What Candidates Are Looking for When Job Hunting in the New Year

Job seekers are expecting a lot from employers in the coming year. You need to begin preparations now, so you offer what candidates are looking for. If not, they will turn to your competition for jobs instead.

Make sure you offer these key things for job seekers in 2022.

Diversity and Inclusion

Job seekers want to work for companies that prioritize hiring and honoring people with different backgrounds and abilities. It is important that candidates see themselves represented within an organization before they decide to apply. They also want to know that their unique talents and strengths will be celebrated and rewarded. If this is not the case, applicants will look elsewhere to find a workplace that values feeling like an important part of the team.

Transparency

Candidates want to see that management and leadership make business decisions in line with the company mission. Applicants want to understand why a company is hiring for a new role, expanding to a new location, or acquiring another business. Because job seekers desire to work for an organization whose vision and values are similar to theirs, candidates want to understand the direction the company is going in. Transparency builds trust, which contributes to high performance. If applicants feel they are not being given enough information about an organization, they will look elsewhere for employment.

A Top Candidate Experience

Job seekers expect ongoing communication throughout the recruitment process. They need to know that their application was received, where they are at in the process, and what the next steps are. Applicants also appreciate guidelines as to what to expect and when they should hear from you by. Otherwise, your star applicants are likely to apply with companies that provide a better candidate experience.

Opportunities for Advancement

Applicants want the ability to move up within an organization. Because career growth is so important, candidates need to work with managers who support their upward mobility. This includes offering training, coaching, mentoring, stretch assignments, cross-training, and other ways to add to skill sets. If you do not clarify career paths within your organization, job seekers will apply with other companies.

Begin Planning Your Accounting and Finance Staffing Needs

Job seekers place a high value on issues like transparency and diversity, and inclusion. They also want a top candidate experience and opportunities for advancement. Providing what applicants desire can mean the difference between hiring the best talent or settling for less.

When planning for your upcoming accounting and finance staffing needs, be sure to include Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. We have vetted professionals ready to help your business move forward in 2022.

You Can Find Talent, but How Can You RECRUIT Them to Make the Move?

The internet and social media have made it easier than ever to recruit talent and network with potential candidates. However, you need to make an effort to sell the job effectively in order to attract and retain the right candidates. Getting the candidate interested and on the phone or in the office for an interview is an important first step, but you also need to make sure the candidate is truly interested in the position and has good interpersonal skills to handle the job. After that, you will need to position the company appropriately and share important information to keep the candidate interested.

Here are some important things to consider with your recruiting efforts.

Hiring During a Good Economy

When unemployment rates are low, it can be difficult to find people who are actively looking for a new job. Even if you have plenty of great positions to fill, there’s a chance that there just isn’t enough talent readily available to apply and fill those positions. Hiring during good economic times means you will need to be more proactive and creative with your recruitment efforts. You may also need to raise the bar on your offerings and attract high-quality candidates with higher-than-average salaries and benefits packages.

Identifying What Your HR Department Does Well

If your recruiting efforts aren’t paying off or you just aren’t able to tap into a large enough candidate pool, it may be time to review your hiring process. Take some time to identify what your HR department does well, and where it may be lacking. Consider which recruitment efforts are paying off and which ones are not attracting enough candidates. Whether it’s your social media and online job posting activities, or your efforts to attend career fairs and networking events, make sure you have a clear idea of what is working and what isn’t, so you can recruit higher-quality candidates consistently.

Learn From New Hires

If you have managed to recruit and retain a good group of new hires, consider sending out surveys about their experience, so you can figure out what you did right. Sometimes the best way to learn about your effectiveness with various hiring initiatives involves going straight to the source. Consider asking them what part of the selling process made them come to your company and what made them stay. Was it the way a job was presented? Was it how the hiring manager explained the role and followed up? Take the time to learn what worked — and what didn’t — from some of your best candidates.

Finding top talent can be a challenge, but there are several things you can do to improve your recruitment process and ensure qualified candidates make the move to secure the position. If you need help finding and retaining the right talent, let Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a top financial staffing firm in Chicago help! Call us today for more information.

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