International Journal of Advancements in Technology
Open Access

Breaking Through the Recruitment Barrier: Key Challenges and Proven Strategies for Hiring Managers

Aditya Sharma^{* *}Correspondence: Aditya Sharma, Department of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, United States of America, Email:

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Introduction

The recruitment market has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the last two years. The pandemic has led to an increase in unemployment rates and a decrease in job opportunities, which has resulted in a highly competitive job market for both job seekers and employers. In addition, remote work has become more prevalent, making it easier for companies to hire candidates from anywhere in the world.

There are different categories of candidates in the market that recruiters have to target:

Active and passive candidates

Active candidates are actively looking for job opportunities and are typically more responsive to recruitment efforts. On the other hand, passive candidates are not actively looking for new job opportunities but may be open to considering new roles if the right opportunity presents itself. Passive candidates may require more effort and a different approach to recruitment, such as building relationships over time.

Gen Z candidates

Gen Z candidates are individuals born between 1997 and 2012 and are just starting to enter the workforce. They have grown up with technology and have different expectations and preferences for the workplace compared to previous generations. For example, Gen Z candidates may prioritize flexibility, work-life balance, and opportunities for career growth.

Older candidates

Older candidates are individuals who are approaching retirement age or have already retired but are still interested in working. They may bring valuable experience and expertise to the workplace but may also have different expectations and preferences, such as a desire for part-time or flexible work arrangements. It's important for recruiters to understand the different categories of candidates and tailor their recruitment strategies accordingly. For example, strategies for attracting Gen Z candidates may differ from strategies for attracting older candidates, and strategies for engaging with passive candidates may differ from strategies for engaging with active candidates.

Some of the usual challenges faced by recruiters:

Attracting and retaining top talent: With the highly competitive job market, recruiters are struggling to attract and retain the best talent for their companies.

Managing large volumes of applications: Recruiters are often inundated with large volumes of applications, which can be time-consuming and challenging to manage effectively.

Ensuring diversity and inclusion: Diversity and inclusion have become increasingly important in the workplace, and recruiters need to ensure that their hiring processes are inclusive and biasfree.

Adapting to new technologies: The recruitment industry is constantly evolving, and recruiters need to stay up-to-date with new technologies and tools to remain competitive.

Here are some of key strategies used by recruiters:

Employer branding: Building a strong employer brand can help attract and retain top talent by highlighting the company's unique values, culture, and benefits.

Candidate relationship management: Establishing and maintaining relationships with potential candidates can help recruiters build a talent pool and fill positions quickly when they become available.

Data-driven recruitment: Using data to inform recruitment strategies can help recruiters identify trends, optimize their processes, and make more informed hiring decisions.

Collaborating with hiring managers: Collaboration between recruiters and hiring managers can help ensure that the recruitment process is aligned with the company's needs and goals.

Inclusive hiring practices: Adopting inclusive hiring practices can help recruiters attract a diverse range of candidates and ensure that their hiring processes are fair and bias-free.

Overall, the recruitment market in the last two years has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and recruiters are facing challenges related to attracting and retaining top talent, managing large volumes of applications, ensuring diversity and inclusion, and adapting to new technologies. To overcome these challenges, recruiters are using strategies such as employer branding, candidate relationship management, data-driven recruitment, collaboration with hiring managers, and inclusive hiring practices.

Recruitment is the process of finding and attracting qualified candidates for job openings. It typically involves various stages, such as job posting, sourcing, screening, interviewing, and selecting candidates. Recruitment may be done in-house by a company's HR team or outsourced to external recruiters or staffing agencies. The goal of recruitment is to find the best fit for the position and the organization, taking into account factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, culture fit, and diversity. Effective recruitment strategies involve understanding the needs of the organization and the job, as well as the preferences and motivations of different categories of candidates.

• According to Johnson W et al. [1], one of the biggest challenges facing recruiters is identifying and selecting the best candidates from a large pool of applicants. This challenge is exacerbated by the fact that many candidates may not fully represent themselves in their application materials, making it difficult to assess their true qualifications and fit for the position.

• According to Dovidio et al. [2], researchers found that recruiters often struggle with identifying and overcoming unconscious biases in their hiring processes. These biases can result in discrimination against certain groups of candidates and may also limit the pool of potential candidates.

• According to Lievens et al. [3] found that recruiters often face challenges related to managing the recruitment process effectively, such as coordinating with hiring managers and scheduling interviews. These challenges can lead to delays in the recruitment process and may result in losing top candidates to competing job offers.

• According to Schmit et al. [4] , another challenge facing recruiters is keeping up with the changing landscape of recruitment technology. With the proliferation of new tools and platforms, recruiters may struggle to identify which ones are most effective for their needs and how to integrate them into their existing processes.

