Why thinking differently helps attract diverse talent
Hiring practices date back to mediaeval times where positions were advertised through the local town crier. Job boards have taken the place of the trusty town crier and whilst there have been a great many improvements, today, new challenges have appeared.
Varied career pathways
We have all seen the statistics on the growing number of career changes. People are more likely to change industries or jobs as they focus on particular skills and motivations at different stages of their life. The ability to upskill is easier than ever, so education pathways also look different from 20 years ago. There’s also fast paced industries in which areas have become redundant, so people are forced into reinvention. This all results in more ‘non-linear’ career pathways that can be hard to decipher if simply reviewing a resume. Think about being less rigid in your ‘requirements’ to engage and open the opportunity up to more diverse talent applying.
Changing work/life balance requirements
Plenty of reassessment of work/life balance has occurred post Covid. Hybrid working environments became the norm and burnout forced many to reassess. Sadly, women were most exposed and many left jobs or took a step down to juggling life pressures. Work/life balance remains a huge motivator for talent, so the more open-minded and transparent you can be will be attractive. There are many highly skilled people looking for part time work or flexible working hours, so if you can offer this, be sure to showcase it to attract them. Also, think of the skills and motivation you will have the chance to tap into!
Culture fit is a huge motivator for talent
We all know culture fit matters, but like dating, we know it when we see it. It’s important to share all the great things about your business and your ways of working that will resonate with talent looking to connect with a brand. If you are a small business, you will have a different set of perks to a large business, but autonomy, growth, values and community matter to plenty of talent, so be sure to embrace these and showcase them. Talent need more than a list of job requirements to be inspired to apply, so be sure to pitch your business.
Costs & Time
The costs of hiring are creeping up BUT so are the costs of running a business. Herein lies the challenge, where you may not have the budget to get your job in front of the right people, or the time it now takes to manage the recruitment process. The initial stage of reviewing resumes is incredibly important to ensure you have the right people moving forward in the process, but it is draining on resources. L
Risk of the wrong hire
Yes, hiring the wrong person is costly, from both a financial and cultural point of view. Often this will occur after the onboarding process, but if left longer, the negative impact it can have on team morale is more devastating. A mixture of skill and cultural fit is important for success, however people often rely on assumptions and biases in the early days of sifting through resumes, which is dangerous.
All this doesn’t mean you need to throw in the towel for your current hiring methods BUT it does suggest trying something different may reap some pretty epic rewards for your business.
