TARDIS
The art of recruitment, pt 7
As an avid cricket fan, it’s interesting to see nations prepare their grounds to suit their bowling and batting styles. It’s no wonder it’s harder to win away than at home, even without considering a threatening crowd.
But the thing about cricket is that places are time-bound too.
A key factor in India and Pakistan is dew, which settles later in a hot day, making bowling and fielding harder (wet balls and slippy outfield), and conversely batting easier.
This makes time a defining influence in viability of space. And, indeed, when considering whether to bat first, time might as well be space, given you’ll experience radically different conditions.
Given the Champion’s Trophy starts this week in Pakistan and UAE, you may well see this in action.
Ask Sun Tzu about battlegrounds and he might tell you
“We may distinguish six kinds of terrain, to wit: (1) Accessible ground; (2) entangling ground; (3) temporising ground; (4) narrow passes; (5) precipitous heights; (6) positions at a great distance from the enemy.”
Because he knows full well the choice of location in which to engage only aids the chance of victory.
A common tactic in SME’s hiring would be to go to adverts first, then defer to agencies, who might have access to a different pool of candidates.
As LinkedIn, and other ready mediums came up, this presented new opportunities to recruit directly.
A proactive CEO in a start-up might go to their network first, then advertise, do a bit of LinkedInning. But as the demands of running a business grows, the time available to access these channels diminish - as it should, delegation is key.
The only problem with these approaches is it doesn’t consider where the candidates are, and which ground they defend to prevent being scalped.
Nor does it consider the state of the market. This alone can make previously skills-short candidates readily available, or turn common skill roles into high demand.
Look at what happened with the Talent Acquisition (and other) market in 2022, with rapid growth in salaries from marginal experience gained. To that market crashing in 2023.
In the past year, it would seem 35% of recruiters in the UK have left the profession. Well, that’s according to a LinkedIn post? I don’t know if it’s that bad, but I do know a number of people personally who have made that choice.
Market conditions have suppressed salaries too. If you want to recruit a good TA, advertise with a decent package, with clear expectations, and you’ll be inundated with great candidates.
Unlikely that would have worked as readily a couple of years ago.
Time and place are such key factors in recruitment.
Why do so few employers consider them before kicking off their recruitment?
Yet, the place isn’t just the battlefield, in hiring staff, it’s:
The channels in where they are likely to be found
Will they apply to adverts? Are they discoverable on LinkedIn? Are they a referral away? Do they respond to outreach? Are you already employing them in another capacity?
It’s where you are situated compared to your competition.
Try recruiting for people in deepest darkest Suffolk, when they can commute readily to a cosmopolitan area.
It’s work from home, when you want to increase access to talent, everything else being even
One of the biggest revelations for some of my deepest darkest middle-of-nowhere clients, who suddenly became competitive, on top of their unique stories.
It’s the state of the market informing your strategy
Why headhunt if skills short candidates are suddenly applying to adverts? While if market insight shows how you advertise isn’t working, what can you do to improve your access to the market?
It’s recognising your position in the market may be attractive for reasons you don’t realise
Sure you may not be the jewel in the crown of your sector, but do people actually want to work in a transactional, political megacorp, or does your story have something else to offer?
There are many more dimensions to recruitment than a job description and culture check.
Just remember to understand your battleground, before you enter the fray.
Thanks for reading.
Greg