In June 2022, unemployment dropped to 2% in the state of Minnesota down from 2.5% in March. This is the lowest level reported since the State started to collect data in 1976. The MN Department of Economic Development cites an increase in labor force participation, up to 68.3% from 68.1% month to month, as a reason for the decline in unemployment.
Employment is not equally divided amongst ethnicities. For example, in April 2022, the unemployment rate among white people was 2.8%, while for Black people it was 6.7%, and 4.5% for Hispanic people, according to DEED. Under a tight labor market, what can a hiring manager do to find the talent that you need to fill your key vacancies?
1. Employee Referral
This is a straightforward option. When a current employee recommends a candidate to apply, they will get some incentive for the referral if the referral is successful. These incentives can include but not limited to cash, PTO day, company swag, or other items. It is a good practice that the referral bonus is not given until the recruit starts employment and completes a set amount of time.
2. Be open to Remote Work Arrangements
The candidate pool is becoming more and more competitive. So the employer would benefit from providing creative work solutions that are right for the company as well as the employees. Remote work may be right for some situations or a hybrid model being a few days in the office and a few days at home. Either way, it is being creative to make your company attractive to potential recruits.
3. Remove unconscious Biases
This is hard to do. I say this because you do not know you are doing it. To address this, a good practice is to invite a non-interested yet trusted person to sit on the selection committee. Especially, someone who understands the role and is different than yourself. For instance, if you are a male you may want to invite a female to sit for the interview. Or find someone that is in a different field. For example, ask someone who is former military or someone that is known to be affiliated with a local athletic organization as a coach, who works for you and would bring insight and see things differently than you do.
4. Ask better questions
Take time to prepare for an interview. Do not go to google and type in example interview questions and simply use those. We should think about what type of position we must fill, then focus those interview questions on this area and try to tease out details as to their personality. Most hiring managers are seeking someone that is a good fit for the organization and team. If the employee makes it to the interview, you have likely determined that they meet the minimum criteria to interview for the job. The interview then becomes an opportunity to make sure that they are a good fit for you and the organization.
5. Hire quality
Depending on your staff turnover and the type of position you need to fill, take the time you need. It is much more effective to take your time and conduct multiple interviews than to hire someone to quickly learn that they are not a good fit for the organization or your team.
6. Integrity and honesty in the job description
This is important, you want the employee to know what they are getting into. There is nothing worse than a new employee being surprised that they are not doing the job that they applied for. The hiring manager needs to be clear and concise as to the duties of the job.
7. Focus your marketing dollars
Most employers must work at getting applicants to apply. With this very tight market, you must be smart about where you put your marketing dollars. A well-placed ad in an industry-specific journal, online job posting site or even hiring a recruiter to aid you are ways to secure applicants. The “shotgun” approach and putting your ad in the big papers nowadays may not yield the targeted approach that is needed for today’s market. When selecting your marketing campaign tools, think about where the candidate may be looking. Put yourself in their seat and try to view it from their perspective.
As you consider options and techniques, the tips list can help. In the end, it often time ends up being a bit of luck and a local connection that brings in the best candidate. Looking within your organization is a great place to start. There are many tips out there.