According to Sturman et al. [5] found that job seekers place a high value on job characteristics such as pay, benefits, and job security. They also place a high value on job characteristics related to work-life balance, such as flexible work arrangements and supportive management [5]. According to Briscoe et al. [6], job seekers are increasingly interested in organizational culture and values, and they seek out organizations that align with their own values and beliefs. This is especially true for younger job seekers, who tend to prioritize social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

According to Cable et al. [7] found that job seekers place a high value on the reputation of the organization they are applying to, as well as the perceived fit between themselves and the organization. Job seekers are more likely to accept a job offer from an organization with a positive reputation and that aligns with their values and preferences [7]. According to Hmieleski et al. [8] found that job seekers place a high value on opportunities for career development and growth. They seek out organizations that offer training, mentoring, and career advancement opportunities.

It is also important to understand the future of recruitment. Here are some of the important highlights found so far.

• Emerging trends such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the gig economy are expected to significantly impact recruitment in the near future [9].

• Argue that recruitment and selection practices will need to become more flexible and adaptable to keep pace with changing labor market trends and technological developments [10].

• Discuss the growing role of social media in recruitment and suggest that social media platforms offer a valuable opportunity for employers to reach a wider pool of potential candidates [11].

• Highlight the increasing importance of diversity and inclusion in recruitment, as organizations strive to create more diverse and inclusive workforces that reflect the changing demographics of the global workforce [12].

Methodology

To gain a better understanding of the recruitment process, we conducted two surveys. The first survey consisted of 10 questions and was completed by 200 participants who are primarily involved in recruiting and interviewing candidates. The objective of this survey was to identify the top three challenges faced in the recruitment process. The survey questions were designed to cover various steps in the recruitment process, including candidate sourcing, outreach, candidate review, scheduling interviews, sharing results, and offering compensation.

To identify effective strategies for recruitment, we conducted a second survey with questions related to personal branding, employer branding, inclusive hiring practices, and data-driven recruitment. Participants were asked to draw on their professional knowledge and experience to respond to the survey."

Participants

A survey comprising 10 questions was sent to 200 participants. The participants are recruiters, hiring managers, and corporate professionals actively involved in recruiting, interviewing, and helping job seekers land their dream jobs. They are based in companies in the United States.

Results and Discussion

We asked 200 participants involved in the recruiting and interviewing of candidates about the primary obstacle they face when it comes to attracting high-quality candidates. From the responses, it can be concluded that a significant percentage of recruiters face the challenge of limited outreach channels and networks. This indicates that there is a need to explore and expand outreach channels and networks to attract high-quality candidates. The second biggest obstacle reported was competition with other employers, followed by limited candidate pool and limited budget for recruitment. Therefore, employers should focus on differentiating themselves from their competitors and expanding their candidate pool to attract highquality candidates (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The primary obstacles faced when it comes to attracting high-quality candidates. Note: : Limited outreach channels and networks – 25 %; : Competition with other employers – 18 %; : Limited candidate pool - 35%; : Limited budget for recruitment - 22%.

We asked respondents to identify the biggest challenge they face when creating outreach messages to potential candidates. The most common response was ensuring messages are compelling and engaging at 37%, followed by identifying the best channels for outreach at 27%, personalizing messages to each candidate at 24%, and ensuring messages are reaching the right candidates at 12%.

We asked participants about the most challenging aspect of evaluating candidates' skills and experience. The options provided were assessing fit with company culture, managing a high volume of resumes, evaluating candidate qualifications and experience, and conducting effective reference checks. Based on the responses, 35% found assessing fit with company culture to be the most challenging aspect, followed by 30% who found evaluating candidate qualifications and experience to be the most difficult.

Evaluating candidates' skills and experience can be a daunting task, but assessing fit with company culture and evaluating qualifications and experience were the two most challenging aspects for the participants. This suggests that companies should focus on developing effective strategies for evaluating these factors in the recruitment process.

We asked participants what their primary challenge is when scheduling interviews with candidates. Out of the four options, 37% of participants chose "Finding mutually convenient time slots", 22% chose "Managing scheduling conflicts", 28% chose "Communicating interview details effectively to candidates", and 13% chose "Ensuring interviewers are available at the scheduled time". Based on the responses, it appears that finding mutually convenient time slots is the biggest challenge for scheduling interviews.

We asked participants what the most challenging aspect of communicating interview results to hiring managers is. Out of the four options, 27% of participants chose "Providing a balanced evaluation of candidates", 33% chose "Communicating feedback effectively", 18% chose "Managing hiring managers' expectations", and 22% chose "Ensuring accuracy of the interview results". Based on the responses, it appears that the biggest challenge is communicating feedback effectively to hiring managers.

We asked participants what the most difficult aspect of making an offer to a candidate is. Out of the four options, 23% of participants chose "Negotiating compensation and benefits", 28% chose "Ensuring that the candidate accepts the offer", 36% chose "Creating an attractive offer package", and 13% chose "Managing expectations of the hiring manager and candidate". Based on the responses, it appears that creating an attractive offer package is the biggest challenge.

Employers may want to focus on creating comprehensive and appealing offer packages that include not only salary and benefits but also opportunities for growth and development, work-life balance, and other non-monetary benefits. This can help to attract top talent and ensure that offers are accepted.

