Our world is significantly different than what it was a few years ago.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics data recently reported that the Great Resignation is not over and is still at similar levels seen last year, with 4.2 million people leaving their jobs in July 2022. That same month, there were 11.2 million job openings, or almost two jobs for every worker.

We are living in a candidate-driven market, where candidates choose us. To win over qualified talent and beat your competition, you have to find ways to meet the criteria and changing expectations of today’s job seekers. Here’s how you can do that successfully by making small changes over time. 

1. Hire Fast

Long gone are the days of holding five-round interviews. When interviewing a candidate you believe will do a good job, move it along quickly because candidates will have accepted another offer by the time you finish a 5-round interview.

Consider why candidates want and need to move faster than in the past. There’s the lingering fear of what’s happening now and what’s to come – high inflation, recession, and the possibility of a layoff. Finding security in a new role could be a genuine concern leading to panic and a desire to accept a position quickly. 

2. Involve your team in the interview process

Let your team sell the culture to a potential candidate. A great example of including others in the interview process is to ask HR, your team, or peers in another department to casually chat with the candidate and share their testimonials and experience. When a candidate hears this from someone in a similar position and not necessarily someone of authority, this approach will help them envision their future with the company.

3. Differentiate yourself by building a better work culture

This may be the most crucial tip if you can’t compete with salary. 

How is your culture different if you can’t budge on salary and benefits? 

Why do people stay at your company? 

Money and compensation are real for most. But if you simply can’t compete beyond your means, you need to live in that space and do everything you can in that space. Whether it’s acknowledgments, allowing them the time to explore new technologies and upskill…to make themselves more marketable, and perhaps they leave and take an opportunity after serving a few years. That’s perfectly fine.

– Richard McHattie, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer, Maricopa County

Company culture is an integral part of the business; it affects nearly every aspect of a company, but it’s also essential to establish a happy workplace for your employees.

We don’t always start with the best cultures, making it really hard to sell during interviews. To start thinking about what’s important to prospects, think about questions they may ask regarding your culture and what your answer would be:

The culture built around your team’s processes:

• • • Are there any major gaps in your processes that you’re aware of that cause unnecessary headaches amongst employees? 
    • How do you support your teams so they can focus on new, innovative work?
    • How are you utilizing automation, so employees don’t have to work on mundane, repetitive tasks? 
    • How well is your team collaborating with other departments? 
    • How do you model effective, transparent communication across your teams and the entire organization?

Support your teams and processes by bringing on temporary or long-term staffing resources within your budget. → 

The culture built around team growth and connectedness:

• • • How are you helping employees feel more included?. 
    • How do you enable a culture of diversity?
    • When was the last time you focused on team building?
    • Do you offer education or an upskill program?
    • How do you give recognition?

These are the questions you’ll want to have solid answers to, which will leave a big impression on the team. Reach out to HR to help you get started.

Getting new talent to join the team comes from trust and belief in our vision. Build trust, follow through, and do good by the employee. Employees looking to leave their current companies have a lack of trust in their current company, which is why they are talking to us.

– Adam Herrmann, VP, Professional Services, DataBank

Whether candidates are looking for job security, a more exciting IT role, or a higher salary, you can stand out by moving and responding quickly, being transparent, and sharing details about your incredible culture. How are you competing to win over top technical talent and beat the competition?