The Great Resignation has really been a Great Reshuffling of workers. Employees have updated preferences, new flexibility needs or expectations, and for many a rethinking of how work fits into their lives. For fear of being left out of the talent attraction musical chairs, companies need to be answering the question “Where does this organization see me in five years?”. Here are some tips on how to navigate having become the small fish in 2022’s big pond of job candidates.
Tip #1: Clearly Define Career Types Which Your Company Employs
- Proactively break down assumptions about what your company does. Consider an automotive dealership like West Herr, with multiple locations. Its success is determined by a symphony of sales, technician, logistical, finance, human resources, and customer service roles – which it showcases on its overarching careers page.
- Share how various job types interact with one another. While an automotive technician might be a good fit for that role to start, by interacting frequently with your logistics team you might actually be recruiting your future purchasing manager.
Tip #2: Call Out Specific Transferrable Skills Which Enable Transitions Between Industries
- Transferrable skills are the Google Translate between workers and employers. Rethink the Great Resignation instead as a mass migration of employees from one industry to another.
- When job markets are tight, employers have the luxury of seeking a close match to their previous hires. Each job posting and interview now requires a proactive effort to find that common ground and treat conversations as if both parties speak different languages.
- Abbreviate those job descriptions to focus on what you truly need for an employee to start in a job - leave out the skills you can develop through on boarding and mentorship. LinkedIn Career Explorer is a great tool to find those transferrable skills.
- Track the previous employer for each new hire as well as conduct exit interviews with resigning employees. Intentionally ask what aspects of their new job will be similar to their previous role. Not only can this help you shore up employee retention, but you might even uncover skills which can help your company innovate its products or services.
Tip #3: Present Clear Career Progression Pathways to Both Existing and Prospective Employees
- Include “Next Steps” for every rung on the company ladder, especially for entry-level roles.
- Call out any tuition assistance your company offers, along with suggested upskilling programs that tuition could pay for to facilitate career advancement.
- Share success stories of employees who have advanced through the ranks – hint: you won’t be moving the needle on talent attraction and retention if the only story is of the CEO.
