August 2016

Let’s face it – No Business Owner or Manager likes losing staff as a result of someone “Poaching” them!!! With this in mind – and often due to the tight knit nature of numerous industries – many Business Owners and Managers WILL NOT associate themselves with Poaching or Headhunting recruitment activities!!! Tapping potential candidates on the shoulder and “Presenting a Career Opportunity” has been happening for decades…… However, it is now easier and taking place more frequently and readily, whether you like it or not!!!

The fact is, TECHNOLOGY has revolutionised how we ADVERTISE and ATTRACT quality CANDIDATES. Further, with everything now online (both desktop & mobile), it is really easy for the ACTIVE job seekers to apply for jobs with just a click of a button.

For the more standard, every day roles, this has led to a very high volume of candidates with a lower percentage of   QUALITY MATCHES…… resulting in the significant loss of your valuable TIME in wading through their resumes. However, for the roles that are more Specialised, Niche Market or in High Demand – the online Job Boards only really offer a “Pot Luck” approach – i.e. you put the Ad up, keep your fingers crossed and hope that one or two QUALITY candidates have a bad week in their current job and decide to have a bit of “a look around”.

Back in “the day” when almost everyone would have a scan through the Employment Pages of the Newspaper over a cup of coffee on the weekend, the Job Advertisements were reaching a HUGE pool of Open Passive Candidates. So whilst Technology has made posting a Job Vacancy – Cheaper, Easier and Faster – it has taken away a much larger pool of Potential Candidates.

There is clear evidence through research which indicates “that three-quarters of the fully-employed workforce around the world consider themselves passive candidates, or not actively looking for their next job – with a whopping 45% totally open to considering a new opportunity when approached”.            

Leela Srinivasan, LinkedIn Talent Blog, March 5, 2014

Your business has a need for someone with specific skills, experience and qualifications to ensure its ongoing success….and employees have specific needs and wants within their jobs…. the issue at hand is to find a Quality Match for both parties.

In my recent blog Attracting Candidates: Will I be “Happier” working for You? I pointed out that people are generally LOOKING for the following within their employment to be HAPPY:

• FAIR PAY of course! No one expects otherwise.
• A sense of SAFETY! Everyone expects to be able to go home after work.
• To feel VALUED! No one wants to be just ‘another number’ or constantly ‘criticised’.
• OPPORTUNITIES to learn new skills, scope for career advancement and future rise in pay.
• A sense of FIT in their personal values and ethos to that of the CULTURE of the firm.
• To actually like what they do!!!

What does this all mean for Business Owners and Managers????

1. You need to be a good Manager and Leader– It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to understand your staff, their needs and goals…. and if they are being met…. can be met…. or perhaps if they have outgrown the business.
2. Don’t be afraid of your staff being Poached – If they decide to move onto another offering, then there is a reason – and it gives you the OPPORTUNITY to review the role and get some FRESH TALENT into your business.
3. If you’re NOT using Sourcing Options outside of Online Job Boards, then you ARE MISSING OUT on 45% of Potential Passive Candidates.

With LinkedIn and SEEK Talent Search, Active Sourcing of Candidates is NOT intrusive, covert or underhanded……. people have actively placed their employment profiles in the public domain.

There is NOTHING WRONG with presenting people with INFORMATION on your JOB VACANCY in a professional, positive and genuine manner…….it is then up to them to DECIDE if they want to EXPLORE your OPPORTUNITY FURTHER.

Make sure you’re following on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RecruitLoop-Kim-Acworth-185674054963527/?fref=ts) as I’ll share some other great tips and information.

Surviving a Tidal Wave of Applications is one thing……But what do you do when you’ve posted your ad on SEEK……You know what you’re looking for and are DESPERATE for the Perfect Candidate……. but not a soul’s applying!!!

The approach to ATTRACT quality CANDIDATES has changed quite significantly over the past 10-15 years. Gone are the days when almost everyone would have a scan through the Employment Pages of the Newspaper over a cup of coffee on the weekend…. I have absolutely no idea when I would have last purchased a newspaper……and I’m no Gen Y!!! However, EVERYTHING is online now (both desktop &mobile).

