According to the Wall Street Journal, job postings for recruiters have almost doubled since the beginning of the year, and there still aren’t enough of them. It makes sense: the current labor shortage is creating a ripple effect. As organizations struggle to fill open roles from top-level executives to entry-level workers, they also battle to fill the recruiting positions within their own companies.
Why is it hard to find recruiters?
One of the main reasons there is a lack of recruiters is the fact that companies are looking to fill open recruiter positions quickly. This quick time-to-hire means more companies are looking to candidates with recruiting experience since it generally means less training and is faster to bring them up to speed. As a result, companies are competing for the same talent pool.
What can organizations do to fill recruiter positions?
The lack of recruiters is a tough problem to solve, especially since the workforce is not growing. With the fertility rate dropping and baby boomers retiring in droves, the labor shortage might worsen. Companies will need to get creative to fill their recruiter roles. Here are a few ideas:
Take advantage of high interest in career-changing.
People with expertise in their field can be good at recruiting talent for their chosen industry. Since they know what is required to be successful, they might be good at identifying those skills and traits in others. Many workers looking for a post-pandemic career change might find they already have some of the necessary skills to be a good recruiter.
Develop from within.
Workers may have learned the soft skills needed to be a successful recruiter in other professions. For example, someone with sales experience is likely a good communicator, persistent, and organized. Those skills translate well to the world of recruiting. Sometimes the talent you need might be right in front of you. Consider shifting top-performing employees into similar yet different roles within the company to develop the talent you require.
Consider automation.
Sometimes hiring more people isn’t the only answer. Many companies are rethinking the recruitment process and using technology to automate repetitive tasks. Automating busy work can give recruiters more time for the “people-centered” tasks they enjoy, creating more job satisfaction.
Leverage the gig economy.
If full-time recruiters are challenging to find, consider filling recruiting roles with part-time or contract workers looking for a “side hustle.”
Work with a staffing company.
There’s no doubt it can be difficult to find the help you need in the current market, especially in the highly specialized tech industry. Working with a staffing firm can give you access to top recruiting talent when you need it. They often offer a range of services from contract, contract-to-hire, and direct-hire, allowing a company to have flexible hiring options. A good rule of thumb is to always have a great partnership with a staffing agency, so if you need to, you can quickly enhance your internal talent acquisition strategy.
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