6 Challenges and Solutions in Talent Acquisition

6 Challenges and Solutions in Talent Acquisition

If you are in a position responsible for finding qualified job candidates, you already know the challenges that recruitment and hiring can bring. Just one vacant position or bad hire can cost your organization tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. That’s why HR and talent acquisition teams are facing increased pressure to find the best talent—and ensure they stick around. 

To improve your recruitment efforts, here are six proven solutions that can mitigate some of the most common talent acquisition challenges today. 

Related: E-book: Interview Guide for Hiring Managers 

1 – Focus on your 5 Cs. 

Challenge: Employers need to stand out to attract and retain the most qualified and capable workers. 

Solution: Think about your 5 Cs and how to promote them—not just in your job postings, but on your company website and social media, as well. 

  • Credibility: Workers want to be a part of a company with a good reputation. 
  • Compensation: Are you offering competitive pay and benefits that aligns with your competitors in the market? 
  • Culture: Employees care about company culture and want to know about your mission, vision, and values. 
  • Commitment: How do you show your commitment to your mission and your employees? 
  • Challenge: What challenge(s) is your organization trying to overcome, who are you trying to help, and what role do employees play in achieving these outcomes? 

2 – Revamp your job postings. 

Challenge: Recruiters and hiring managers often rely on oversaturated job boards and websites, where their postings end up getting buried and overlooked. 

Solution: Get creative and think about new ways you can promote open jobs. This could include advertising on social media and building partnerships with professional/industry associations that can share postings with relevant jobseekers. 

Businesses should also look at the content of their job postings and ensure they clearly outlines the responsibilities and expectations for each role while speaking to the company’s culture and benefits. A job posting that’s too vague or doesn’t provide enough information may deter or confuse potential applicants. 

Related: E-book: How to Attract the Attention of Qualified Candidates – Job Posting Guide 

 3 – Experiment with different methods of candidate engagement. 

Challenge: Recruiters are struggling with where and how they communicate with candidates. 

Solution: The way we communicate is constantly evolving, and it’s important that HR and talent acquisition professionals adapt accordingly. Gen Z will make up 30 percent of the global workforce by 2030, and their preferred methods of communication are different than the ones that older generations or even Millennials may be accustomed to. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to communication, so it never hurts to ask a candidate how they like to keep in touch. Personal touches like this can improve the candidate experience and help you build stronger relationships with prospective employees. 

Related: Preparing for Graduation? Here Are 5 Tips to Kickstart Your Job Search 

 4 – Find a compensation balance. 

Challenge: Employers who pay less are more likely to experience turnover and ultimately spend more time and resources on hiring replacements. 

Solution: The costs of recruiting, hiring, and onboarding—paired with those of unfilled or unsuccessful hires—often end up exceeding the cost of a high-quality hire. For example, it’s better to spend $100,000 on a high-quality candidate than $125,000 to recruit, hire, and replace an employee who is underqualified or ends up leaving for a more highly compensated opportunity. 

5 – Create a valuable employer brand. 

Challenge: Companies don’t always do a sufficient job of selling prospective hires on “what’s in it for them.” When this happens, they might miss out on great employees and suffer from higher turnover rates. 

Solution: Developing an employer value proposition (EVP) can help you effectively communicate your company’s benefits, culture, and the compelling reasons why workers should consider job opportunities with your company. 

Related: Employee Value Proposition Template 

 6 – Lend help to overburdened HR teams. 

Challenge: HR departments are often overworked and understaffed, leading to hastily made, last-minute recruitment, hiring, and onboarding decisions. 

Solution: If internal resources don’t have the bandwidth to provide an excellent candidate experience, consider partnering with a dedicated recruitment firm that does. This arrangement can give back time to your HR department while ensuring that hiring and onboarding isn’t going overlooked. 

Summary 

Talent acquisition isn’t without its obstacles, but the tips outlined above can help your company make meaningful improvements to the way you hire. Whether your organization needs contingent workers, permanent hires, or payrolling services, our Acara team can help you tackle even the toughest of talent challenges. Learn more about “the Acara difference” today. 

This blog was written by Acara India’s Manager of Business Development Sonal Paresh.