Hone Your Headhunting Skills With These Pro Tips

The search to find and attract quality candidates then secure them has become almost impossible using traditional techniques. This is regardless of whether you are a recruiter, an HR consultant, line manager, employer, or an agent.

You are literally the hunter, and you need to seriously consider what your strategy for hiring has been and does it need to change.

Much has been said about the way candidate behavior has evolved in recent times. The reality is that they are reluctant to participate as in the past. They just pretend to be interested but are really looking to better their current deal, often demanding improved remuneration and conditions. Moreover, the now common habit of ghosting once in the selection process is a big put off.  In short, candidates are being more difficult to deal with now than ever.

If that is the case and it appears that it is, then if you as the hunter continue to hunt in the same way as the past, it is highly unlikely you will achieve positive outcomes. You will end up spending  a disproportionate amount of time, money, and effort in just creating frustration, disillusionment, and distrust.

If we are to accept that we have a candidate shortage and all indicators say we do, employers are just going to have to accept that much about recruitment has changed, in fact the enduring market dynamic is one of constant change.

What have you altered regarding the way you are attracting and securing the hire of much sought after talent?

Let’s look at what specialized recruiters are doing and many of the tips are applicable to anyone hiring whether they operate in an   internal role or in a specialized agency.

Make sure your job descriptions/brief and remuneration offering are current and competitive. Remember, if the role isn’t as described and the candidate is offered 20% below market, they are simply not coming!

To further enforce this point employers need to support those who are recruiting for them. If you are a recruiter, make sure you choose clients who will work collaboratively and reward you appropriately   for the service you provide.

To this end you need to prioritize your clients and candidates, work with less of each in a smarter way. Keep very close to good candidates and guide them through the process, because if you don’t someone else will.

Be proactive, if you identify a good candidate, float them into prospective employers regardless of whether they are looking just now or not. Create the opportunity, that’s how many recruiters started out. 

Set expectations with clients internal or external based on market conditions. Emphasize that it takes longer, can often not follow traditional process lines and can be more costly. Do not undersell the degree of difficulty.

 The golden rules for a successful hunt include giving yourself time to work on fewer jobs, spending more time with fewer candidates,  strongly communicating throughout every assignment with all stakeholders and ensuring you are appropriately rewarded.

To hear more about what enables a successful recruitment exercise, email us at [email protected] or call us on 03 91908904 for a confidential discussion and more information.