Strategies for acquiring talent

With unemployment on a slow yet steady decrease month after month, you would think that employers could be selective when sourcing candidates. It seems sensible that with more folks in the workforce that it would be easy to find the perfect candidate with the exact skills, education and experience an employer needs. In fact, the opposite is true because of the disparity between the qualifications desired and what is available in the marketplace, commonly referred to as a "skills gap."

Sure, employers could poach talented employees from other companies, but that takes more effort and money than connecting with people who are actively seeking employment. This pursuit of perfection is likely to paralyze recruiting efforts, produce fewer candidates and extend the time it takes to fill a position. We've all seen job openings sit out there for several months, and part of the reason is this pursuit of the "perfect" candidate.

Now is the time for companies to think more strategically about their hiring needs, and instead of trying to fill an immediate need with the "perfect" candidate, they need to plan and prepare for the best talent acquisition outcomes. One strategy is to assess what is available in the current talent pool and take into consideration the transferable skills, knowledge and capabilities candidates possess that may transfer into other industries.

Recently, a local jewelry manufacturer was finding it difficult to find the ideal candidate for a jewelry polisher position. This job requires a great deal of manual labor including standing up for eight or more hours a day. Instead of narrowly focusing on candidates who have specific experience with jewelry polishing, the search was expanded to find candidates with relatable skills, and that's exactly what they found. After searching for several months, this manufacturer found the perfect candidate a DJ. That's right, a disc jockey. This candidate was able to transfer his skills and passion for spinning records into a completely different industry. Now he is a loyal employee and what does he get to do all day? Spin the polisher tubs and stand all day. Win-win.

Even the simplest approaches should not be overlooked, and that's where CareerSource Suncoast can help. Do you have clear and specific job descriptions? When you interview for a position are you asking each candidate the same, un-biased questions? Are you assessing potential employees' behavior to understand their over

all personal style and see where they would best fit if your organization?

Finding qualified talent can be time consuming and complex. Understanding the employment market and optimizing the talent pool by knowing what skills, education and characteristics are needed can harness the "perfect" candidates to suit your business needs.

Ted Ehrlichman, president and CEO of CareerSource Suncoast, writes about workforce issues across the region.

This story was originally published January 3, 2016 at 8:53 PM with the headline "Strategies for acquiring talent ."