As Seen in LocalBiz Magazine

Covid has resulted in long-term unemployment rates we haven’t seen since 2014. It’s also forced workers to reevaluate their priorities when it comes to work. For forward-thinking employers, this is an ideal time to attract great talent for your organization.

Here are four creative ways to do so:

Prioritize soft skills.

When conceptualizing your ideal candidate, think beyond those that check all of your experience boxes. Most jobs can be taught; many soft skills, however, can’t. Look for people who get things done and are winners for their organizations. This should be clear from their resumes. You also can tailor your interview to focus on behavior-based questions. One question we recommend is, “Tell me about a time you made a mistake. What did you do to correct it?”

Know the what and why behind the need. 

It’s easy to type out a list of tasks and duties to post on a job board. This leads to bloated job descriptions with expendable tasks and actions. And, you’re likely going to miss out on great talent that way. A recent HBR study found that women typically only apply for a job when they meet 100 percent of the criteria. Men apply when they meet 60 percent. Instead, think about what the person who takes the job ultimately needs to accomplish, and then begin thinking about the critical tasks needed to meet those needs and let that formulate your job posting.

Don’t let the pandemic keep you from interviewing and doing your due diligence.

One of the many benefits of technology in today’s environment is that you can still conduct thorough interviews remotely. Leverage video teleconferencing capabilities for interviews to limit in-person interactions while also checking your candidates’ comfort level with technology and interacting virtually. This is a great way to see how they’ll handle interactions in today’s normal. 

Once you’ve identified your top candidate, don’t skip your usual due diligence. We highly recommend calling all references. While you may expect references to provide, well, great references, you can usually learn some valuable information about your prospective hire by asking open-ended questions. One of our favorites is “tell me about this person.”

Craft a competitive compensation package that’s not just focused on salary.

Workers are more focused than ever on the overall benefits and compensation package they’re offered. Three out of four job seekers surveyed by Fractl, for example, said they would consider taking less money for more flexible hours or more vacation time. In a recent Forbes survey, 82 percent of workers said they liked working from home, so telecommuting should also be something you consider including if it makes sense for the position and your organization.