Six Tips When Recruiting in a Labour Shortage Context

How can I find the employees I need? How can I attract the best talent? Thousands of entrepreneurs like yourself are asking themselves the same questions.

Employers are under pressure because of the labour shortage. There are currently some 11,000 vacancies to be filled in Quebec according to Canadian Federation of Independent Business 2018 second quarter data.

In this context, you need to stand out from other employers and, now more than ever, you need to adopt recruiting best practices. Here are six key tips for a successful process.

1. Work on your employer brand

First, you need to position yourself as an employer of choice and project this image in the community. The more you’re talked about, the more candidate attention you’ll garner.

We suggest having an efficient social media presence. You can post job offers, of course, but remember to publish interesting articles on a regular basis, showcase your successes and the development opportunities you offer, talk about social events you are involved in and the organizations you support, etc.

Here are the main aspects you should pay special attention to:

Your current and former employees are your best ambassadors to promote your employer brand. Make sure you maintain excellent relationships with them (to stay in touch with former employees, hold a “former employee day” each year for example).

We recommend an exit interview with employees who are leaving. This will help you pinpoint areas that may need adjustments. This is also a good opportunity to express your recognition for their work.

2. Be in enticement mode

In the current context, it’s no longer a case of candidates selling themselves, you have to entice them.

How you greet the candidate for the first meeting will be key. The meeting should be more of a discussion than an interview and take place in a relaxed atmosphere. Take the time to talk about the entity, its culture and how it works, so the candidate will feel that you have a dynamic organization.

Today’s candidates are looking for challenges. You have to prove that what you offer is up to their expectations. However, be open and transparent: don’t make promises you can’t keep. If your organization is facing certain challenges, it’s to your benefit to talk about them and how you plan to address them.

3. Be flexible

Don’t consider that all of your selection criteria are set in stone. Instead, consider assessing candidates who stand out for their development potential and ability to integrate well in your organization’s culture.

4. Act quickly

Candidates looking for jobs often have several offers. If you find that a candidate seems promising, make an offer quickly or you run the risk of losing the person to another organization. Generally, make sure your recruiting process is as flexible and fast as possible.

5. Develop resources internally

As an employer of choice, you must have a solid competency development and succession planning program. The ideal candidate to fill a key position may already be working for you!

Most employees are looking for opportunities to progress. You should support them, offer training, coaching and mentoring. Target employees who seem the most apt to be promoted to strategic positions so you can give them the necessary development support.

6. Get help

That said, finding the real gem is no easy task. We recommend that you call on human resource and recruiting specialists, like those at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton. We offer a full range of human resource services. We can help you position yourself as a particularly appealing employer and find candidates who will fit in perfectly in your organization.