Acquiring the top candidates to fill company positions has been challenging since the “Great Resignation” began. This new economic trend started with the covid-19 pandemic, resulting in record numbers of employees quitting their jobs. The motivation behind this great resignation is to look for work more aligned with their values.
Companies are starting to require employees to return to the office, but many candidates are looking for remote work opportunities. Culture has become more values-based, and employees are looking for jobs aligned with this trend. Some of these values include:
- More autonomy in their work.
- The opportunity to have a flexible schedule.
- A competitive salary and benefits.
- A company committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
- An opportunity for growth and creativity in their work.
There is much competition among businesses to attract suitable candidates. Many people have left their jobs in search of better opportunities. Companies need help to fill open positions with qualified candidates. Check out these seven talent acquisition priorities to help hire top candidates in 2023.
1) A Candidate and Employee Experience that Attracts and Retains
Focusing on the candidate and employee experience may have been considered a luxury in days past. However, a positive candidate experience is crucial for any company seeking to hire the most qualified talent.
Have your talent acquisition team oversee the candidate experience, making improvements to remain competitive amongst potential employers. Doing so will boost the number of candidates interested in working for your company. It will also reduce the time required to fill open positions. Ensuring the experience extends beyond the candidate journey and throughout the employee journey will also help reduce turnover.
Take the time to audit your current recruiting processes. This will help you identify areas for improvement, like the quality of hire and time to hire. Plan to continue measuring progress and adjusting as needed.
Here are some things to consider improving:
- Application Process: Simplify the application process to see an increase in applications from qualified candidates. More complicated applications tend to trigger higher abandon rates.
- Recruiter/Candidate Communication: Utilize automation and chat tools to reduce response times to candidate inquiries. Using messaging and social media apps will help enhance communication. This will also aid recruiters, giving them flexibility in how and when they can communicate with potential employees.
Creating a signature experience is key to attracting and retaining employees and enhancing the company brand.
2) An Efficient Application Process that Encourages Job Seekers to Apply
Simplifying the application process for candidates will encourage an increase in the pool of qualified talent interested in your company. Candidates have more room to be selective, not only with job offers but also with which companies they consider. People looking for a job currently have the advantage over companies that need to fill open positions.
Some ways to simplify this process are to develop shorter applications and make them easier to complete. The need for these streamlined processes is shown as the number of applicants applying from mobile devices continues to increase. This number surpasses the number of applicants utilizing desktops.
3) A Talent Pipeline that Nurtures Candidates
Making efforts to simplify the application process will encourage candidates to seek more information and apply for open positions. This will also help reduce application abandonment rates. The result is an enhanced ability for your TA team to nurture candidates and boost their experience with your company.
Recruiters can utilize a pipeline to develop a solid pool of qualified candidates through recruitment marketing. This allows them to build relationships until the talent is ready to apply or accept an offer from a hiring manager.
4) An Employer Brand That Attracts Top Candidates
A strong employer brand is necessary for companies who want to attract and retain top talent. This wasn’t always the case. However, the pandemic caused a shift in recruitment. This shift made the focus on employer branding a necessity rather than a luxury.
5) A Solid Recruitment Marketing Strategy
It’s crucial to focus on building a solid recruitment marketing strategy to see an increase in quality applicants. Your talent strategies should begin here, where connections with candidates are made. A strong strategy will help strengthen your employer brand, increasing awareness of your company.
Some recruitment strategies to focus on include utilizing social media, virtual hiring and recruiting, job boards, and employee referrals. These strategies will allow potential employees to connect with your company and stay informed about hiring events, Q&As, and job opportunities.
6) A Focus on DEI
You should ensure your TA team and hiring managers are making decisions emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. This starts with examining current talent strategies to discover opportunities for enhancing DEI from the beginning. Take action on those opportunities and improve DEI to connect with potential employees who seek a values-based career.
7) An Enhanced Onboarding Process
Focus on improving the hiring process to complete a quality recruitment experience and transition into onboarding. This ensures new employees get started on the right foot and feel ready for success in their roles. The result is reduced turnover, increased quality employee referrals, and an improved bottom line.
An Applicant Tracking System to Help You Tackle Your Priorities
Discovered’s software provides a new way to recruit, hire, and manage candidate and employee experiences. Our system helps companies update their manual processes and recruiting strategies to be more efficient and easier to follow. Doing so ensures the success of your talent acquisition strategy as you focus on these seven priorities in 2023.
Book a demo to discover the features and tools we offer to support your hiring needs.
