Have you noticed a difference in your recruiting cycles during the Pandemic? Some job postings are flooded with applications while others certainly receive little response. Why is this and what can you do about it?
Some of the reasons around the fluctuation in applicants have to do specifically with the job. Some jobs are in high demand right now and therefore the amount of applicants to these types of positions are much less than what they would be pre-pandemic. We also believe that some people who would normally be an applicant are taking advantage of the Infectious Disease Leave renumeration and spending time with family, rather than seeking a new job.
If you are advertising for a job that is receiving very few applications, you may have to re-think your strategy. Some things you can look at:
- Consider advertising on different platforms i.e. industry specific job boards
- Utilize social media.
- Encourage management and staff to add open postings to their LinkedIn profiles, or to otherwise share via their own social media.
- Implement a referral bonus policy (if not in place already) where a bonus gets paid to an employee who recommends a candidate who then is hired and passes their first 3 months.
- Consider co-op programs – it is a chance to get a head start on candidates before they have graduated and before the enter the job market where there is more competition – and an added bonus, it allows you – the employer to “try them out” first without having to commit long term.
- Look internally – can you promote, a current employee – maybe provide them with a bit of mentoring or coaching as needed to fulfil the duties of the role and hire to replace their position instead?
- Is your application process cumbersome? You may be losing applicants who don’t want to bother with all the extra application steps.
- Hold a job fair (may have to be virtual right now…).
- Consider an open house (again – may need to be virtual).
- Remember – marketing your company as a great place to work can make an impact. You want people to already know about your company and be waiting for an opportunity to join.
These times call for creativity and thinking outside the box. What can you come up with to get a “leg up” on the competition? Understand that during these times, you may have a longer recruitment cycle – so build in time. Also remember that often, you are looking to attract applicants that are already in jobs – what is it that you can offer that is “better” than what they have already in place?
Dig in, put on the “innovation hat” and make things happen!