How to Navigate the Rapidly Changing Hiring and Job-Search Landscape
Here are two questions that I get asked every day:
Why am I struggling to find the right candidate in a market with so many people looking for jobs?
Why am I not getting through the system to land an interview for jobs I know I’m qualified for?
Believe it or not, my answer to questions from job seekers and hiring managers is the same. Ready? Here it is: What you’re doing isn’t working. It maybe worked before, but not anymore.
This seems like an obvious answer, but the reasons why are a little more nuanced. So, let’s look at that a little more closely.
The Changing Landscape of Hiring
Yes, the job search and hiring processes have undergone significant changes over the past couple of years. The biggest problem is that people are either unaware of the changes or don’t know how to pivot to be successful.
Why? Because so much has changed. Let’s get real. You will probably miss out if you aren’t following the hiring and job-seeking trends closely. So much has happened and continues to happen.
We are still feeling the effects of the pandemic. The economy is like a huge roller coaster ride. AI is popping up as the saviour and the destroyer for creatives. ATS systems are flawed, and good candidates are passed over for the wrong reasons. The right candidates aren’t applying to jobs with requirements and duties cobbled together from the last 14 job descriptions. Resume writing has changed, and LinkedIn profiles need some serious help.
This is a lot. I know. I have watched the creative industry change, and people unsuccessfully try to fill open roles and apply for jobs. The problem doesn’t lie solely on the shoulders of the organizations (although better hiring practices are needed). Job seekers have got to LEVEL UP. And I mean today.
Job Seekers:
Stop complaining and start adapting
Job seekers! I know you are frustrated. But you need to stop complaining. The job market is hard. We know that. Your friends and colleagues know that, and your family knows that by now. So, now that you KNOW it’s going to be hard. What are you going to DO about it?
If you aren’t sure where to start, here are five things you can do IMMEDIATELY to get proactive and get hired:
Create a kick-ass personal brand: Your online presence (LinkedIn, social media, etc.) is crucial and must be carefully curated to reflect your professional value. If your LinkedIn profile isn’t updated and you aren’t actively participating in conversations, messaging folks, and creating new connections, you’re way behind your competition for dream jobs.
Improve your communications: Make the most of your DMs. Be intentional. This is an opportunity to sell yourself. Let the person know why you are contacting them and what you can do for them, and then offer to continue the conversation via email or a phone call.
Follow instructions: Here’s what happens to me too often. I get a DM from someone wanting to be on the KDA hot list or telling me they’re interested in one of our posted jobs. But guess what? They haven’t even applied for the job. They didn’t bother to fill out the Get Scouted form, or they only partially filled it and didn’t attach a portfolio, a LinkedIn link, or a resume. No wonder they’re still looking for a job. If you can’t be bothered to be careful in the application process, what kind of employee will you be?
Do your homework: Research companies thoroughly before applying or interviewing. Engage with the company page and connect with the people you want to work with and for. Discover mutual connections and find out if there are opportunities for referrals. They won't think you are serious if you aren’t showing genuine interest and engagement with their brand.
Seek expert guidance: If you aren’t getting the results you want, maybe it’s time for some professional advice and guidance. We have helped so many candidates go from ghosted to hired. It only takes a little effort to create a LinkedIn profile that really rocks.
Hiring managers and companies:
Get aligned
The hiring landscape is chaotic right now. Candidates aren’t trusting the jobs that appear to be evergreen posts that never get filled. What’s up with that? Don’t post a job unless you are actively seeking to hire.
In the midst of a rapidly changing industry, hiring managers and organizations have forgotten the value of a positive candidate experience. Remember the great resignation? During that short period, companies doubled down on creating positive candidate experiences. If you think you don’t need to do so now because we’ve entered a preferable environment for the hiring side, guess again.
Ready to get aligned and put processes in place to attract and retain the best talent?
