It’s 2017 and unemployment rates have dropped significantly within the past ten years. While on the one hand, that’s great for those looking for work, it makes it that much harder to find really talented candidates when you’re on the hiring end. It’s a job seeker’s market out there, to some extent, so how do you bring in the best employees to your company, as well as finding candidates who have the skills you seek?
- The stats. As of December 2016, the unemployment rate for Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura was 4.8 percent, as per the Board of Labor Statistics, with California’s overall unemployment rate at 5.2. This is significantly down from the former CA rate of 11.0 from December 2011, slowly but steadily moving down over the past six years. With such a low unemployment rate, you may want to adjust your recruiting tactics to cover not only the unemployed but those not actively looking but who may want to do something new or different should a great opportunity arise. Consider how you can market yourself as such.
- Companies don’t offer what today’s employees want. As an example, the fact of the matter is that some families have gone back to a one-income household because so many employers don’t offer any sort of family-friendly work incentives, and those with children have chosen to have one parent stay at home rather than wrangle with little paid leave/sick leave and the exorbitant costs of child care. This goes beyond those with children as well; studies show that millennials (who will make up 20% of the workforce by 2019) value work-life balance over salary in a number of cases. So if you can offer a flexible schedule or some form of telecommuting, you can open yourself up to more talented candidates looking for a company that fits their needs. Consider other incentives that will appeal to potential employees as well.
- Companies still don’t use technology effectively. 89% of job seekers view a mobile device as key in job hunting, and most will also use a site such as Glassdoor to look at reviews of what others think of a company before making a decision. Make sure your website tells your story — branded content says you know who you are and that you want to connect with others. Make sure if you have an online application that it’s easily findable and user-friendly. And use technology to seek out candidates in new ways, offering online learning sessions or posting video of something your company has done. Connect on LinkedIn to groups potential candidates belong to. Get creative.
If you don’t want to do all of this by yourself, you should work with the staffing professionals at PrideStaff Thousand Oaks and Ventura County. We have the depth of expertise, both in our own staff and those we find for you, to help you find your next great hire.
