It’s no secret or surprise that filling job openings has been more difficult in the past few years. With the Talent shortage expected to contine, many businesses are still struggling. Here are three things to emphasize when trying to find talent for hard-to-fill jobs. (Ex: emphasize pay & benefits, offer flex scheduling when possible, offer concrete opportunities for growth.)

Finding a good applicant these days is as competitive as finding an affordable house: there’s a lot of interest in a limited supply. Just like it’s possible to find a great affordable home, it’s also possible to find talented employees who will be a great fit for your team. It just takes time, persistence, and being open to negotiating.

Here are three things to consider when trying to hire someone for an open position that’s been difficult to place:

• Be creative. The world has changed quite a bit in the past few years and potential employees have shifted their priorities a little. They’re not just looking for a paycheck; they want a good work-life balance and more flexibility in their schedules to accommodate their home lives and non-work priorities. Where possible, offer flexible schedules, with the ability to come in early or late to accommodate doctor appointments, children’s schedules, family obligations and even personal requests. If you can, meet them where they are when it comes to remote or hybrid working arrangements. Even if it’s not something that can happen all the time, hear the candidate’s requests out before making a decision and see where you can work together to find a compromise that strengthens your workforce.

• Be upfront with your benefits and salary package. If you want to attract candidates, one of the best things you can do is be honest about the pay scale and benefits package available to the successful candidate. List it in the job description. Some states now require employers to provide this information right away while others may not need or choose to disclose compensation until deep into the interview process. Deciding not to post that important information up front may dissuade some candidates from applying; others might be willing to go through the process and then feel frustrated if they had a number or range in mind only to learn you’re not on the same page. Being competitive is one thing; you have to wow your candidates into being excited to work at your company and feel that they’ll be earning a great wage at the same time. And be sure to spell out the full compensation package: PTO, sick time, personal time, 401(k) or other retirement savings eligibility and programs, health insurance, the ability to volunteer on company time to support a cause of their choice or other meaningful personal opportunities. (This will also help draw in future candidates, as people who are happy with their new company’s compensation package will tell their friends just as much as people who are unhappy with the hiring and interview process.) 

• Advertise pathways to advance. Many employees, especially in younger generations, want to know they’ll be able to grow with their job. They want to have opportunities to keep learning, to keep their skills sharp, to continue in their education. And if their employer is going to benefit from this additional educational effort and training, they want to be compensated for it. Or, better yet, they’re looking for employers to help them access that training and maybe help share the costs (or pay for all of it) for additional classes and certifications. There’s a lot of value in this: You pay the worker you already have to advance their skills and you get to reap the benefit of that training while they’re under your roof. You have less turnover from employees who are getting bored while also retaining engaged, enthusiastic workers who can share their knowledge with their coworkers. It’s a win-win!

While it may feel like an uphill climb on a slippery trail, it is possible to find talented, skilled and eager employees to fill open positions on your team that have been vacant for a while. Try one or all of these tips and see how the quality of your candidates improves, the number of applications increases and the interest in your jobs grows!

Of course, the most expensive resource in filling any position is time. If you’ve been searching for over a month for qualified talent, call Davis Staffing. Our recruiters know how to find temporary or permanent, full- or part-time employees who are eager and able to get to work right away. Call Davis Staffing today and let’s get to work!