We’ve been in a pandemic for most of 2020. Unemployment levels are at all time highs. Why are jobs hard to fill? Particularly white collar jobs?
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There’s a pandemic! Why are jobs hard to fill?
- Unemployment fell to 8.4% from a high of 14.7% a few months earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s still over 100% worse than the 3.5% of December 2019. Job postings for high-wage occupations are trending 28% below last year at the same time versus a 12% reduction for lower-wage occupations, HiringLab.org reported. But somehow it’s still tough to fill open jobs.
- What can you do to attract white-collar candidates?
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Revamp Your Website:
Look at your website with a critical eye. Does it present your company as an exciting, intereesting, dynamic place to work? Is the site attractive? Up-to-date? Is there a career page? Does it effectively communicate why a candidate would want to work for you? List any openings on the website to attract candidates and combat your talent shortage. Include personal profiles of your executives to give candidates a sense of your leadership.
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Rethink Your Job Descriptions:
Provide details to make the job description come alive. If there is some flexibility in requirements, make that clear in the job description. Being too specific can cause candidates to self-eliminate. Start with an attention grabbing job title.
- Most job boards are driven by title. A descriptive title will get more response.
- Share Salary Information:
67% of job seekers want to see salary information in job posts, Glassdoor reports. Only 27% of companies disclose salary information publicly. 34% think posting salary information can harm their negotiating position during the hiring process. Another 75% are concerned about causing salary disputes with existing employees, according to LinkedIn. Sharing fair compensation is the answer to attracting more job seekers and fixing your talent shortage. - If your salaries are out of whack, fix them.
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Simplify Your Hiring Process:
78% of employers say they set clear expectations and communicate well during the hiring process. CareerBuilder says only 47% of job seekers agree. If your hiring need is immediate, you should respond to candidates promptly. If you are hiring for a start date six months out, keep top candidates engaged and informed. Respond immediately to good resumes via email. Scheduling the initial conversation out a week doesn’t alienate the candidate but does buy you a little extra time. Providing plenty of notice gives the candidate flexibility to work around their current job obligations. If you must reschedule the meeting, communicate your apologies to the candidate. Losing the in-person impression makes many other aspects of thehiring process more important. Treat their time as valuable as yours. Communication is essential, even if it’s as simple as a one-line email.
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If you need help hiring for tough-to-fill white-collar jobs, contact the team at Smith Hanley Associates.
