Unemployment rates skyrocketed past 14% in the United States as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the United States earlier in the year. Now, several months later, businesses are beginning to reopen, creating more job opportunities for those left without work. With more people looking to reenter the workforce, a hiring surge is going to occur. As an employer, you need to have a proactive plan in place to prepare for the influx of applications you’re likely to see.
Focus in on your specific needs
Because you’re potentially going to see more interest than ever, you want to be specific in deciding what skills and experience you want for a position. After you’ve created your initial list, think through more personal attributes, like how they will fit into your culture. This tiered approach can help you narrow down the candidates you’re looking for, so as you process applications, you can be more discerning in selecting the right people.
Write detailed job descriptions
Once you know your specific needs, you can take the information and put it into a thorough job description. The more information you include related to the kind of employee you desire, the better your chances of attracting viable candidates. Keeping the information vague can cast a wider net, which during a hiring surge can result in a huge amount of interest, most of which may not even apply to your needs.
Design a new interview process
Depending on the results from your screening of applicants, you may find more interviews to schedule than ever. Before you even consider new hires, decide how you want to interview process to go. Usually, this can be the most time-consuming step in the hiring process, so you don’t want to be held up further with a larger candidate pool. Consider using software that allows candidates to select their times and then set cut-offs, so you have round one done in a timely manner, allowing you to move to round two.
Partner with a staffing agency
If you want to bypass the hiring surge, let recruiters do the work for you. Staffing agencies are already sourcing candidates and matching them to the right opportunities, meaning they navigate the surge, so you don’t have to. Through a partnership, they will learn more about the candidate you’re looking for, vet them, and provide them ready for final consideration from you.
In the Knoxville, Tennessee area, you can trust Gem Care to provide customized solutions for your business. We can find the candidates with tough-to-find skillsets and provide you with contract, contract-to-hire, and direct placement staffing. When they need people they can count on, employers in Knoxville trust Gem Care. Contact us today to learn why you can trust us, too!
