Employers advised to quicken the pace

Employers advised to quicken the pace

Vacancy activity is rising and the first signs of skills shortages have emerged. In such a market, employers that have not started to quicken their recruiting process have been the first to miss out on the best quality candidates, says recruiting experts Hays.

“There may have been a strong flow of candidates at the start of 2009 which allowed employers to take their time, but 12 months on the market is verging on candidate tight, especially in some sectors,” says Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand.

“Vacancy activity is expected to rise in the first two quarters of the year. But given the tumultuous past 12 to 18 months, employers are often very selective in the candidates considered and so take much longer to make a decision and present an offer.

“The first instances of multiple offers have already taken place, so those businesses that do not act quickly - particularly when recruiting in areas that are candidate-tight - are starting to miss out on the best quality candidates.

“Employers can no longer expect a huge influx of quality candidates in response to roles that have rigid and lengthy criteria. But those that maintain realistic and flexible expectations about candidates, as well as those who consider transferrable skills, are able to fill their vacancies quickly, often in under a week, with proven candidates with stable work histories and good relevant experience. In most cases, such candidates are not available for long.

“To help secure high calibre candidates, employers can reduce the interview to offer timeframe, and if possible conduct comprehensive one-stage interviews,” said Jason.

Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

ENDS

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