As part of the new Talent Matters webinar series – which challenges businesses and organizations to think creatively about the way they develop, attract and retain talent – Flint & Genesee Group recently spoke with Lynsey Wynne, account director at LinkedIn, about recruitment strategies. [Full video below.]
In her role, Wynne works with companies of all sizes, helping them strategize and implement hiring practices, employee development and engagement. As COVID-19 has redefined expectations in what has become a candidate-driven market, Wynne encourages employers to think outside the box.
“If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work,” Wynne says. “But staying in the same position is what’s making companies fall behind the trends.”
To watch the full, 30-minute session, scroll down. And for a quick overview, read on for a few key takeaways for employers struggling to fill their open positions.
Upskill
If you’re having difficulty finding an external candidate who meets your needs, turn your attention internally, recommends Wynne. “What a lot of companies are doing is looking internally to see who fits maybe six out of 10 bullet points…and they can promote from within.”
For example, maybe you haven’t found the right fit for an open finance manager position. Consider your data analysts and accountants. Do you already employ someone who, with just a little extra training, could grow into the role you have open?
While you might have to train this promoted staff in their new, day-to-day duties, you skip the need to onboard and get them acclimated with the inner workings of your company. “Then, they can just focus on what they would be doing in their new role,” adds Wynne.
Look beyond degree
In a similar vein, Wynne says that companies ahead of the curve aren’t married to specific requirements, such as a degree or certain qualification.
“Someone that works customer service at Target right may not have a degree or the traditional learning path you would look at in the past,” Wynne says. “But if you look at the day-to-day of what they do – time management, dealing with tough customers, overcoming objections – they probably have a lot of transferable skills.”
Wynne also recommends utilizing social media to find potential talent. In doing so, you may find someone who’s outgoing and engaging in conversations that suggest they might be a good fit for your workplace.
Showcase your culture
With talent shortages at a high, it may seem like the simple solution is to pay more to fill your open positions. But if your budget doesn’t allow for that, there are other ways that employers can help their employees feel fulfilled. A major factor, Wynne says, is workplace culture.
“When you’re recruiting an employee, you have to have a balance between how much you’re selling the job and what they’ll be doing day to day versus how much you’re selling the organization and the bigger picture of the team that they’ll be involved in,” she says.
To tell your story, Wynne recommends encouraging employees to use a hashtag specific to your workplace when sharing photos and videos that showcase their personal work experience. Not only will this create awareness around your company, “it’s going to show potential candidates that you have the buy-in of your employees,” Wynne explains.
These are just a few of the ideas highlighted in our recent Talent Talks webinar, which you can watch below.
Looking forward, the Talent Matters series will cover succession planning for business owners (Feb. 22) and internships and apprenticeship programs (March 22). Recordings of these webinars will also be available after their air dates on Flint & Genesee Group’s YouTube channel. Learn more at flintandgenesee.org/training.