowledge to do the job. But spending a ton of man hours and gobs of money to find this ideal candidate can be an expensive venture. And just because someone comes pre-trained doesn’t mean there won’t be any on-the-job training required once they are hired.
Instead employers might want to consider the upside of training someone from the ground up. Taking a highly intelligent, motivated self-starter eager to get into the field can mean a little more time spent on the front end, but could net someone who stays with the company longer. Looking for staying power instead of playing power can mean faster hiring and lower turnover.
Overly Confident Employers
Now obviously this isn’t true of all employers; however, there are some companies out there who believe that because of the weakened economy they have carte blanche to be cavalier about their recruiting efforts.
Sure company recruiters are being hounded night and day by desperate stressed-out job seekers. However, a bit of understanding and common courtesy is still important. Employers shouldn’t think they only have to play nice with the best candidates. Sending resume acknowledgments to all applicants and handling interview follow up shouldn’t be overlooked. A non-hire today could be the ideal employee tomorrow. And even if someone is ultimately not a fit for the organization, it’s important to consider who they might discuss the experience with or if they might be a current or future consumer.
The idea is that whether employers have the upper hand or not when it comes to hiring, they do themselves and job seekers a disservice if they take their actions lightly, lack empathy and courtesy or become inflexible in their hiring practices. Where employers go wrong when recruiting employees is when they take the human factor out of the recruiting process.
Deborah S. Hildebrand - Deborah S. Hildebrand is a freelance writer & HR consultant with 20+ years in human resources & a Bachelor's degree in Business.
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