“80% of Employers Report Their Biggest Challenge Is Finding Talent”

– Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Employer Workforce Survey

By: Richard Butz

FACT: There is virtually no highly skilled unemployed talent!

If you are:

• Unimpressed with the quality and quantity of your candidate pool.
• Feel you are being forced to select from the “best of the worst” rather than talent that is the “best of the best”.
• Faced with the recruiting challenge of identifying and recruiting high level achievers, who are not actively on the job market.

 “Active Market” Candidates: Traditionally, HR Professionals and hiring managers look for people inside their organization to promote, but seldom compare those internal candidates to other high level achievers from outside the organization, who may be better qualified for the job. They also rely on job boards or referrals from friends or business associates. These “active market” sources

“Passive Market Candidates”: How Do You Get To The 80% Of Talent Not Actively Looking For A Job?  One of the most effective ways to invest wisely in identifying top talent is to partner with a competent search firm that has the demonstrated ability to identify and attract high level achievers. Most will have research departments and/or have a large data base of talent who are not actively looking for a job but always interested in a career enhancement.

Set Quality and Quantity Goals And Hold Recruiters Accountable For Providing Great Candidates:  Hold your search firm or your HR department accountable for identifying 5-7 well qualified people [active and passive] for each open position. From this initial pool, you should end up with two, number one candidates from which to choose…two people who are almost equally qualified!! Yes, it will take more work on their part, but the results will have an exponential positive impact on your business. In a subsequent blog, we will address the question of why you need to have two candidates who are both equally qualified.

Richard Butz, Founder of The Center For Leadership Excellence has written and lectured extensively on selection issues.  Visit our Talent Acquisition page to learn more.