Do you feel like there’s no one on the market to fill your open positions?
Earlier this week I came across a post on LinkedIn on this very topic. In this post, the OP complains about what they describe as a “depleted” labor market, saying they can’t find anyone to fill even a relatively entry level position. “Someone who can write an email and doesn’t take half a day doing that,” or something along those lines.
While I can empathize with this desperate CEO’s struggle, I couldn’t help but wonder, WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? WHAT DOES THE WORLD OWE YOU? Wait a moment…Let’s try again and reflect….
I mean, I couldn’t help but wonder, what is it THEY do to attract people? I don’t recall a single sentence in the fairly lengthy post that would make the opportunity to work for this person in any way appealing. My impression was “I’m just looking for someone barely over the idiot line, and most of the people out there are below it.” Oh my sweet summer child, I thought in response, you see the world through a very narrow slit. Try reframing your frustration and take another point of view? Maybe your company’s culture sucks to the level that only idiots would apply, and that is your selection pool? You realize there are smart people all around you, they just don’t seem to want to work for you. So, instead of complaining on LinkedIn (did you really think that would make you look good and bring you a star candidate?), how about looking inwards?
Tiffany Bova in her book “The Experience Mindset” writes the line “everyone is a volunteer.” I love this line. Forget about the fact you are offering people a job, and you are actually going to pay them. Focus on all the other reasons why the right person should want to work (volunteer) for you. You nail that, you learn to communicate the message clearly to the world, and you won’t have a problem. I promise.
In today’s labor market, especially in industries suffering from labor shortage, we need to think about how do WE compete. Just think of team members in the same way you think of customers. What are the needs we are fulfilling? What does the right fit for our organization look like? What other options do they have, and how do we ensure that we are a uniquely great fit for them? You wouldn’t ever say “the customers are idiots, they are buying from someone else then us.” You would start figuring out why, and try to fix it. Same applies here.
How do you make sure you are attractive to the right candidates?