Here are five things hiring managers and organizations can do to become an employer of choice:
Revisit your hiring process: If you think it’s enough to just set up the automations and start screening resumes, your hiring process is broken. It's really easy for you to set up a system. But have you done a holistic review of the actual job? Are you using the same job description from seven years ago? Or did you just cobble together the last five JDs into an impossible list of responsibilities and requirements? Well, things have changed. It’s time to review and update your job descriptions and hiring processes to reflect your current and future business needs.
Value the candidate experience: It’s time to put the candidate back into the center of the process. Sure, there are lots of candidates applying for every open role. But some of them are connected and active on social media. Blow them off at your peril. The hiring process is still a two-way street, and talented individuals are evaluating your company as much as you are evaluating them. Want the best? Treat everyone with respect. Have a process to get back to them one way or the other. Drop the ghosting attitude. You’re getting a bad rap.
Don't underestimate proactive candidates: Are you only relying on your ATS system to tell you who the best candidates are? Stop it. Take a look at who’s DMing you and your team. Who has bothered to follow the company page? Your ATS system is limited in what it can filter, and it may be filtering out your next, best hire. Remember that candidates who demonstrate initiative and engagement (e.g., by connecting on LinkedIn) are often highly motivated and worth serious consideration. Don’t overlook serious candidates because your ATS system has spit them out.
Be transparent with recruiters: I say this all the time. It’s important that you communicate clearly with recruiters about the hiring process, target timelines, and who the decision-makers and decision-influencers are in your organization. If you’re working with a recruiter and you haven’t taken the time to have a heart-to-heart conversation about those qualities you truly value in a candidate and how the hiring process works behind the scenes at your organization, you won’t get the results you want. Take off the blindfold and let us impress you.
Stop ghost postings: Some companies believe they have good reason to post for jobs that they have no intention of hiring for, including:
Building a talent pipeline. If you’re looking for the best talent, talk to a recruiter. We have your talent pipeline.
Creating an illusion of growth and stability. This sounds like a good idea until people start calling you out on social media. Then all you’ve created is a bad reputation.
Market interest and salary trend research. Again. That’s what a recruiter is for. Don’t damage your employer brand by trying to get the information we already have.
Motivating current employees. Are you kidding me? If you are having issues with your teams, there are more positive ways to address them.
Job market trends
What’s happening in the job market today? You don’t need a ghost post to find out, and you don’t need to wonder. I’ll tell you. Here’s what I’m seeing:
#1 Hiring has kicked up.
Job postings are still chaotic. My clients' hiring process is still a mess. They are scrambling. They're trying. Clients, including my agency, are retaining recruiters to avoid the whole chaos. We're slammed.
#2 Everyone is applying to every job.
On any given day at my agency, we have applications from the same person for all 10 to 20 open jobs we have at any time. That means that somebody has gone through and thought that they were good for every single job, and they applied.
Hot Tip: Applying to every open role will not improve your chances. It actually makes you look unfocused and desperate.
#3 Hiring managers are getting focused.
They're really getting a sense of where they need to shift their business for this quarter and the following year. They're planning. Our clients are gaining clarity about who they need on their team. They're actually hiring for the current stage of business and looking at growth.
#4 Everyone is leveling up their profiles.
If you aren’t improving your LinkedIn profile and setting your goals, it’s going to become evident to hiring managers. Right now, half the job seekers, half the brands, and half the hiring managers are doing the work they need to do. Soon, there will be an even bigger discrepancy between those who are ready to get the job and those who are still relying on old-school practices.
The bottom line is to stay current. Whether you’re a candidate, a hiring manager, or an organization, figure it out. If you want to get there faster and better, give KDA agency a call. We can help.
The Keva Dine Agency™ is a boutique recruiting firm specializing in placing creatives since 2001. We are creative connectors, talent scouts, dream job makers, and cool recruiters. We rock our job so you can rock yours! We work with established brands, start-ups, branding agencies, design firms, and everything in between. Working fully remotely from California, we place creatives in full-time, freelance, and contract roles nationwide.
The best place to be is on our radar, so get on it! Hiring Managers and Candidates.
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