Avoid These Five Mistakes When Recruiting for Talent
MGT is often contacted by clients who have tried to recruit for positions on their own without success. Below are some common issues we’ve seen with unsuccessful recruitment processes.
1. Overly Restrictive Job Descriptions
Take a close look at your job description before you advertise the position to ensure you are as flexible as you can be. Does the person really need a bachelor’s degree or 5-10 years’ experience in local government to effectively perform the duties? Using words like “preferred” or “ideally” when possible can open up your candidate pool to those with transferable skills. Also, pay attention to applicants’ residency requirements.
2. Cutting Back on Advertising
Organizations try to save money by cutting back on advertising their job postings. We encourage using social media sites like LinkedIn in addition to professional organizations or community sites to improve your candidate pool. MGT also has a Career Center which attracts more than 17,000 visitors and potential candidates per month. Visit our website to discover more about our packages.
3. Geographic Restrictions on Candidate Pool
Clients often prefer candidates from their state or region. Understandably, they want to avoid relocation costs and prefer a candidate to have familiarity with state laws. However, we encourage public agencies to open up the candidate search to safeguard against fierce talent competition, especially for those in specialty fields like finance, IT, and engineering. Also, offering a one-time reimbursement for some or all moving and packing expenses can be less expensive than hiring temporary or contract help while you try to find a local candidate.
4. Failing to Advertise the Salary Range
This is a critical misstep. According to a recent LinkedIn survey, 85% of Gen Z job seekers ignore job postings that lack clear salary details. Postings that include salary information perform 30% higher on the site. When you don’t disclose salary ranges up-front, many intrigued candidates may not follow up due to timing or other factors. Salary information is public–include the salary range you are willing to pay in the job announcement, specifying that experience correlates to starting compensation.
5. Complicated and/or Delayed Application Processes
Hopefully, every local government has an electronic applicant tracking system for candidates to use when applying for positions. Applicants will take note of this technology and if it’s cumbersome to use, may not complete their applications. Ensuring you follow up after receiving an application with the next steps or conclusion of the process is also important. If candidates have a positive experience with your process (even if they don’t get the job) it will create a lasting impression of your organization and impact their willingness to apply for other positions.
Connect with Top Public Sector Talent Today
Finding the right talent can transform your organization, and our job board is designed to make it easy. Whether you’re seeking short-term visibility or an expanded recruitment boost, we offer flexible options to showcase your opportunities to highly engaged public sector job seekers.
From 30 or 60-day postings to comprehensive marketing packages, your listing includes social media promotion, email outreach, and branding that puts your organization in the spotlight. MGT’s Career Center attracts 17,000 visitors a month and is a trusted resource for public sector job seekers.
Ready to strengthen your next recruitment? Visit MGT’s Career Center today!
