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February 9th, 2023
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The 3 best recruitment resolutions for 2016
The demand for information management and data analytics candidates is as strong as ever, with no signs of slowing, so it’s important you’re prepared to keep up. With that in mind, we’ve put together our top three ‘fitness tips’ for improving your company’s recruitment practices in 2016.
Move quickly
“Hire slow, fire fast” is a concept that’s gained a fair bit of traction in management studies in recent years. And with good reason: achieving the right balance of talent and developing a cohesive, harmonious workforce demands that you be both highly selective in making hiring decisions, and decisive in terminating employment the moment it becomes clear someone just isn’t working out.
All that being said, however, we’d suggest taking the “hire slow” advice with a grain of salt.
It’s important to take the time required to find the right candidate, of course. But once you do, act fast before you lose him or her to a competitor – it’s one of those rare occasions when it’s advisable to show your commitment early. And, crucially, ensure that your commitment is embedded in every part of the hiring process. That means everything from a warm and welcoming interview experience, to replying promptly to emails or voice messages with phone calls. No matter how interested you may be in a potential employee, if he thinks for a moment you’re not interested or that he’s been forgotten, he won’t have to wait around long for another offer. The information management field continues to be a jobseekers’ market, so don’t waste time.
Build strong relationships
It goes without saying that we believe having a strong partnership with your recruitment agency is a cornerstone to a successful hiring strategy. As you set your budgets for the year, you should take a look at the fees you’re paying and assess whether you’re getting your money’s worth – but in our experience of ‘rec to recs’ (recruiting agencies that specialise in recruiters), how much you pay can definitely correlate with the quality of work they do. Whoever you choose to work with, be sure to have open conversations with them about your business requirements, your staffing needs, the job roles you need to fill, and the culture of your company. If your recruiting partner doesn’t understand any of the above, or isn’t responsive to your needs, then whatever you’re paying them, it’s too much.
In terms of building other relationships, don’t forget about one of your own best resources as well – your existing employees. Your current staff can be the best ambassadors for your employer brand. When people like their jobs, and the company they work for, it shows, whether it’s through word of mouth, networking events, or social media. Of course, the flip side is that if people aren’t happy, they tend to be even more vocal about it. It’s not the only reason you want to keep your employees engaged and committed, but it’s important to remember the knock-on effect happy employees can have on your recruiting efforts. (For more about the importance of employee engagement, read our recent blog post here.)
Show off a little
No doubt if you’ve been to a gym, you’ve seen them – the super-fit workout enthusiasts who seem to have an extra spring in their step and enjoy performing for the crowd, whilst you’re slogging away on the treadmill. If we can learn anything from them, it’s to be open about our capabilities and proud of our achievements. Don’t shy away from highlighting your selling points and demonstrating how you stand out from the competition. Showcase your value as an employer, so that the candidates you want to hire will want to work for you. For example, as we wrote about in our Bringing Your Culture to Life post recently, you can instil a sense of your corporate culture throughout every phase of the recruitment and hiring process.
Use your social media presence to spread the word about the benefits you offer, career development opportunities, flexible working arrangements – whatever you believe sets you apart as an employer. And as we hinted at in the previous paragraph, be sure that you’re keeping current employees engaged, productive and happy. They can be the best ambassadors for your employer brand.
What strategies are you integrating into your recruitment practices for 2016? How does your organisation attract and retain the right talent? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
KDR Recruitment is the home of the best data, technology and analytics jobs. For more hiring advice follow KDR on LinkedIn.
