A Mismatch of the Heart: The gap in communication between employers and job seekers.
What is happening in the job market right now?
These figures surprised me, which is why I pose that question. We have experienced a “buyer’s market” and a “candidate shortage” over the past few months. The candidates have an advantage. They have the ability to bargain for a higher salary and to accept incentives that they would normally not receive. Right… ?
From the perspective of job seekers, these statistics appear to present a completely different picture than the one presented by businesses hiring during the labor shortage. Where exactly is the gap?
Is it the case that job descriptions aren’t written for the right people? Are the key words that job seekers are looking for missing from job descriptions? Are job openings being advertised on websites where qualified applicants aren’t looking? It could be any of these or other things.
However, as I consider these statistics and the shortage of candidates, one thing becomes clear to me: Consider the shortage from the “applicant’s” point of view once more. Is the fact that job seekers aren’t finding the jobs they want a contributing factor to the shortage? This appears to be a possible component of the case to me. Therefore, how do we present jobs to candidates seeking YOUR employment? Rethinking strategy requires taking a step back to accomplish this. It’s time to act like a candidate.
Try to imagine yourself as a candidate.
Who would be an ideal candidate for your position? What would you want to see in the job description if you were this person? What key words might be important to this applicant? Why would a person want to work for this company in this position? Who would be enthusiastic about this opportunity?
Also, consider the location of this person’s job search. Reexamine whether the location of this job posting is appropriate for the ideal candidate. During my most recent trip to the Smoky Mountains, I stayed in Gatlinburg. If you haven’t been, it’s a popular tourist destination near one of the Smoky Mountains’ entrances. They have numerous attractions, restaurants, and shops on a whole street. However, one thing I noticed was that many of the businesses had a sign outside that said “help wanted.” We even went to a restaurant that acknowledged that, as a result of the shortage, they were short on staff, resulting in slightly longer wait times.
Due to a lack of wait staff, many of the tables in the restaurant were unoccupied when we looked around. We later learned from one of Gatlinburg’s restaurant owners that the town actually employs a lot of Romanians. They have a great chance to work and live in the United States by working in Gatlinburg. I never would have imagined that Romanians would flock to Gatlinburg, but during our two days there, two of our waitresses actually came from Romania! Although this is not meant to suggest that you should begin recruiting internationally, it is an excellent illustration of thinking outside the box and considering an applicant’s perspective. Who would see this as an excellent chance? Who would be interested in this position? Is there a suitable location to advertise this position?
Change roles. When applying for jobs, follow the advice you would give to candidates.
In a similar vein, reverse roles and take the advice you would give candidates by putting yourself in their shoes. Yesterday, I was reading a piece on how to get hired quickly. It was a very good article, and as I read it, I realized that hiring companies could actually use a lot of the advice. Referrals, highlighting accomplishments, telling a story, developing an elevator pitch, and noting what sets you apart are all similar suggestions that could be implemented. Is this a familiar scenario? Job seekers must sell themselves, and businesses must also sell themselves and the position in order for the ideal match to occur. On the first date, if a job seeker shows up in a nice dress and the company shows up in ripped shorts and a baggy t-shirt, one may immediately not be interested. Let’s learn more about how to make a good first impression!
Referrals.
Referrals may also be advantageous to the hiring company because we rely on applicants to have recommendations. There are many different ways referrals can come. It could be that people working for the hiring company share the open job posting on social media and tell their network. It could also be that employees took the time to meet with the candidate so that the candidate could talk to someone who is already employed at the company and ask questions about the position. If you are a staffing and recruiting agency, you could even request a few quotes from current employees explaining why they enjoy working for the company. These can be used to promote the position and even made into graphics for social media posts. The role gains credibility from referrals, which can bring in more applicants.
Highlight achievements of the company.
Has the hiring company won any awards? Do they have any significant accomplishments to emphasize? If so, include a reference to them in the job description. In the same way that candidates may emphasize accomplishments in an interview or on their resume, awards and accomplishments can help the company and the position stand out from the competition.
Be specific and relate a story.
During an interview, candidates are often asked to “tell us about a time…,” share their story and experience, or talk about a project they worked on. During an interview or in a job description, businesses can also tell their story. Companies can highlight projects that the position would be working on or recent departmental accomplishments in a job description. This gives applicants a chance to learn about and get excited about the kinds of projects they might work on.
Include a brief synopsis of the company’s history and operations in the job description. When was the business established? What distinguishes the company? What makes the company an excellent place to work? The candidate can get a sense of the company’s culture and personality from these particulars.
In general, your job description should tell a story, but it should also include specifics. In your job descriptions, be as specific as you possibly can. If the description is too broad, it won’t stand out from other job descriptions and nobody will remember it. Be memorable and tell a story!
Pitch of an elevator
Every candidate must prepare a concise and succinct elevator pitch that accurately describes them. Recruiters, hiring managers, and job descriptions ought to all include an elevator pitch. Your pitch should be the first two to three sentences of the job description. Why should someone read this job description with interest? Why should this job interest someone? Start the job description in a way that grabs the reader’s attention and encourages them to read on for more information about the opportunity.
During an interview, elevator pitches can also be used to talk about the company and the job. Recruiters and hiring managers should prepare an elevator pitch that best describes the company and position. Include information that makes the company and position appealing to employees. You will want the candidate to be drawn in by the job and the company’s culture at the end!
Why Me? What distinguishes you?
When writing your elevator pitch and telling your story, we talked about focusing on what sets you apart. Candidates constantly strive for this in their resumes, cover letters, and interviews. In general, you should keep this in mind whenever you approach a position for which you are recruiting throughout the entire process. Why would an individual want to work in this position? Why should a person want to work here? What advantages will working here provide that are unavailable elsewhere? Similar to how an applicant must demonstrate what sets them apart from other applicants, the job and the company must be sold.
