Question of the Month

With such high unemployment, why can’t I find the talent my business needs?

David Lewis, president and CEO of OperationsInc, offers some suggestions.

Business owners are forever asking me how to find talented people, often complaining that there seems to be so many out there looking for work, yet so few who are attractive candidates.

My response? A little change in strategy could go a long way. Part of their plan needs to be about testing what prior experience is needed to do the job. Another part needs to be about how you go about finding prospective hires in the first place.

Here are some good ways to improve your chances for filling your openings with qualified people:

• If you are posting your jobs online, be sure your postings are well-written marketing documents that sell you, sell the job, and accurately and positively represent the opportunity you’re offering. So often businesses are putting up thoughtless and incomplete information, which can lead to lesser candidates applying.
• Take a close look at what skills are needed for the job versus just the experience you feel candidates need to have. For the jobs that are taking the longest to fill, consider a search that focuses on these skills rather than experience. Candidates hired for their experience are less likely to improve their skills, whereas candidates hired for their skills are far more easily trained.
• Ask your employees for help. Employee referrals are cited by the top companies in the U.S. as their number one source for new hires.

One popular definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Maybe it’s time to change things up? If so, the above steps are a great way to take a different, more strategic approach.

The Question of the Month is sponsored by Norwalk HR outsourcing and consulting firm OperationsInc.