Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1135882
27.06.19 13 OPINION Josianne Avellino Josianne is a Senior Manager at Misco Selection & Recruitment T he new recruit is late. Aer a weeks-long process of planning and promoting the vacancy an- nouncement, of preparing CVs and sit- ting through interviews, you have final- ly found the team's newest addition and agreed on the terms. But halfway into the morning, and aer four unanswered calls, you start to suspect that the successful candidate might never show up aer all. Talent acquisition was never easy, but with a dynamic jobs market and radical changes in the employer-employee rela- tionship, recruitment has grown into an ever-growing challenge. e recruitment cycle has become un- predictable and, in addition, employers have to deal with demanding behaviour and attitudes by jobseekers. It is becoming unbearably frequent for candidates to pop in and out of the selection process: skipping scheduled interviews without notification only to apply for another position some days later; or failing to return calls but then dropping a cryptic email in the middle of the night. Employees, today, are clearly unim- pressed by the degrees of separation between ranks of authority, and neither do contracts seem to hold any durability when they come up against the chang- ing circumstances of their hectic lives. e new crop of job seekers negoti- ates hard at the table and they are easily responsive to poaching with the aim of advancing rapidly through the ranks. is does not mean that the cur- rent workforce is an assemblage of poor-quality workers. On the contrary, many employees to- day bring a welcome freshness into the workplace: they value creativity and do not hold back from self-initiative, they are well-informed, demonstrate a pas- sion for roles instead of mechanical task-management, and their ambition is contagious. e current economic climate lends itself nicely to their mindset: an ex- panding economy and a low rate of unemployment square perfectly with candidates' expectations of a quick rise through the ranks. Young employees, especially, measure their professional growth in relation to an industry as a whole, tree-swinging their way from one company to anoth- er to elevate their positions rather than pursuing intra-organisational promo- tions. Employers are responding by modify- ing their systems to attract and retain talent, channelling budgets and piling more pressure on the selection process. Companies may feel forced to consider revising their salary strategies to com- pete with others, even outside their sec- tors. Investment in employer branding exercises is also becoming increasing- ly substantial as firms try to induce a sense of purpose and belonging into the workforce. Another strategy that is catching up is the establishment of graduate pro- grammes, allowing companies to form leaders and promoting a long view on enrolment. Not all organisations have the re- sources to execute costly and sustained recruitment tactics, however, and at times the lop-sidedness causes smaller companies to slide out of the selection market altogether. Not only do firms have to make an extra effort to appear on the job seek- er's radar but they also need to defend against the persistent threat of a dis- charge of talent lured by other inviting offers. In this situation, HR managers are tempted to make a beeline for candi- dates active on LinkedIn or Facebook Jobs, jumping the steps in the middle. e result is, often, that the selection pool remains pointlessly narrow and media platforms prove ineffective un- less enough money is thrown at them. Companies need expert partners to assist them with their talent acquisition needs and help maximise the resources at disposal. Recruitment professionals not only cast a wider net for candidates but, more importantly, they have the expe- rience to filter applicants out to signif- icantly decrease churn later along the process. Transferring key responsibilities to professionals relieves the HR function of time-consuming drills, allowing the department to focus on the crucial as- pects of the process. Moreover, recruitment specialists of- fer invaluable advice and perspective on industry trends that enable employers to advance their job propositions with confidence. Recruitment professionals may have more leverage with candidates than in- dividual companies. Applicants think twice about inter- rupting a selection process or breaching agreements when they want to retain a reputation with recruiters. From the candidate's point-of-view, recruitment professionals represent a higher degree of trust, and employers recommended by them carry an im- plied seal of approval. Reliable recruitment specialists seek to understand the vision, culture, and requirements of the employer and ap- proach the market with a more com- plete candidate profile in mind. Recruitment partners worthy of trust do not stop at the most qualified can- didate but use their expertise to find a co-worker who can fulfil the company ethos. Emirates owns half of all operating A380s The recruitment merry-go-round Many employees today bring a welcome freshness into the workplace: they value creativity, do not hold back from self-initiative, and demonstrate a passion for roles instead of mechanical task- management