A question we’re often asked is, “When should we start recruiting for an upcoming position?” The answer remains that typically sooner is better. I would say this holds even more so during the pandemic, than you think. It’s never a good idea to feel rushed to hire, especially if it causes you to eliminate or short-change important steps that ensure you’re choosing the best-fit candidate who will thrive in your organization.

There are some exceptions. If it’s a role where candidates are in high-demand, such as inside sales, you don’t want to recruit so early that when you’re actually able to set a start date, your preferred candidate is long gone.

Here are four other things that continue to hold true:

1. Some candidates are reluctant to leave their current position when the economy seems uncertain. We’ve seen this cycle repeat itself during economic down-turns. Candidates sometimes choose to stay in a job that they feel they’ve outgrown or no longer enjoy because it’s known, rather than move to a new company in uncertain times. Having a recruiting partner who is highly skilled at accessing this candidate set and gaining their trust and enthusiasm makes a difference.
2. According to a recent Workonic study, “The best candidates only have to wait 10 days to find a new job.” If you’re looking for talent with skills that are in demand and you’re looking for the best in their field, understanding how to manage the attraction campaign to get those candidates engaged and to keep them engaged in your hiring process is critical. A hiring expert can help you with your strategy. And if you don’t have the bandwidth or expertise to fulfill it, there are talent firms who excel at engaging the best talent on your behalf.
3. Jobvite found that, “A Recruiter’s conversation skills account for 40% and appearance/personal style for another 37%, as the decisive factors that impact candidates’ view of the company.” At JESSI Search, we find that using a highly skilled outside resource can set you ahead. When an external source is speaking positively on your behalf and managing communication and the hiring process well, and then you reinforce the positive messages they’ve heard and experienced during your internal interview process, candidates continue to collect positive data that impacts their decision on whether or not a position and organization is the right one for them.
4. One more set of stats from Career Builder that you might also want to keep in mind is, “78% of employers feel they do a good job setting expectations upfront and communicating throughout the hiring process, while only 47% of job-seekers agree.” Again, talent acquisition experts are living this on a daily basis. They know the value of frequent and positive communication and can give you the added bandwidth to cover this well.

Many organizations have invested even more in their people this year. Keeping a healthy and motivated team benefits all. Investing in getting the right people on your team will pay equal dividends.

“Time and money are your scarcest resources. You want to make sure you’re allocating them in highest-impact areas. Data reveals impact, and with data, you can bring more science to your decisions.” ~Matthew Trifiro, CMO at Vapor IO, and recognized as Top 50 World’s Most Influential Marketers in the Digital Economy