Is Hiring Actually Getting Harder?

Over the last decade, recruiters have found it increasingly challenging to find the right people to fill job openings with a number of factors are at play. Candidate skills in high growth industries such as health care, information technology, and construction are becoming scarcer. The unemployment rate in Canada and the US is extremely low, which means fewer available candidates. But this is only scratching the surface of the present-day recruitment conundrum.

Why does it seem difficult to hire good people?

According to an article in USA Today, the low unemployment rate is also influenced by the 62.7% of Americans who are no longer looking for jobs. This labor force participation rate has been falling for a while due to the millions of Baby Boomers retiring each year. Another factor to consider is the increasing rate of adults who have limited themselves to career opportunities due to the opioid crisis that has hit America hard.

In the post-recession economy, things have been slow to recover in many industries and those who lost their jobs then moved on to other occupations, leaving gaps in the talent pool. The rise of artificial intelligence and robotics across all industries will demand more skills and eliminate others. Even with the rate that the educational system is preparing workers for future jobs, recruiters find themselves in a kind of “limbo” where candidates have the upper hand and they must use new methods to source and hire.

What’s the hiring landscape’s role?

Recruiters must find more creative ways to source talent, and this includes tapping into the large amount of passive talent that’s out there.

In order to attract talent, many employers have increased incentives (like sign-on bonuses, unlimited paid time off, and flexible or reduced work weeks). Recruiters should work closely with human resource leadership to determine what perks are in demand by their workforce and increase the marketing around this.

Instead of focusing on job longevity, recruiters must think about the changes that are occurring as a result of new technology. Skills are changing rapidly to keep up and many jobs will become obsolete in the next few years. Soft skills and the love of learning are becoming more valuable because they are adaptable to a new world of work.

How ATS’s help solve recruitment problems

Fortunately, recruitment technology has taken centre stage on improving recruitment practices and processes. Recruitment and applicant tracking systems like Njoyn, help solve these issues mentioned above by efficiently managing the hiring process by streamlining and automating a three-step approach: Hiring Management, Pre-Screening Surveys, and Online Approvals. It’s ease of use, customizability, and flexible recruiting features help ensure the hiring and interview processes you have in place are smooth and enjoyable for everyone involved. In addition to this, our partnerships with organizations like The McQuaig Institute help ensure you have all the recruiting tools needed to hire the best candidates.

To read the full blog visit: https://blog.mcquaig.com/is-hiring-getting-harder.