Attracting the smarter candidate

Toby Conibear

Toby Conibear discusses the increasingly essential ways to create strong long-term candidate relationships.

To say that interest in new jobs is on the up in 2015 is an understatement – but is it all positive news for the recruitment industry?

In theory, the market should be awash with candidates keen to shake off years of fear and uncertainty regarding job security and ready to make a move. But in the ‘Year of the Candidate’, with every job advertised on social media and employers falling over themselves to get hold of the right candidate as quickly as possible, the onus is on recruitment agencies to stand out from the crowd.

This is a new era of recruitment, and it is time to take a step back and assess how best to attract this generation of smarter candidates.

New year, new challenge

The news since the beginning of the year has been flooded with stories hailing 2015 as the ‘Year of the Candidate’. The fact that a third of employees are seeking a job change this year sounds pretty positive for the recruitment industry; but look beyond the headlines and the challenges become clear. According to REC’s report on jobs, the candidate is gaining power: in an era of high employment and a lack of skills in many areas, it is the candidate who holds all the cards – not the employer.

So how does this change the role of the recruiter and what processes need to be in place to ensure the smarter candidate still sees value in the recruitment agency offering?

Nurturing candidates

Clearly, it is essential to ensure the fundamental aspects of the recruitment model work. Is the recruitment agency’s website up to date? How easy is it for candidates to find contact information or apply for a job online? Is the website optimised for mobile – a key consideration when the majority of candidates now check out job information via a variety of mobile devices.

But this is just the beginning – any recruitment agency not getting the basics right in this market may as well shut up shop. To really attract the latest generation of smart candidates requires another level of service, support and innovation – and far better communication. While in the past it has been accepted practice in many markets to only contact candidates who may be of interest to the client, in today’s market it is essential to capture and nurture every one of those candidates – the individual who is not suitable for a role today could be perfect for one in the coming weeks or even months.

Letting any potential candidate fall into the black hole of unacknowledged applicants is a big mistake – especially when it is so easy to send out an automated email acknowledging an application. Following up with a ‘no thanks, this time’ or ‘yes let’s schedule an interview’ email is not only good practice but can easily be built into a workflow within the CRM system.

In addition, email marketing should be used to keep in touch with potential candidates who are possibly considering a move. The company should have an extensive database of candidates – both placed and unplaced – and it is a straightforward process to keep in touch by sending out newsletters or links to interesting blog posts.

Social strategy

It is also important to step back and evaluate the social media strategy which has, in many companies, evolved somewhat anarchically over the past few years with a mix of corporate and individual presences across both LinkedIn and Twitter.

What is the policy regarding response to comments – both negative and positive – on social media? It is important that the company is responding to comments quickly and effectively. If there is a problem, deal with it – politely. Encourage individual consultants to build their own profiles alongside the company social media presence – but also ensure everyone understands the quality and tone expected within the business environment.

Of course jobs must be posted on social media but, again, what is the policy for following up with applications? Is the company tracking the different ways candidates are applying for roles and assessing the quality/value of different routes to market? In a fast evolving marketplace with new candidates coming on stream – some of whom may never have applied via social media before – understanding the trends in activity is key in order to create the most appropriate response.

Personal touch

It is also important to remember that while building the agency’s brand is essential, it is the personal interaction between consultants and candidates that really makes a difference. So what are the personal touches that a consultant can offer that deliver additional value?

Providing feedback to the candidate on the quality and wording of their CV, including the use of keywords, is a good start – and can be followed up with advice on the specific aspects of the skillset to highlight in a face-to-face interview with the client.

In addition, consultants operating in highly skills-based markets might also consider exploring methods of assessing a candidate’s skills – just how good is this Java developer, for example, or how up to date are their Excel skills? Some companies are also exploring psychometric testing to provide clients with another level of candidate insight regarding, for example, analytic skills or ability to work in a team. For a candidate looking for the best job fit, this additional level of support and understanding is invaluable.

Complete package

Indeed, with candidates increasingly looking beyond salary towards aspects such as flexible working, company culture and benefits, a recruitment company that can actively match these aspects of each job with an individual’s expectations and requirements will also provide a far richer and more valuable candidate experience.

And, of course, if a consultant is providing this level of candidate support it is worth shouting about. So after a successful placement, don’t just ask the client to provide a recommendation on LinkedIn – get the candidate to make one too and demonstrate to a wider audience just how well the company stands out from the crowd.

Toby Conibear is European business development director at Bond International Software.