As we learned in part one of our talent acquisition series, finding and keeping the right person for the job is more complex than ever. Changes brought on by the pandemic have reshaped how, when, why, and where we work. We are operating under a new normal that prioritizes company values and work-life balance as much as salary and job title. Talent is at a premium and jobs are at a surplus. Hiring managers are scrambling to catch up with market rates and realizing the devastating effects that a pay equity gap can render on an organization.
The past few years have turned talent acquisition on its head and forced companies to think creatively about their hiring and retention practices. This leaves an open question when it comes to determining the best way to find top talent – what’s next?
The Future of Talent Acquisition
Although trends change and workforce demands evolve, one thing is clear – the proverbial work pendulum has swung one way and will never completely go back to the status quo of the pre-pandemic professional universe. This leaves candidates in the driver’s seat for the foreseeable future.
A recent workforce trends report shows that nearly three-quarters of HR professionals expect hiring to become more difficult over the next year and that most think hiring constraints will persist in perpetuity. In order to fill the talent gap, hiring managers need to think outside the box to find the right candidates for the job.
Reimagining job requirements is one way to open new doors to talent that may have gone undiscovered in the past. Many companies are relaxing degree requirements and placing more weight on meaningful experience and soft skills like emotional intelligence, leadership, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving. Prioritizing candidates that demonstrate these valuable capacities allows you to tap into a pool that may be overlooked by competitors and find true professional gems.
Another creative way to recruit the right person for the job is to look within. When a candidate is already part of the organization, you can spend less time onboarding and more on tactical upskilling. Internal talent can be developed easier than external new hires because they already know the organization and you know them. If an existing team member displays promising soft skills, consider upskilling them for harder-to-fill roles.
There’s A Better Way to Source Talent
At ECS, we take a holistic approach to talent acquisition with customizable, end-to-end services to help you find the best fit for the job, on time and on budget. Create a plan that works for you from any of our robust offerings, including talent acquisition strategy, compensation analysis, job profile development, recruiting, sourcing and screening, candidate assessment, offer management, and onboarding.
Traditional pricing models that take placement percentages or flat fees don’t leave room for flexibility and often end up costing more than what they’re worth. We do things differently. Our fresh, common-sense approach to recruitment allows you to get exactly what you need – and none of what you don’t – from our talent acquisition specialists. With ECS, you determine how big or small your project scope is. Our rates aren’t fixed or tied to percentage of salary, so if we tell you that you’re underpaying for a role, it doesn’t drive up our commission – we do it because we’re looking out for your best interest. We offer the ultimate in flexibility and can easily pivot when your needs change. All with zero scope creep, so you never need to worry about getting hit with unexpected surcharges or penalties.
The End Goal Remains the Same
As we settle into this new world of work, one thing hasn’t changed. The goal of talent acquisition is to find and hire the best candidate for the job as quickly as possible. But we must not think of hiring in isolation. It’s a combination of recruiting AND retention that creates strong, resilient organizations that attract the best people. By adopting a holistic mindset and embracing the changes brought about over the last two years, you will develop a reputation as a top employer and realize more stability and opportunity for growth. As your partner, ECS is here to deliver the right combination of solutions to help you find and keep the talent you are looking for.
Want to know more about ECS’ signature talent acquisition model that can save you big compared to the old way of doing things? Get in touch via our website, or email ECS Managing Partner Jason Fisher to learn all the ways our robust recruitment and retention services can help you tip the scales and transform your business. You can also connect with Jason on LinkedIn here.
