This year the employment news has been widely positive with government, surveys and business leaders all indicating a broad upswing in staffing plans from here on. If the June REC survey is correct, '60 per cent of companies are now looking to increase headcount'. So where on earth are these candidates going to come from? Asks Clive Jefferys, JMA Network.
The UK employed workforce is already the biggest ever at 30 million and the only immediate gain to be had is part-timers increasing their hours. This will mostly benefit lower skilled positions in the broad economy, but it's not much use to us in telecoms!
Well I've seen this before in the early 90s and the consequence is a salary war. Last time around salaries increased by 45 per cent over a five year period! So to win the best people the obvious option telecoms employers have is to outbid their competitors. I don't say this gleefully. While it will improve agency fee cash pro rata, the real cost will be ever more intense, frustrating, often fruitless negotiation as companies gazump each other left, right and centre.
So this is not a game for greenhorns. Your best recruitment partner is someone who is well connected to find people and has the maturity to secure the offer in a lasting way. It's no good using hard closing techniques. If the job offer isn't presented properly it will come unstuck later on.
Fast-talking sales bullies never prosper for long.
The top candidates are only going to leave a secure job if you are able to meet their buying criteria and improve their lot. However it's never ALL about money. If the candidate's best offers are financially similar, the deciding factors will be how the company targets its products, working conditions, the people and management style.
Smart hirers aren't afraid to woo their candidates quickly.
So with the summer slowdown here already, it's time to start thinking about your recruitment plans for September and beyond. If you already have empty chairs, recruitment is only going to get a lot tougher for you unless you change how you do it!