DECEMBER 2021HR TECH OUTLOOK8Shephali Gaier, Director of Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding, Watkins WellnessByWhat's the "secret sauce" to hiring talent? Go back to humanizing the candidate experience. In today's labor market, with a plethora of jobs available and a shortage of available workers, we are all competing for the same talent. How does an employer stand out from the rest, secure that right candidate, and build their organization with qualified people for their business needs? Personalize the hiring process. No, I don't mean ask personal questions and violate everything we were taught in terms of dos and don'ts of interviewing, I mean focus on creating a personalized experience and connecting with candidates during the recruitment process. Accepting a job offer can be like buying a house. No matter what we might put on our check list, sometimes it's just that feeling that we get as we walk into the house that leads to our decision to go for it. The same goes for accepting a job offer. In most cases, it's that feeling we get through the recruitment process that leads to our decision to join the company or not. The importance of creating an emotional connection during the hiring process often goes highly underrated. To win the "war on talent", we need treat people like people. As a Talent Acquisition (TA) leader, my philosophy is simple: 1) People are important! 2) Candidates are our customers. 3) Everything that job seekers experience reflects and impacts the company's employer brand and product brand. 4) We should leverage technology to help us, but not to replace human interaction, especially during key points in the process. 5) Every candidate, whether they get the job or not, should have a positive experience during the recruitment process. 6) Word travels fast. Job seekers will share their experience ­ especially if it's notably good or bad.Create a ConnectionCreating a personalized approach and an emotional connection from the start of the process will help your company stand out. Extra effort taken to engage the candidate, create that connection, and that feeling of being valued, will help build interest and secure that offer acceptance. You might also consider how you can involve not only the candidate, but the family as well. In many cases, it's not only the candidate making that offer decision. There's often a spouse, significant other, parents, or other family members who influence that decision. Offering to speak to family members to answer questions or inviting the family for a tour (or virtual tour) can go a long way and is simple to do.Where does candidate experience and that emotional connection exactly start? Does it start when the recruiting team makes first contact with the job seeker? Is it at the onset of the interview process? When is their first impression created?The "experience" starts well before the employer ever interacts with the candidate. It starts with the Employer Brand, continues with the job postings, HUMANIZING THE CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE©Shephali Gaier
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