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.
