Candidate Rocks Your World? Then Pull the F***Ing Trigger!

As a seasoned executive recruiter, I cannot stress enough how difficult it has been lately to get the dots connected between my clients and candidates. By dots I mean it being a "candidate-driven" climate, with unemployment at an all-time low of 4%.

The candidates of “today”, including recent college grads, have many, many employment options. Most industries, including manufacturing, are booming and companies need to hire many more talented folks. Great problem to have, right? One would think so. Yet, I have recently experienced most clients not moving fast enough with their offer letters and losing great candidates to their competitors. 

So WHY are employers wasting time over extending job offers? If I can make one important suggestion it is this: PULL THE F@#$ING TRIGGER IF THE CANDIDATE ROCKS YOUR WORLD, because I assure you that he/she will be gone tomorrow!!

What is a "candidate-driven" job market? 

Simply put-when there is a low unemployment rate, there are more jobs and fewer qualified candidates. Job seekers can afford to be pickier about the positions they take-or they may be perfectly content with the job they currently have. 

How to thrive in a candidate-driven market

It is crucial for organizations to understand this marketplace. Dr. John Sullivan, a Silicon Valley HR thought-leader, says that “Candidates no longer tolerate certain behaviors, such as a slow hiring process, lack of feedback, and hiring manager arrogance. Instead, they will simply now withdraw from the hiring process and gladly take another offer. “

A shift in power

Those same quality candidates are now acting differently (i.e. poorly in the eyes of hiring managers) because they have realized that the power equation has shifted in their favor. As a result, Dr. Sullivan adds that “these candidates will also no longer tolerate weak employer brands/company cultures, painfully slow application processes, death by interview, and a distasteful candidate experience.”

Take it from me-a recruiter who has seen and heard it all: Be quick on the trigger when it comes to your company’s next hire, otherwise your competition will!