At a time when unemployment rates are low, companies still face a challenge. There’s no shortage of work opportunities, but there is a lack of labor for hard-to-fill jobs that require specialized skills, such as health care. Nearly 50% of recruiters say that they can’t find the right candidates to fill specialized positions, and for good reason—in 2019, the global talent shortage is at a 12-year high. However, using a good applicant tracking system and techniques to catch a candidate’s eye can make it easier to fill those positions.
Connect Through Text
Texting is a powerful tool for recruiters. Studies show it takes a person about 90 minutes to respond to email. In contrast, it only takes them about 90 seconds to respond via text. While many people don’t look at their computers beyond regular business working hours, they have their phones handy all day long. If you’re looking to fill a role quickly, texting is crucial.
Use Multiple Channels
In the past, recruiting for a job meant posting only on your website or a community job board. With the advent of social media, however, the opportunities are much broader for job advertising. Advertising open positions through social media, which is called “social recruiting,” can help you fill a position much faster. It also broadens your candidate pool, making it easier to find a suitable candidate. LinkedIn and Facebook are good sites to start with. You can also broaden your local search by advertising at local colleges and community events. As you employ multiple channels for employment opportunities, it’s easy to stay organized via recruiting software. You can even use your software to set up candidate interviews, too.
Employ AI
Artificial intelligence, or “AI,” is instrumental for finding qualified candidates. AI can do a better job of matching resumes with job requirements than most recruiters. With AI, the recruitment process is entirely automated. It can determine right away if a candidate has the technical skills and experience required to fill a position instead of you having to go through multiple steps, including interviews, to get that same information. Incorporating AI into your ATS tracking system lets you find qualified candidates using certain keywords and then catch their attention using automated text messaging. ATS tracking can also notify individuals, even if they’re not actively searching for a job, to let them know about the opportunities available with your company.
Set Reasonable Expectations
Even though automated recruiting systems help you recruit candidates more quickly, you’ll also need to make sure you keep good candidates in the long run. A hasty hiring decision can result in employee dissatisfaction and a higher turnover rate. While automated recruiting lets you lure top talent, it’s important that candidates are clear about salary, your expectations, and other aspects of the job before accepting the offer. At a time when jobs are becoming more specialized, it’s important to find and retain the most qualified candidates. This will cost less time and money overall and make your business more efficient. Social recruiting, texting, and even AI can greatly improve your chances of a successful hire.
