Understanding job seekers? preferences and profiles is the first step to attract
top talent, concludes the 2014 Candidate Preferences Survey from ManpowerGroup
Solutions Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO).
The survey shows employers must tailor talent acquisition practices to the talent
they want to attract.
More than 200 active and passive U.S. job seekers representing a cross section
of ages, incomes, career levels and industries, were asked about their use of and
preferences for technology, social media and online platforms when researching and
interviewing for jobs. Study results show that the nature and frequency of employer-
candidate interactions should be driven by the type of talent employers wish to
attract.
Candidate-focused online content and customized experiences attract the right
talent.
In the first of the five-paper series based on the survey, ManpowerGroup
Solutions RPO recommends employers provide candidate-focused on-line content to
create a customised and candidate-friendly experience in order to attract and
engage the right talent. Employers must understand that while technology and social
media can reinforce their brand and enhance their reach, technology cannot replace
the impact of human interactions.
Jim McCoy, vice president ManpowerGroup Solutions and NA RPO practice lead
explains, "Even as technology - and the awareness of new tools - continues to
rapidly advance, the tried, but true methods of in-person and phone interviews, and
more frequent, personalised interactions with hiring managers or recruiters remain the
clear preference of job seekers across generations. Organisations should evaluate
their talent acquisition strategy and customise job seekers? experiences based on
their preferences.'
Lyndy van den Barselaar, managing director of Manpower South Africa notes the
relevance of this survey and its findings in a South African context. "With the ever
widening skills gap present in South Africa, employers and recruiters need to ensure
they are taking all measures possible to attract the right kind of talent according to
their preferences, in order to ensure the best possible result for both employer and
employee.'
"Having the right practices in place in this regard can assist in increasing
employment in the country, as well as result in higher levels of job satisfaction,
owing to candidates being placed in positions that are well suited to their skills set
and personality.'
McCoy explains that the impact that high-touch - or human contact - has on a
candidate?s recruiting experience cannot be overstated. "A negative experience with
a hiring manager or a recruiter may result in the right candidate rejecting a job
offer,' he says.
The content and functionality of employers? websites and career sites matter.
Since 9 in 10 candidates use them as primary sources of information about
employers, making them relevant, compelling and user-friendly should be a priority of
employers.
"By maximizing their presence on, and engagement with carefully selected social
media, employers can attract and engage the right candidates faster and more
efficiently,' says McCoy, and van den Barselaar shares his sentiment.
"Employers need to ensure that they are up-to-date with the latest
technological trends and advancements, in order to remain relevant to the market of
up-and-coming employees,' she highlights.
Key Candidate Preferences Survey findings:
Following are some of the key findings about candidate preferences:
and#61623; 86% explore employers? websites when researching positions online
and#61623; 36% report employers? websites and career sites lack clear and relevant
information
and#61623; 52% use search engine results, and 45% use peer recommendations to gather
information about prospective employers and positions
and#61623; Indeed, CareerBuilder and Monster top the list of most frequently used online job
sites
and#61623; 30% use social media to get more information about open positions or employers;
of these, more than 70% use Facebook, 43% each use Google+ or LinkedIn
and#61623; 72% prefer traditional, in-person interviews; 15% choose telephone
interviews
One-size-fits-all approach to engaging prospective employees doesn?t work.
As the talent shortage continues, human resources leaders are challenged to
ensure sustainable talent pipelines for their organizations. A one-size-fits-all
approach to engaging prospective employees does not work. Employers must
evaluate their talent acquisition strategy and customise job seekers? experiences
based on the talent they want to hire. Only when employers consider the total value
of candidate-centered experiences, will they be able to efficiently and effectively
attract and acquire top talent to achieve their business objectives.