In the Land of Recruitment, we tend to classify POTENTIAL CANDIDATES in two very general categories:

• ACTIVE – These are the candidates that are highly motivated to finding a new job, actively searching on SEEK, Indeed, etc. and submitting applications.
• APPROACHABLE PASSIVE – These candidates are not 100% happy in their current role, but since it still ticks enough boxes for them, they are NOT regularly monitoring job sites.

Your SEEK advertisement is targeted towards ACTIVE Candidates – you need potential candidates to see the advertisement and decide to apply. So how do you make sure that the TAP is actually working properly……

When you have no suitable candidates applying……
TIP #1 Check the Category and Sub-Category the ad is Listed Under – Do a Job Search yourself for similar positions, and check which categories they are under.

Candidates also search via Job Title so….
TIP #2 Take another look at the Job Title you’re using for the ad – how does it compare to other similar roles being advertised.

The other major factor for Active Job Seekers is the Salary so……
TIP #3 Research on what others are paying or offering for similar roles and offer comparable Market Rates!!! You can again use SEEK to search using salary parameters……. or refer to options such as the Hays Salary Guide.

Now, you’ve checked the TAP is fully functional – but there’s still NO FLOW!!!

“Research shows that three-quarters of the fully-employed workforce around the world consider themselves passive candidates, or not actively looking for their next job – with a whopping 45% totally open to considering a new opportunity when approached”.           
Leela Srinivasan, LinkedIn Talent Blog, March 5, 2014

How do you tap into this HIDDEN OASIS of people who are open to considering a new opportunity if approached…… and how do you approach them???

My First Suggestion would of course be to callkimacworth@recruitloop and pass that over to her 😉 🙂

But for those who have the time, Social Media and Web Based Job Boards make this option easier now days.

To source a readily available POOL of candidates……
TIP #4 Access SEEK Talent Search – This system automatically compiles a list of potentially suitable candidates based on details outlined in your advertisement. You can then use various criteria to fine tune this list. SEEK provides various options for you to then “approach” these candidates. This is a FREE Inclusion when you place an ad on SEEK…. but restricts the number of people you can approach.

LinkedIn provides the ability to “link” with a SEA of professionals so…….
TIP #5 Subscribe to LinkedIn Talent Finder – Now you must note that this operates on a monthly subscription, which ranges from $130 – $140 per month. So basically, it’s really aimed at those who hire on a regular basis (like Moi). You can conduct general searches without the Talent Finder subscription. However, Talent Finder provides a wider search with more specific criteria.

Over the past 3 years, I’ve successfully sourced Approachable Passive Candidates for my clients, with the most recent person starting her new role in five weeks.

A recent area of growth is BOOLEAN SEARCHING across social media and databases. Through this you can reach an OCEAN of passive candidates. Now I’m not even going to attempt to explain this – It’s too complex, and I barely understand it myself (for those interested, here’s a link that provides a very basic outline: http://www.socialtalent.co/blog/the-beginners-guide-to-boolean-search-operators).

I have access to BOOLEAN SEARCH technology Gurus so…….
TIP #6 Ask me about RecruitLoop Sourcing as an option – for $500 you can receive a detailed list with contact details of up to 100 potential passive candidates.

To conclude, although advertising your Job Vacancy is a cost effective “must do” that often provides you with that great new employee…. You must be open to the idea of looking at other Sourcing Options in order to “Tap into” the Hidden Oasis of Passive Candidates. It is important to note that the negative connotations associated with “Headhunting” and “Poaching” are fast becoming a thing of the past. If people are genuinely happy in their current role (and it meets their needs) – they will be the 15% that WON’T MOVE….. it’s up to Managers and Business Owners to be in tune with their staff (more on this in my next blog).

Make sure you’re following on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RecruitLoop-Kim-Acworth-185674054963527/?fref=ts) as I’ll share some other great tips and information.