5 Top Tips for Recruiting in a Candidate-Driven Market

We all know that the recruitment industry today is a candidate-driven market. Ireland’s workforce is more qualified today than it has ever been before. It is estimated that 56.2% of adults aged 15-39 possess a third level qualification (CSO 2016), and level six, seven, and eight courses have never been more accessible. Consequently, candidates often have several offers to choose from because their skills are in demand nationwide. So, how can you work with this?

The experience a candidate receives, at every stage of the recruitment journey, will influence the decision they make. Providing a positive candidate experience will increase the likelihood of your preferred candidate accepting a job offer with your organisation over that of a competitor.

Here are some tips for recruiting in a candidate-driven market:

Ensure the candidate has all the relevant information. You must ensure that you tell them everything about the position, benefits, contract duration and company in advance of the interview. This will avoid confusion when it comes to offer stage and above all minimise the risk of a candidate accepting a counteroffer.
Clear interview process timelines. In a candidate-driven market, it is not uncommon for an active jobseeker to have many interviews lined up in the space of a week or even in one day. Therefore, you need to set clear interview timelines and expectations. For example, if there will be two face-to-face interviews and a psychometric assessment you must make this clear, as well as when the candidate can expect an update, decision or offer. In other words, make sure the candidate knows what is happening, and when.
Provide feedback. It is critical to ensure that you deliver prompt feedback after an interview. In a candidate-driven market, speed is essential, and potential employers need to move fast to ensure that they hire their star candidate before another organisation does so. In addition, an unsuccessful candidate will appreciate feedback, too.
Be Competitive in the market. Your company should be seen and marketed as a ‘Top Employer’ in the region. Ensure the package, benefits and career progression is portrayed and in line with what similar companies offer. Visit our latest Salary Guide for guidelines and to check if you are competitive enough to attract that purple squirrel!
Promote the values of the organisation and give potential employees a reason to want to work in your team!
Employee testimonials and short video clips are a great way to promote a positive culture and a great place to work. People love to see and hear from other people, or in other words ‘get
social proof‘. Naturally, people respond better to people who are like them than they do to brands. This information may make all the difference for a candidate and encourage them to accept a role if they have a few job offers on the table.

In conclusion, the candidate-driven market that we work in today puts us under pressure to deliver, rather than the jobseeker. As we search for our ideal team member, candidates have the luxury of interviewing with several organisations before choosing their favourite. Speed, efficiency, clarity and feedback are all vital for you to become an ‘employer of choice’. In addition, you must be aware of any flaws that your recruitment process may have in order to fix them.

If you are struggling to recruit in the candidate-driven market we work in today, contact your local Collins McNicholas office to learn how we can help you.

Nicola Egan is a Principal Recruitment Consultant and Team Lead with Collins McNicholas Recruitment & HR Services Group Athlone. You can contact her by phone or email, or view a range of her open roles here.