But 3 million people are unemployed…..
I feel like a bit of a broken record at the moment when people ask why recruitment is tough going at the moment. Why cannot hiring managers find the right people for jobs that they are recruiting and why cannot 3 million find a job when there appear to be so many jobs about. Why are jobs being continually readvertised? Why are clients taking so long to give feedback? Why are candidates not showing up for interviews or changing their minds? Put simply, we still have a really long way to go, and the market is still upside down and so are peoples’ minds & thoughts. And just because the jobs are being advertised, does not mean that there is match in skillset. There is a huge gaping hole in who is looking for a job and who is hiring. Fact. And the only thing that is going to change is time.
Candidate Advice.
This is a really tough one because if you are looking for a job, you have possibly had a few knocks over the last year or so. There may be days when you cannot focus with frustration and maybe financial worry. But if I were to offer you 3 pieces of advice….
1) Make sure your CV and LinkedIn profile are spot on, reflecting your skills and expertise. Do not over think what people will think of your CV in the last 12 months, it has been chaos and anyone who does not understand the last year will impact peoples CV, is a loonie. And possibly an incompetent one at that. And I personally would not want to work for someone who did not understand that.
2) Channel everything you have into your job application at the right time. Behind closed doors you can be frustrated, angry, sad, tearful, anything you need to be but when speaking to recruiters and Hiring Managers, be everything you would want to employ yourself. Passionate, dedicated, professional, prepared, knowledgeable, down to earth, honest, kind and really demonstrate your desire to do a job you love in a business where you can add value. Act on a Zoom or Teams interview as you would face to face and after you have met with the Hiring Manager, send a follow up email thanking them for their time and again show your passion.
3) Things will change and until they do, be visible & keep showing up on places such as LinkedIn and within your network. Keep hold of your tenacity and sense of humour as you will need these more than you ever imagined. And on those days when it all becomes a bit too much, reach out to someone. A friend, family member, colleague, me, anybody. Just do not do it all on your own. And communicate. If you have wobbles, change your mind about something or get a job offer, or cannot attend an interview, communicate. People do not forget.
Client Advice
This is a tough one to right as I have some clients who simply cannot understand why when so many people are unemployed is there not a choice of candidates to employ? Simply because there is a mismatch in skillset. And there are millions of people out there who are working, in a job that they do not particularly enjoy and whereas 18 months ago they would be looking, they want job security now and have no plans to look until life is less crazy. So, the candidate pool is even more restricted. So, what advice can I give you?
1) Act quickly. If you get a CV of someone who you like the look of, arrange an interview quickly. Do not want for a short list as that short list might never come. If you see someone who is good for the job, employ them. Think for a second, if you were the candidate and were told “ we like you but want to see who else is available.” It does not give a great impression; you could wait 3 weeks to see that someone else only for the original candidate you liked to have got snapped up elsewhere.
2) Be open. Consider every single aspect of your flexibility. Location, salary, experience, transferrable skills from different sectors. And if you cannot compromise anything, what is the impact to your business by not filling that role. Then think again, still nothing you can reconsider? Could you take a temp? Fixed term contract? Could you promote someone within the business, and would that role be easier to fill? Promoting within is great for the business.
3) Remember that recruitment is a tiny percentage of what your business does, but it could be 100% of what a candidate looking for a job does. Give feedback once you have engaged with a recruiter or candidate as people remember. And be kind to yourself as it is tough going at the moment.
Recruiter / Hiring Manager Advice
This is a tough one as I sat on a webinar for 2 hours this morning and came off thoroughly depressed. Green shoots are appearing apparently, but it is going to get harder. Recruiters are going to work harder in a climate where candidates will ghost us, accept offers elsewhere, not turn up to interviews we have arranged, and clients will not be loyal to us. They will want the moon on a stick, at reduced fees with no compromise. So, what advice would I give myself?
1) Be kind to yourself. The last 15 months have been tough for everyone and no magic wands means things will get back to normal overnight. Start taking time off as holiday otherwise you will spend time sat at your desk getting frustrated and in order to deal with the rollercoaster, self-care is important.
2) Communicate with clients and candidates alike. Even if there is no update, let people know. There is nothing worse than being ghosted so do not do it to others.
3) Put your big your big girl pants on. And ask for that friend to make you smile if you are having a tough day. Keep focused on the end game as the market will improve, do not forget the tenacity and drive that got you to where you are, but you cannot run on empty. The highs will be higher but be warned, the lows will be lower. When people make decisions about their career or who to hire, it is not personal. And when you work for yourself, it can feel very personal.
In summary, I do not know whose shoes I would rather be in. I just know it is tough for so many people out there so no matter how bad, grumpy or happy you feel, we still need to continue in being kind to each other. There is still a long way to go in this crazy world but my goodness we are getting there. And that bit feels really good for sure.