In today's healthy job market, you'd think finding talent would be pretty easy, but actually, the opposite seems to be true. A good 93% of CFOs say they're having a hard time finding skilled candidates for open accounting and finance jobs, according to staffing firm Robert Half, and that the hiring process for these roles lasts a month, on average, for staff-level workers, and five weeks for management-level employees.
Part of the problem, of course, stems from the fact that jobs are indeed abundant these days, so workers have their pick of the litter. But if your company is having challenges finding skilled employees, it could also boil down to problems with your job descriptions.
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Are your job descriptions accurate?
One reason your company might be struggling to attract talent (or the right talent) is that your job descriptions aren't clear enough. Therefore, be as specific as possible when detailing the requirements needed to apply for a given role, and the day-to-day responsibilities that position entails. A good bet in this regard is to seek input from the people at your company who are already in similar roles. After all, they're the ones doing those jobs every day, and can perhaps help you craft descriptions that give candidates a sense of what they'll be signing up for.
At the same time, be sure to include some verbiage in your job descriptions about what it's like to work for your company in general. If you support a casual dress code, encourage teamwork, and offer plenty of growth opportunities, make that clear.
That last point is important, because nobody wants to sign up for a dead-end role, whether it's managerial in nature or not. Along these lines, if your company is growing, make a point of mentioning that so candidates are more inspired to apply. This especially holds true if you're a smaller business, which can sometimes be a red flag for applicants by itself.
Are you talking up your workplace benefits?
It's common practice to avoid listing salary details in a job description -- but that doesn't mean you shouldn't highlight the benefits of working for your company. If your firm offers perks like great health insurance, a generous 401(k) plan match, free food, and plenty of paid time off, say so.
Furthermore, if you're willing to offer flexible work arrangements, it pays to make that clear from the get-go. These days, most workers are struggling to achieve a decent work-life balance, so the opportunity to potentially work from home or have scheduling leeway is a definite plus.
If your business is having a hard time finding talent, it might also be time to reset some expectations. Loosening up on a few less critical requirements on your job listings might naturally expand your applicant pool, thereby increasing your chances of finding qualified individuals for the roles you have open. The more flexible you're willing to be when sourcing talent, the greater your chances of filling open roles sooner -- as long as you're willing to sort through extra resumes to find those shining stars.
