How to succeed in a competitive recruitment market
The number of candidates looking for work in Oxfordshire has increased following the dire staff shortages seen in some sectors in recent years. However, there is still work to be done to attract the best candidates as they get snapped up quickly and often have more than one job opportunity to choose from.
The picture varies significantly across sectors and roles, but in Oxfordshire, where competition for talented people is as strong as ever, most employers have to work hard to secure the most desirable applicants.
This means making sure that every aspect of the recruitment process is streamlined and provides job applicants with a positive experience.
A handy checklist
One of Oxfordshire’s longest-established and best known recruitment agencies, Allen Associates, has compiled a checklist to help employers improve their chances of making a successful hire.
- Work quickly
- Make sure the relevant decision-makers are available for first and second stage interviews to streamline the process and ideally, reduce the number of interviews.
- Conduct first stage interviews online, using video.
- Be decisive and shortlist candidates on the same day, if possible.
- Move on to second stage interviews (if you need them), promptly – ideally agreeing dates with all parties at the start of the process to avoid delays.
- Standardise interview questions to ensure all candidates receive the same experience; this also allows for more efficient assessments and speedier decisions.
- Make it easy for candidates
- Eliminate lengthy application forms and tests from your process.
- Be enthusiastic about your workplace culture
- Identify your key selling points and come up with a shared description of what it is like to work in your business or organisation.
- Make sure that everyone involved in the hiring process has been briefed so you can all talk enthusiastically about the benefits and features of working for your organisation.
- Be clear about the role and promote the benefits
- Talk knowledgeably and passionately about the role and team it relates to; be prepared to answer any questions; ideally involve the person the role reports to.
- Offer competitive pay, hybrid working and relevant benefits
- Be prepared to be flexible and open to various options, particularly when it comes to times and places of work.
- Benchmark salaries and make sure that what you’re offering is competitive for the role, industry sector and city or region you’re operating in.
- Review your benefits package to make sure it is as exciting and relevant as it can be to the candidates you would ideally like to target.
The team at Oxford-based Allen Associates prides itself on the quality of its ‘live’ candidate database. Their recruitment consultants interview permanent and temporary job candidates daily so employers can rest assured that every candidate they register has been personally assessed.
This approach gives Allen Associates an excellent insight into what each individual is looking for and the skills and attributes they have to offer, enabling them to match candidates with roles and employers very effectively.
If you’d like any advice or help with your next hire, please get in touch with Eleanor Bromage at [email protected]
