Hiring Managers, Here’s How NOT to Lose Out on the Best Talent

By Aniket Deo - Senior Consultant, Technology
(Saudi Arabia)

Candidates are in hot demand right now nearly every candidate I speak to is also being approached by several recruiters daily and fielding multiple offers/counter-offers at a time.

Hence, as an employer, it is crucial to do these 3 things right to make sure you are closing offers with candidates that you wish to hire:

1. Invest in employer branding

Employer reputation is a big factor in the Middle East job market - candidates value what big brands can do for their future career prospects. Having an engaging and up-to-date website, a Careers portal and LinkedIn company page are critical even if you aren’t a Fortune 500 company.

Creating strong job descriptions with clear job purpose and as little jargon as possible will attract the right candidates to apply.

Don’t ignore the value of promoting sustainability, CSR and employee engagement initiatives as candidates notice and truly value such initiatives.

Employer branding doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive, but it does require time and effort.

2. Interviewer training

It is imperative that interviewers/hiring managers are trained on how to interview candidates – it sounds simple, but I could write a whole other article on this topic!

One thing that even a lot of good technical interviewers miss out on is ‘selling’ or pitching the job. Every conversation with a candidate is an  opportunity for them to evaluate you, the employer, as much as it is for the you to assess the candidate.

Make sure to spend an extra 15-20 minutes explaining to candidates the business structure, vision, job responsibilities, career progression, etc. Get them excited about the opportunity and help them envision themselves working in your organization.

Sometimes, investing time into these conversations can encourage candidates to accept an offer even if it is slightly lower than a competitor.

3. Be fast and be competitive

By this point you’ve identified the perfect candidate that will do wonders for your business.

Make sure to develop a streamlined offer and onboarding process. Delays at this stage could prove to be deal-breakers in hiring. In the current market, you must assume that every candidate has competing offers so time is of essence.

Doing these three things well will guarantee a better offers-to-acceptance ratio and you won’t lose out on top talent.

I’d be interested in hearing what other steps you are taking as an employer/recruiter in ensuring you successfully hire candidates that you offer. If you’d like to have a chat about hiring talent, exploring new challenges or better understanding the market, please reach out to me on aniketdeo@michaelpage.ae or request a call back.

Meanwhile, visit our Michael Page website for more hiring advice and latest job market insights pertaining to the Middle East.