Top 10 Ways to Refuel & Re-energize Your Talent Acquisition Strategy

I’ve been asked several times over the last few weeks what I think the job outlook will be when we head back to work. Boy, do I wish I had a crystal ball!

It’s no secret that the job market looks vastly different than it did before, making it challenging to predict what will happen in the short- and long-term future. As a Talent Acquisition expert with nearly 20 years of experience, I know one thing: Now is the time to refuel and re-energize your talent strategy. It’s time to prepare for when the job market and economy recover.

Here is a top ten list of what you can do now:

1. Test your online application process. Go through the process of applying for an open position and ask yourself: Was it candidate-friendly? How long did it take? Was it cumbersome? Did you receive an automated response?
2. Evaluate your Applicant Tracking System (ATS). If you use an ATS, is it prepared to accept an influx in applicants? How are your workflows performing? How does it integrate with other technology solutions you use? If you don’t use an ATS, should you?
3. Don’t forget about your passive candidates. How are you staying in touch with your candidates today, even if you paused hiring? Engagement is essential if you want to be ready to secure the best-of-the-best.
4. Create or update your interview training. Put together a short “how-to” video host a virtual training session about how to conduct a successful interview.
5. Develop a training plan for your recruiters. Reach out to your vendors, industry leaders, or even survey your recruiters and gather ideas for a training program. You can also search for training resources online.
6. Review your hiring process from beginning to end. What story are you sharing with candidates? How many and what steps are involved? Are there opportunities to improve the offer- and post-offer process? Please don’t shy away from asking a few hiring managers for their thoughts, too.
7. Get a real feel for your candidate experience. Send a survey to your most recent hires to collect feedback about their experience. Would they refer a friend to the company? On a scale of 1 – 10, how would they rate their level of engagement? Do they understand the company’s vision, mission, and values?
8. Review your employment brand. What does it say about your organization? Does it tell a story? How are you using social media? Does your employment brand align with your diversity strategy?
9. Reevaluate your talent strategy in its entirety. Look at everything from workforce & succession planning, early talent programs, internal recruiting practices, etc. What needs to be adjusted based on the pandemic?
10. Spend time thinking about your data. What metrics have you been tracking and reporting? Does it make sense to continue reporting on those numbers? What other data should you assess?

The job market will undoubtedly look different in the latter part of 2020 than today, and those organizations that prepare accordingly will continue to stand out as an employer of choice. What will you do you’re ready for an economic and hiring boom?