In the employment search, it can often seem like the job seeker is the one who needs to be ready to impress. The reality is, prospective employees and employers alike need to bring their a-game. In today’s market with a historic low unemployment rate of 2.3 percent, job seekers have the upper hand. They have plenty of job opportunities available to them, and businesses need to find new ways to set themselves apart.
It all starts with a strong job posting; try our five tips on the Chamber’s job board to find the right candidates for your business.
Be clear on timelines. Share the opening and closing dates of the application process. Remember that often candidates are working a full-time job and have to squeeze this into their busy lives. If you plan to interview candidates as you receive applications, let them know that you will be doing rolling interviews so that you don’t miss out on a quality candidate who will wait until the last few days to put in an application.
Differentiate between preferred and required. For example, experience in a particular software system is a good item you prefer in a candidate because it’s something that can be taught; security clearance is a good example of a required item. One required item that is often overused is requiring that an employee is able to lift XYZ pounds. When we require someone to be able to lift a particular weight you can inadvertently disqualify individuals who may have some physical limitations, but are entirely capable of excelling in the position with little or no accommodations.
List your salary range. How often have you applied to a job, gotten excited as you interview only to realize it wasn’t the pay you were expecting? Listing your salary range creates transparency and builds trust, but also helps interested applicants know if they can actually afford to take the job. Keep the range realistic, not something like $30,000-$70,000 depending on experience. With a range that large and “depending on experience,” it doesn’t help someone get a clear idea of what they could expect to take home.
Be authentic. Make your company description something real and tangible. You want to be authentic. There is nothing worse as a new employee than getting the job only to find out it was nothing like they described in the interview. Talk about your culture, your values, your team and who this person will be reporting to. This gives them a clearer sense of whether it is an environment they would thrive in. Be true to your brand so that they know if they’ll find a home there.
Stop requiring a degree. When it gets down to it, there are very few positions that someone truly needs a degree to be successful. So many incredible candidates have learned skills on the job and can bring tremendous talent to your organization. When someone has learned their skills on the job they tend to be fast learners, resourceful and eager. Bring them in and let them demonstrate in an interview how they are capable instead of you making the decision for them.
Did you know the Denver Opportunity Youth Initiative (DOYI) is finding different career pathways for youth? Learn more about their initiative and check out LinkedIn and DOYI’s tips for hiring an opportunity youth.
Leah Parsons is the director of Human Resources for the Denver Metro Chamber.