How Can Recruitment Agencies in Birmingham Stay Ahead of the Competition?
Recruitment agencies in Birmingham or all over the UK are expected to match clients to the best possible candidates. Sourcing talent is not easy, but the most successful recruitment agencies are those experienced in maximising the resources available to them. The most commonly used model for sales recruitment was first developed about 50 years ago. Despite its popularity, however, there are issues with the system.
The model, which is reactionary, can prove restrictive at times — even at times limiting growth where it is necessary. However, simply rebuilding or discarding it for a completely new model would be difficult given that the recruitment industry of today (as well as the many hundreds of tools designed to seek out candidates) has been built around it.
Lack of efficiency can also be a problem when you are drawing in only in the region of 10% of candidates who are suitably qualified. It's a huge waste of resources when you consider how much is spent attracting candidates who do not then have the required skills to take on the role.
In order for recruitment agencies in Birmingham, or indeed anywhere, to raise their levels of success, the process must become better streamlined. Recruiters can only make this happen by looking for ways to add value, such as increasing the focus on movement and becoming more targeted and agile.
The first step towards achieving this is to determine where the talent can be found. With the advent of social media and new methods of communication, recruitment in this area has undergone significant change. Most notably, the passive candidate has been introduced. However, the key is to focus not only on where talented candidates are, but also on which skills they have acquired in order to be there. Tools which identify new talent intelligence can provide this information. What's more, the data captured can also give an indication of where the talent will have progressed to in a year or two, enabling the companies using these resources to be at the very front of the line.
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) are often used by recruitment agencies in Birmingham. However, inefficient systems can result in lost talent. Older Applicant Tracking Systems will enable the company to reach out to a large candidate pool, but the greater numbers involve more sifting through for recruiters and a slower process all round. Instead, a balance must be struck — with a system that is selective enough to make the process faster, but not so selective that potential talent is eliminated too quickly. A good ATS will allow recruitment agencies to build a database of good-quality candidates, enabling them to match them with clients in a timely fashion.
Finally, something that recruitment agencies can overlook is their own work force. Revolutionising the process of recruitment should also be applied to internal talent. There is a very good chance that in-house efficiency can be improved. Putting members of the team under the microscope will give managers a clearer idea about individual strengths and weaknesses, which skills need development and in which areas within the operation each employee will work best given their expertise
Challenges For the Marketing Recruitment Sector
Positivity is at last returning to the Marketing Recruitment sector, which is a relief following the pessimism that clouded the industry over the course of the recession. The number of those in employment has risen, and research suggests economic recovery is likely to be ongoing. The Confederation for British Industry and other influential sources agree, noting that the improvement is not reliant solely on consumer spending, but is instead broad-based.
The marketing recruitment sector has undergone vast change in the last five to ten years. Many have switched to using smaller teams whilst demanding higher returns on investment. The pressure on candidates has increased significantly — they need to have multiple specialist skills and be entirely flexible. In turn, those responsible for hiring are on the look-out for candidates who match an almost impossible talent check list.
Budgetary pressure as a result of the recession and recovery period makes these changes unsurprising. Better results for less money is a common mantra for those companies still surviving after toughing it out for the last few years. However, alarm bells are ringing that the situation may be getting out of hand.
With tangible requirements becoming somewhat confused within job descriptors that resemble wish lists, marketing recruitment leaders must accept that finding someone who ticks every box is, in all probability, impossible. A specialist who is also a generalist and a strategist experienced in one sector but who also has industry-wide experience, on top of the ‘must-have’ skills in stakeholder management, is hard to find.
So what is the solution? A lateral approach to marketing recruitment may be the way forward. Sourcing the candidate with the ‘best fit’ and then training them to deliver all the tasks in hand to the highest standard seems the most sensible alternative to waiting for the perfect candidate to materialise.
Enlisting the services of recruitment specialists can make the process easier. For example, Midland recruitment agencies can assist businesses in the area to avoid unrealistic expectations. A focus on value added can reduce hiring stress. Candidates themselves will benefit from opportunities for career progression, as opposed to having to go into the position already in possession of a long list of skills.
Being sensible about marketing recruitment is important. Requiring new recruits to have a specific skill set and eliminating those who don’t could even mean missing out on so far undiscovered talent.
HR Jobs in Stratford Are Increasing in Number
As well as ensuring great integration, this tells internal and external stakeholders that the business has a tangible commitment to the development of future leaders within HR Jobs and to driving down long-term costs. It also sends a message to employees that performance is rewarded. However, achieving a balance between so called ‘home-grown’ leaders (who typically offer the benefit of having a deep knowledge of the company and have developed a cultural sensitivity as a result) and new fresh-thinking talent can be difficult. In a time when change is essential and organisations are facing the effects of leaner management structures, this issue is being brought right to the forefront of strategic planning.
Research suggests that emerging leaders who have had their talents recognised early on and have been guided up through the management levels of a particular company have a huge amount of potential within that organisation. However, they are unlikely to have developed the attributes offered by leaders who have worked ‘in the field’ developing their talents across a variety of industries and organisations. As such, businesses may need to bring in new leaders with the necessary skills to bring about change and maintain market position. HR recruitment agencies promoting HR jobs in Stratford and in other parts of the country have their work cut out sourcing leaders with a long list of necessary attributes. Similarly, candidates who have worked their way up through the ranks of a company may take the opportunity to increase their experience elsewhere. Therefore, organisations will be looking for ways to retain their 'home-grown' leaders at the same time.
What seems inevitable is that there will be significant movement over the coming years, which is perhaps good news for those looking for jobs in Stratford and elsewhere.
