Hiring in a Tight Candidate Market

The struggle to find talented candidates is as difficult as ever. With the unemployment rate at or near 2.5% in the greater Tampa Bay area, it is a safe bet that (barring a relocation or unforeseen circumstance) most, if not all, talented professionals are currently employed. This can present problems for both the hiring manager and job seeker alike.

Whether you are an employer searching for a superstar or a professional looking for the next step in your career, it pays to consider your options carefully. Although many high-tech shortcuts now exist in the hiring process, nothing can replace one on one interaction. This will always remain the most effective method for screening applicants or potential employers. The utilization of an experienced recruiter can significantly reduce this screening time by introducing the applicable individual only to those people or situations, which match their needs. With 11 years experience in the accounting and recruiting arena, Norstrem & Associates is prepared to assist hiring managers and opportunity seekers in creating that crucial match.

To the employer, there is no easy solution to this problem. Employers must be utilizing all available resources in finding talented employees. In addition, once potential candidates are identified, employers must screen them carefully. One common pitfall occurs when a candidate has a decent resume, a good personality and presents well in an interview setting. The temptation is to take the resume at face value and not ask tough questions in the interview. After all, who wants to rain on the parade? You have your person, right?! Bearing in mind there is no perfect candidate; each applicant should receive a thorough screening. Every person has areas for potential development, and the interviewer needs to find if these areas are actually deficiencies involving the minimum qualifications for the position. Even with the best of intentions, a candidate hired into a situation like this could be precluded from being successful. Truly, this can be the most costly part of the hiring process - hiring the wrong person.

To the job seeker, a vigorous employment market can be a mixed blessing. On the one hand, job offers can come quickly and in bunches. On the other hand, a candidate can be faced with the issue of making a decision more quickly than perhaps he/she otherwise would. Candidates must be mentally prepared to accept a new position before they begin to interview lest they lose an offer due to indecision. Also, with talent currently running at a premium, applicants must be certain to ask thorough questions in the interview. These questions should relate to reason for the opening; recent turnover; and management style. As a potential member of this organization, the applicant owes it to him/herself to discover the answers to these questions. With patience and an intelligent approach, a successful job search can certainly be completed in this market.