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The Waiting Game: Why employers are taking longer to make hiring
decisions
Eric Archer,
Computerworld
The interview went smoothly, your resume was impeccable and your
skills match the job requirements line for line. You sent along clever
thank you notes and, with a glimmer in his eye, the hiring manager
said you were a top candidate for the job. So, what happened? Why
haven't you heard from the potential employer for weeks?
Welcome to the newer, slower and more guarded job market. Employers
have decelerated recruitment and hiring processes, raising the anxiety
of job seekers everywhere. Has hiring become a lower priority for
businesses today? Are hiring managers hoping to gain negotiating
leverage by keeping candidates in the dark longer? Are job seekers
ignoring the signs of gentle rejection?
For candidates, waiting can be excruciating, especially when between
jobs or when considering multiple opportunities. A look into how
market fluctuations and recent talent wars have changed the way
businesses approach the hiring process can help reduce job-hunt
anxieties.
It's the Economy
While it seems like the catchall answer for any business hitch today,
the recent recession and slow economic recovery have affected both
hiring budgets and schedules. Because hiring budgets are strictly
limited, each and every hire means more to the organization and the
department seeking a new addition. Rather than speeding up the
process, having fewer positions to fill has caused businesses to slow
down and evaluate candidates more intently. The pressure to find the
right hire and spend limited employment funds wisely has made hiring
managers more cautious and the approval process more complex.
It's the Lack of Urgency
Market conditions and the push to streamline business structures and
operations did force numerous organizations to put hiring on hold.
With fewer staffers handling greater portions of the workload,
businesses and employees adjusted to a new way of working.
Organizations have been conditioned to do without. The sense of
urgency, which once drove managers to push for faster hiring
decisions, is gone.
As teams continue to get by with fewer talent resources, managers have
little motivation to hurry into hiring, adding more time to an already
slowing recruitment process.
It's History
It's also important to remember that the late-1990s talent rush -- a
mad hiring binge for many organizations -- is still fresh in the minds
of HR professionals, recruiters and hiring managers. At a time when
hiring bonuses looked more like salaries, and workplace perks outshone
game show grand prizes, managers saw their full-time employees dart
for new opportunities in record numbers. Tenure shrank rapidly as
job-hopping pervaded all industries and talent levels.
The recruitment and turnover costs to businesses were remarkable --
too expensive for the '90s, much less today. Organizations can't
afford the expensive uncertainty of those hiring heydays. Determined
to keep from falling into frenzied hiring again, businesses are now
embracing caution, moving slowly and deliberately, even when a good
candidate is found.
It's Complicated
Both history and a difficult economy have caused many organizations to
not only bring more prudence to the hiring process but also to add
more process.
More layers have been added to the entire hiring procedure. More
people have to approve the candidate, the salary and the package. The
result is a more complicated, time-consuming process for hiring an
employee.
As more and more resume fraud comes to light, businesses are
increasing the intensity of background checks. And as more executives
pay attention to the significant costs of employment, salary and bonus
approvals are reaching higher and higher into the business hierarchy.
The result is a more labor-intensive process that can add weeks to any
recruitment timeline.
It's Population
Job seekers must also remember that today they are far from alone in
their search for the next career opportunity. Layoffs and high
unemployment mean there are more candidates in the marketplace
competing for open jobs and the attention of hiring managers.
Employers are sorting through more resumes, screening more candidates
and conducting more interviews. Today's HR professionals and hiring
managers are wary of speed and are much more willing to scour growing
talent pools, leaving no resume unscanned.
It's an Opportunity
So, what can anxious job seekers do to quell job-search unease? Look
on the bright side. A slower hiring process also offers benefits to
employees in search of employment. First, it gives job seekers time to
evaluate opportunities and potential employers and allows for more
measured decision-making. Use the additional time to research the
companies further and analyze the jobs from top to bottom. If you
didn't have time before the interview, research how the business is
ranked as an employer.
If you have questions that weren't answered in the interview process,
now is the time to ask using an appropriate, professional approach
such as a brief, articulate e-mail. But remember: Never harass a
potential supervisor with questions and calls. Persistence
demonstrates commitment and interest, but if you go overboard, you
risk irritating the people you are trying to impress.
This waiting period is also a time for you to look at other hiring
options. Take time to continue searching the marketplace and looking
at what other employers have to offer. Another great job opportunity
could turn up or give you even more negotiating leverage when the
sought-after job offer arrives. Consider free-agent opportunities,
such as consulting and contract work. Is there a way to put your
skills to work as you wait to secure your next full-time job? Many
recruitment firms, including Spherion, place skilled, experienced
professionals in project-based roles, helping professionals keep their
skills current while seeking the right career opportunity.
It's Not Going to Last
Frustrated job seekers can take heart: Businesses can't sustain
prolonged hiring processes. Organizations with leisurely hiring
procedures miss out on top candidates. By the time an offer is finally
made, top-notch employees may have been snatched off the market and
the employer must select from mediocre matches.
In addition, businesses that take too much time to hire employees risk
productivity declines. While workers today have learned to work harder
and longer due to reduced resources and smaller teams, endurance for
heavy workloads is not sustainable. To keep existing employees from
burnout and provide much-needed support, businesses have to begin
hiring faster and more efficiently.
In the end, job seekers will soon see the hiring pace accelerate.
While it may never reach the breakneck speeds of the '90s, hiring will
gather momentum, improving the balance between a job seeker's desire
to quickly secure worthwhile work and a business's need to make
strategic hiring decisions.
Eric Archer is president of professional services at Spherion, a
recruitment, technology and outsourcing services provider based in
Fort Lauderdale, Fla
Courtesy:
Google News
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