Brand Fatigue Is Proving a Problem for those in Marketing Recruitment
Momentum Worldwide recently released a report detailing the latest trends in consumer behaviour. Featured in Marketing Weekly, the results suggest that people living in countries with developed economies, and benefiting from long-term consumer spending power, have a diminished connection to brands when compared to those living in countries with emerging economies. In short, people are simply switching off as a result of sustained exposure.
Over 50 per cent of survey participants from the US, Japan and Britain were indifferent towards well-known brands. Prestigious global organisations are not inspiring the developed markets. And if this is proving a problem for the big brands, their smaller counterparts are sure to be feeling the effects tenfold.
According to The Body Shop’s Brand and Values Director in the UK, Sam Thomson, this brand fatigue is exacerbated when companies expect marketing campaigns designed for above-the-line to be simply copied and pasted into social media and other newly developed marketing channels. As the numbers of channels increase, consumers are becoming bored of seeing the same campaigns repeated over and over. Mr Thomson stresses the need to make sure that content at every level is relevant and in tune with both the lifestyle of consumers and the method of communication.
The implication of this for marketing recruitment is that organisations must bear in mind that new talent needs to be able to deliver content that is different. It must be personalised, customer-led and unique. Sourcing marketers who are willing and able to produce customised campaigns that also feature genuine sincerity is key to dealing with those markets where brand disillusionment is common.
While it is accepted that a unified approach is best for shaping the consumer experience, allowing them to use a smartphone in the same way as they would a desktop, a marketing campaign should be designed individually according to the channel through which it is being delivered. For this reason, employing a social media specialist to tailor campaigns around the appropriate media platform would be a valuable investment.
It is recognised that things happen more quickly within developed markets. The UK, for example, is ahead of emerging markets when it comes to products, trends and brand recognition. Generation Z (the latest Millennials) are especially likely to be disengaged, having grown up with access to vast amounts of information via the internet. People no longer feel they have to stick to one product or service, and brand loyalty is significantly harder to win.
Those looking to secure jobs in marketing should not be put off, however. They instead need to remember that one size most certainly does not fit all. Communicating to a range of demographics will require those with jobs in marketing to create messages that are engaging, authentic and consistently relevant — a concept echoed by Patrick Hourihan, Research Director for Yahoo.
Is Video Interviewing the Way Forward When Recruiting for Jobs in Coventry?
The recruitment world has experienced many changes over the last decade. There have been huge advances in technologies and a range of new techniques introduced to make the recruitment process more efficient.
Video interviewing, particularly a strength-based approach, is one method that is being used more and more frequently. The popularity of video interviewing is hardly surprising given the frustrations that can be experienced through more traditional telephone or face-to-face methods. Non-attendance, the cost of travel and poor phone connections are issues most recruiters are all too familiar with.
Many multinational companies have begun using the strength-based video approach when conducting interviews. However, this method is suitable for all types of businesses, from SMEs to larger brands.
The approach allows recruiters to identify the candidate’s motivations and what they are passionate about — not simply what they are able to do. The quality of those selected is therefore increased, allowing for elimination of less suitable applicants earlier on in the recruitment process. Body language and subtle visual pointers that cannot be assessed during telephone interviews are also a valuable addition.
Video interviews allow for greater flexibility and a wider scope. They allow agencies to recruit from outside of the area, increasing the talent pool available. For example, a Midland recruitment company can conduct interviews for jobs in Coventry with interviewees all over the UK. And those looking for jobs in Coventry don't necessarily need be in the area to apply.
And the list of benefits goes on: more efficiency, reduced costs and better decision making when it comes down to candidate selection. What's more, feedback regarding the strength-based video interview approach tends to be good, which impacts positively on the reputation of the organisation doing the hiring.
Why Recruitment for HR Jobs Requires an Integrated Approach
The fact is that unless companies first have access to the right kind of talent, they are on a road to nowhere. For this reason, it is essential that they refocus their strategic efforts on to recruitment.
In today’s fast-paced, technologically advanced business environment, getting ahead depends very much upon being able to attract the best employees. The big question is: how can companies do this? There are a number of challenges, not least of which is to ensure all stakeholders, such as the HR and recruitment teams, are aligned and working towards the same goal.
Recruiters must first develop a strong understanding of who their potential candidates are and what they are looking for in the jobs market. How do they prioritise their needs and expectations? Creating a job package that goes beyond anything the competition is offering, not just in terms of salary, but also flexibility, location and other benefits, is absolutely vital for those businesses looking to draw in the most talented people.
Integration of talent management is certainly not a new concept. However, HR recruitment still has a long way to come before it reaches an ideal level. Strategies often still appear somewhat disjointed and short-term. Ultimately, success can only be achieved with planning based on long-term, comprehensive solutions.
Those recruiting for HR jobs and other positions, as well as the candidates themselves, are encountering a range of issues. Data sharing between professionals across different systems is a major one. Information is very often incomplete, unreliable and out-dated. In order to rectify such inconsistencies, departments must communicate in a much clearer way and work together well.
Perhaps the most forward-thinking way to manage this is to use a single integrated application across the board. With both recruitment and HR Jobs frequently falling into the same bracket as career pathing, payroll, succession planning, performance metrics and benefits, using a system that manages all of these aspects in one all-inclusive solution makes transition into the workplace smoother and less stressful for all parties. Of course, this free flow of information with no need for ‘data movement’ also makes the sharing of data internally much easier.
Improved communication and the employment of more specific HR Jobs & technologies will go a long way towards enhancing the candidate experience. However, companies must also ensure that team members have received the appropriate training to enable them to make full use of the resources available to them.
Creating a reputation as a great company to work for will compel the best candidates to come forward and apply for HR jobs. But the recruitment process will still need to be tailored around both internal and external candidates, who may have differing needs and expectations. In both cases, however, clear communication as well as simple and easy-to-use integrated systems are vital.