Recruiting professionals in a candidate short market

Two-thirds of businesses do not have a plan for hiring white collar staff in ‘talent short’ markets, despite rising demand and increasingly competitive hiring conditions, according to the latest Robert Walters whitepaper - 'Recruiting Professionals in a Candidate Short Market'.

Download the whitepaper in full.

In many cases, the roots of talent shortages can be traced back to the recession, when staff investment and succession planning was assigned a relatively low priority. As a result, recruiting the right professionals has become increasingly difficult.

“Amid an improving economic climate, the ‘dash for talent’ is creating a real headache for employers. In some areas, there is a perception that there are simply not enough qualified candidates to go round,” says Colin Loth, Managing Director at Robert Walters.

Strategies adopted to manage candidate shortages

Of the employers that have a plan in place, over 40% said they would consider appointing an interim or contract professional to manage skill shortages, while approximately a quarter said they were developing a succession plan or recruiting from talent pools they hadn't explored in the past.

Promoting job opportunities

While heightened demand has generated double-digit pay rises for some professionals - in contrast with a broader pattern of sluggish wage growth - the whitepaper reveals that many are equally drawn to a new job by factors such as a healthy work-life balance, interesting assignments or training opportunities. 

"Sensible preparation can help employers attract the right professionals," adds Loth. "Reducing the time from interview to offer, for instance, or communicating your organisation’s excellent career progression opportunities, are just two ways of enhancing your ability to make the right hire."

Two-thirds of businesses do not have a plan for hiring white collar staff in ‘talent short’ markets, despite rising demand and increasingly competitive hiring conditions.

Download the whitepaper in full.