Recruiting Challenges in 2021

Are you needing to recruit in 2021?  Whilst many companies may be looking at downsizing many others are looking at growth.  Are you in a position where you are looking at bringing a new head(s) into the business?  In her guest post Caroline Hunt from Emerald Starfish Recruitment shares her top tips and advice on what to consider when recruiting.

 

 

What will be your top 5 recruiting challenges in 2021?

  1. Deciding when to recruit

None of us can predict when this lockdown is likely to end, or whether there will be any more work restrictions to come.  If you have a vacancy now and need to fill it make sure that you have a plan as to how to continue with your recruitment process whatever happens with COVID.  The candidate market is buoyant now and remote technologies such as video interviewing and psychometric testing can all be carried out regardless of the workplace.  A clear recruitment process gives candidates confidence in your organisation and ability to work within the pandemic.  Make sure you can also support new starters with a remote on-boarding process if needed too.

  1. Numbers of Applications

Be prepared for hundreds of applications and look at ways in which you can sift through these easily.  Some of the job boards offer qualifying questions that can be used to great effect to reduce down the number of inappropriate applications.  We recently saw over 1000 applications for a Customer Service role and we were very mindful that most of this pool of candidates were furloughed or at risk of redundancy and deserved to be treated fairly and appropriately.

  1. Geographical Challenges may have been removed

Do you really need someone now who lives within 45 minutes of your office?  If you are working from home with no immediate plans to return to an office why not look on a more national basis for candidates?  Particularly for more specialised roles.  If, however, you are planning to returning to business as usual as it was before COVID make sure that you maintain your boundaries around location.  If you plan on going back to the office in the next six months but your newest recruit is 2 hours away you can expect to lose them.

  1. Candidates mentality is different

Pre-COVID candidates were in short supply and as the employer it was your job to woo them.  Now with a large candidate pool make sure that you maintain your recruitment structure so that you can assess individuals properly.  If a candidate is trying to convince you that they will take a 50% pay cut and happily – this may be the case at the moment, but your job will be a means to an end rather than the right career move for you both.

  1. Consider the Furloughed Candidate

There will be some people who sadly haven’t been in work much at all over the past year.  It wasn’t their fault but with any time out of work skills and attitude can quickly be blunted.  I would ask all candidate whether they have been furloughed and probe those that have further.  How much time have they worked this year?  Why were they chosen for furlough?  How did they use this time?  Again, you want someone with the desire to work and be successful.

 

2021 brings unique challenges for recruitment, but if you do want to bring talent into your organisation this year will offer a great opportunity to find and employ excellent loyal candidates to help you grow and develop your business.

 

Caroline Hunt is the Managing Director of Emerald Starfish.  Emerald Starfish works within the SME market operating as an outsourced recruitment department for their clients saving them both time and money on recruiting the right individuals for their businesses.  If you would like to find out more please call 0116 2080246 or email recruitmentsolutions@emerald-starfish.com