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????
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.