When asked about the most crucial factor in retaining top talent. Survey participants identified "Opportunities for growth and development" as the most crucial factor in retaining top talent, with 36% of respondents choosing this option. "Strong company culture and values" was the second most popular response, chosen by 28% of participants. "Competitive salary and benefits" and "Supportive leadership and management" were chosen by 21% and 15% of respondents, respectively.

One of the survey questions was about the primary challenge you face when creating a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Survey participants identified "Ensuring that hiring processes are unbiased and inclusive" as the primary challenge in creating a diverse and inclusive workforce, with 42% of respondents choosing this option. "Creating a culture that supports diversity and inclusion" was the second most popular response, chosen by 27% of participants. "Finding diverse candidates to fill open positions" and "Measuring the effectiveness of diversity and inclusion efforts" were chosen by 19% and 12% of respondents, respectively.

When asked about the most challenging aspect of using data to inform recruitment decisions. Survey participants identified "Interpreting data accurately" as the most challenging aspect of using data to inform recruitment decisions, with 38% of respondents choosing this option. "Collecting and analyzing relevant data" was the second most popular response, chosen by 32% of participants. "Overcoming resistance to data-driven approaches" and "ensuring data privacy and security" were chosen by 19% and 11% of respondents, respectively.

These results suggest that accurately interpreting data is a key challenge when using data to inform recruitment decisions. Companies may want to invest in training programs to help their recruiters and hiring managers improve their data analysis skills.

In response to the most difficult aspect of providing a positive candidate experience, survey participants identified "Providing clear communication throughout the recruitment process" as the most difficult aspect of providing a positive candidate experience, with 39% of respondents choosing this option. "Managing candidate expectations" was the second most popular response, chosen by 28% of participants. "Offering an engaging and positive candidate experience" and "Ensuring that candidates have a fair and unbiased experience" were chosen by 20% and 13% of respondents, respectively.

Conclusions

There are certain challenges in recruiting quality talent; however, there are strategies that can help recruiters, and hiring managers get better results in hiring talent. Based on this study, the following are four strategies for navigating the hiring process.

1. Creating compelling and engaging outreach messages was the biggest challenge they face when reaching out to potential candidates.

2. Employers should consider implementing scheduling software or tools to streamline the interview scheduling process and make it easier to find mutually convenient time slots for both the interviewer and candidate.

3. Employers should invest in training or resources to help recruiters effectively communicate feedback to hiring managers and ensure that interview results are accurately and clearly conveyed.

4. Providing opportunities for growth and development is the most important factor in retaining top talent. Companies may want to focus on developing clear career paths and providing training and development opportunities to help employees grow and advance within the organization.

5. Companies should focus on ensuring that their hiring processes are unbiased and inclusive in order to create a diverse and inclusive workforce. This may involve reviewing job descriptions and interview questions to remove bias, as well as implementing training programs to promote diversity and inclusion.

6. Providing clear communication throughout the recruitment process is the most important factor in providing a positive candidate experience. Companies may want to focus on improving their communication processes, such as sending regular updates and providing feedback to candidates.

Scope of Further Research

The aim of this research was to gain insights from hiring managers, recruiters, and corporate professionals from various industries in the United States, to identify the main reasons behind the failure of the recruitment process. The study focused on gathering data from industry experts and recruiters in sectors such as insurance, technology, finance, product, and design.

However, there is still an opportunity to expand this research to include other industries like consulting, accounting, banking, and the automotive industry. Additionally, it would be beneficial to explore other challenges and obstacles faced by recruiters during the hiring process. Conducting further studies could help to identify both internal and external factors that impact recruiters' ability to successfully hire talented individuals.

Limitations of the Study

While our study provides valuable insights into the recruitment process, we acknowledge its limitations. The survey participants comprised full-time managerial and professional employees, and as such, our findings may not be generalizable to part-time jobs or job seekers in industries beyond insurance, technology, finance, product, and design.

Furthermore, it is important to note that our survey and interview participants were exclusively professionals based in the United States, and therefore, the results cannot be generalized to professionals in other countries. Nonetheless, this study can serve as a foundation for future research in other industries and countries to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the recruitment process and its challenges.

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank all the survey participants for sharing their expertise and experience. We are also grateful to Dr. Shambhu Singh Rathore, Mohit Arora, Dr. Amit Lal and Sapna Baalwan and two anonymous reviewers for their guidance.

Author Biographies

Aditya Sharma is Co-founder and CEO of HiCounselor. Prior to co-founding HiCounselor, Aditya worked at Deloitte and PwC as a Salesforce Consultant for 4 years in the San Francisco office. Aditya's passion for mentorship and career counseling led him to leave his full-time job at Deloitte and bootstrap HiCounselor in 2020. Aditya has helped over 400 candidates land jobs in top tech companies, including Google, Amazon, and Apple. Aditya's aim at HiCounselor is to help entry-level candidates earn work experience and automate the manual job application process using AI and intelligent automation.

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