Hiring Slowdown: A "Go-Ahead" for Recruiting

If recent developments in the United States or world economy have brought your hiring plans to a slow crawl or even a halt, you're not alone. Many businesses are reevaluating budgets, implementing hiring freezes or slowing expansion efforts until the economy picks up again.

A lull in hiring, however, doesn't mean that you need to stop your recruiting efforts. In fact, it can be the best time to plan ahead for the moment you're given the green light to start making offers again. Even if the current economic downturn lasts longer than expected, you can develop a zero-growth staffing plan and prepare for future growth at the same time.

Planning for today

Even a zero-growth staffing plan requires some hiring activities. For example, you may still be called upon to replace key workers as attrition takes place. You can stay prepared by taking proactive steps:

1. Create a current skills inventory that helps you understand the minimal skills required for each key process and position. Can a retiring senior engineer, for example, be replaced by an entry-level junior engineer?
2. Identify a staffing firm that can help you on short notice. For example, do you have short-term increases in production demand at certain times of the year? If so, hiring temporary but highly skilled workers can help you keep costs contained while still meeting consumer demand.
3. Use succession planning. In situations in which a hiring freeze doesn't allow any hiring at all, take a good look internally at who can be trained to take over key positions if necessary. Prepare current employees to assume new responsibilities in the coming months, especially in positions in which a retirement seems imminent or a job role is critical.

Preparing for tomorrow

Although no one should take a Pollyanna view of the current economic situation, history indicates that things will turn around eventually. Take a long-term look at your hiring needs and plan for economic recovery — don't wait until you actually have openings to start planning your strategy. If you do, you'll be left behind competitors as the rush to find top talent occurs.

Part of your plan should include breaking down your recruitment efforts into three categories:

1. Active candidates — people who are currently and actively seeking a new position.
2. Partially active candidates — people who look occasionally for work elsewhere.
3. Passive candidates — people who might be interested in a new job but must be proactively sought out.

Once you've identified these different types of candidates, start developing a candidate pipeline. If you screen, interview and manage a continuing relationship with top candidates who are currently employed elsewhere, for example, you'll have a ready supply of talent when you need it on short notice. This approach, called "passive recruiting," keeps you in front of top candidates at all times.

Stay in close touch with the staffing agency you've selected — they can help you with passive recruiting and can assist you in determining candidates for each category. By examining your ongoing talent needs and talent pool population trends, you'll be in the best position possible when business picks up: able to respond quickly with the right candidate for the job.

For the expert help you need to position your organization for future growth, contact Jackie Connors at The Connors Group at 201-537-0006 or by email at jackie@theconnorsgroup.com.