In last month’s blog post, my colleagues Brett Wayne, Managing Director at Cypress HCM, Jeff Prekker, CEO at BioPhase Solutions, Kat Zorko, Director of Business Development at Sayva Solutions and Nicole Sutton, Founder at Nexus Search Group provided Insights and Tips For Job Seekers in 2017.
Here they offer their expertise on what companies can do to remain competitive and attract the best talent in 2017. And, as Brett articulates so perfectly, there’s a “war on talent”.
How does it look for companies wanting to hire in 2017?
Brett: We are in a “war for talent” and companies will face a lot of competition as they try to hire skilled employees. Building out an employer brand and having a great reputation is paramount.
Jeff: Challenging to find the exact ‘fit’ technically and culturally. A good all-round match is what potential co-workers deserve and want more than ever.
Kat: In terms of accounting and finance talent, the outlook is strong. Over the past couple years, job seekers have gained more confidence in the market and are more likely to make a move. San Diego remains a highly desired place to live which also attracts talent from other cities. In certain, more specialized fields, it can be hard to find local talent just given the limited number of large employers and the local industry focus.
Nicole: Competitive! Finding candidates with solid skills and experience will continue to be a challenge, particularly in bio-tech, real estate and the legal field.
What would your advice be to companies looking to build out
teams and fill open positions given the job seeker pool of 2017?
Brett: It starts with creating a culture where people want to work and treating your current employees right. With sites like Glassdoor becoming more prevalent, candidates are doing more research than ever before when applying/interviewing with prospective employers. It is very important to have an efficient hiring process. Candidates are in high demand and the longer, more tedious the hiring process, the less chance you have to land candidates. The longer the process draws out, the higher the chance for competing offers from other companies becomes a possibility. Also, if it takes more than one minute for somebody to apply to a job on your website that is a problem and you will lose prospective applicants.
Jeff: Use a focused contingent-based recruiter. Whether you use that recruiter for all candidates or to work alongside your current/internal searches, you will lessen the chances of missing the perfect match that way.
Kat: Be cognizant of your interview/hiring process. Top talent goes fast so the longer you take to make a decision and the more you put candidates through the ringer, the more likely it is you will lose them. Be engaged with job seekers and sell your brand. Job seekers are interested in not only the specifics of the job, but they are looking at the culture benefits, and overall experience as they evaluate a career move.
Nicole: Don’t hire on skill level alone. Get creative and hire candidates more based upon cultural fit and attitude. Skills can be taught but drive and willingness to learn cannot.
Thank you again to our interview contributors. See below for their contact information should you have additional questions or requirements.
Brett Wayne | Cypress
Office: (858) 429-4098
Cell: (805) 501-6521
Jeff Prekker | Biophase
Cell: 619-316-1457
Kat Zorko | Sayva Financial
Office: (858) 242-5676
Cell: (858) 500-2635
Nicole Sutton| Nexus Search Group
Office: (619) 354-2530 Ext. 702
Cell: (858) 336-7609