Keep An Open Mind

Last week we posted that the most powerful piece of advice we can share with candidates is the power of positivity and keeping an open mind. We deliberated about this post because when you are emotionally floored from losing your job, or you are wading through overwhelming feelings induced by the job search process, positivity may lie on the very edge of your emotional spectrum.

But we received encouraging comments to the post so venture to continue our theme, this time with hiring managers in mind.

Clients have shared that one of their business risks for 2016 is "People". For some there's anxiety that headcount cuts have left surviving employees under extreme pressure and certain business areas exposed. For those working in industries where niche skills are in short supply there's apprehension over the ability to attract re-locators to Aberdeen, while others are concerned about their talent pipeline with training restricted and succession plans jettisoned.

Amid these valid concerns it is staggering that hiring managers are rejecting candidates because they have been made redundant.

Another reason we often hear for rejecting a candidate is the potential flight risk of someone who has worked in the lucrative oil and gas industry for years. With improved conditions not anticipated before 2018 there's an opportunity to benefit from at least 2 years of working. And why presume people will want to return to the oil and gas industry?

Candidates will also be recommended who have unconventional patterns of employment. People are accepting a wide range of jobs in order to generate an income for their families. Perhaps their tenacity and attitude should be admired rather than their CV written off as "jumpy" or "sporadic".

Some employers view the current market as an opportunity to source the "perfect" employee from a sea of available talent. Drilling down into the minutiae of a job specification and searching for a candidate who can 100% fulfill every single criteria, while also being the right team fit, is unrealistic and significantly increases the time to hire. It also contributes to the flight risk concern because if an employee has no opportunity to develop it will be harder to retain them in the longer term.

Currently, job hunting and recruitment share an important attribute – confidence.

We ask our candidates to keep an open mind, remain positive, determined and confident in their future. But hiring managers should too. If the correct business need has been identified and a robust job specification and skills set determined then hire with confidence and take advantage of this time to benefit from the exceptional people who are ready and willing to work productively in your organisation.