Recruiting Talented People During a Recession
Company layoffs mean recession is an extra gloomy time for recruiters and HR professionals, but it can also be an opportunity. Talented employees previously locked away in other companies, perhaps your competitors, may get laid off and become available on the job market.
Laying off Good People
You could argue that companies keep their best staff and lay off those who are not performing so well – people you wouldn’t want to hire – but that’s naïve. It assumes the decision makers know who their best employees are and where value is added in the company. Sometimes placating the bean counters means laying off high-earning employees or reducing the headcount of a department, regardless of the value those people add to the company. Slimming down R&D may be easier than trimming operations, but the company could be losing talent and harming future innovation.
A round of layoffs may give an opportunity to lose incompetent staffers, but it’s likely some talent will go as well. If you are hiring, it’s an excellent opportunity to pick up talented individuals with real world experience.
Finding the Gems
Most people who have been laid off will be trying hard to get their next job. Companies may be receiving lots of speculative applications and submissions to resume databases on the large job sites are likely to increase. Networking in to a new job is a good idea for those with friends in the industry.
So how do you find talented people to recruit? I suggest looking for niche job boards and online communities they are likely to use. Unlike the large job sites which cover all industries, niche job boards are usually focused on a specific skillset or occupation. This is particularly true in technical fields, but niche job boards can be useful for any occupation as long as they target a narrow enough skillset or geographical area.
Applicants from niche job boards are typically higher quality candidates and better qualified for the position. On large job sites, candidates may be tempted to apply for jobs they see, even if they are not really suited. On niche job sites, candidates have already opted-in by finding the relevant job board, showing a genuine interest in jobs in that field.
Companies and recruiters who advertise on niche job boards have also made the effort to find the best venue for their job ads. They may also have demonstrated an understanding of the skills they require which helps candidates to have confidence in them as an employer.
Can’t find a Niche Job Board?
If you can’t find a good job board that serves the niche in which you are interested, that sounds like an opportunity. You can start your own job board using Easy Job Boards: easy to use and has a 14-day free trial so you can give it good checking over. The job board service also provides an easy way for companies and recruiters to list jobs on a website of their own.
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