5 Pitfalls When Recruiting Digital Talents

5 Pitfalls When Recruiting Digital Talents

If you deal with recruiting tasks on a regular basis, then you know how tedious and time-consuming these task can be in order for it to truly be crowned with success at the very end. In this article, we would like to share our experiences and want to help you avoid the the many pitfalls there are at recruiting digital talents and help you overcome them more easily.
 

Digitization is currently foreign territory for many companies. Accordingly, it can be difficult to identify the existing skill gaps based on the desired digitization strategy and to derive the right actions from them. Hasty conclusions are quickly drawn. Solid recruiting work ideally begins after determining the company's digital maturity level, when the following questions have been clarified:

• How do I identify tomorrow's customer needs?
• How do I develop digital business models of the future
• Am I technically capable of implementing these digital business options?
• Is my corporate culture suitable for realizing these digital business options?
• Do my employees have the necessary skills?
• Are we really ready for digital change?

Often, we see digital talent being sought even though there is no strategy or insight into what skills will really move the business forward. We regularly see that external searches are made because the internal potential of employees is not recognized. One of the biggest challenges is to correctly identify the existing skills gaps and plan which talents and competencies will be needed and thus must be acquired from outside of the company to push the digitalization strategy forward. Understanding this and being able to see what talents are needed and what skillsets you are lacking as a company will remain a challenge, especially as there will be new jobs and challenges in the future that do not exist today.

Therefore, what is most important is the flexibility of your digital talents to adapt quickly to changes and must be willing to learn and evolve. Take the time to understand and define your company's digital maturity level and the skill gaps and job descriptions derived from it to avoid time-consuming and costly wrong decisions.

Also, when hiring digital talents you have to be ready for digital change, otherwise your digital talents will get easily frustrated if they can’t do what they were hired to do in the first place.
 

Sometimes in recruiting, it seems like you have to find the needle in the haystack. The search is arduous, so many companies are inclined to settle for a candidate who is not an ideal fit, just to get the vacancy filled. This strategy has rarely worked. Instead, it's better to build a smaller pipeline of more qualified talents over a larger number of applications. This is where patience and persistence pays off, so you don't settle for a poor choice. Moreover, clearly define the differentiation criteria for varying levels of applicants during the application process.

In parallel, get into the habit of expanding and maintaining your network. Also, keep in touch with employees who are leaving your company. "You always see each other twice in life" is a popular saying, and former employees can be a helpful resource for finding the right digital talent. Recruiting is additionally easier when you have a trusted advocate for your company.
 

A strategic task is to attract the attention of top candidates not only offline, but also online. A bit of weekly or monthly maintenance is not ‘going to cut it’, because applicants search on rating portals such as Glassdoor and read everything they can find. They want to be sure they are applying to a reputable, good and suitable employer.

Building a strong employer branding will not only succeed by uploading pretty images or videos, but above all through real reports from your employees. Let them speak their mind and say what they value about your company and what it’s like to work with you. Real images and storytelling make your company a credible and convey your values.

Respond competently and kindly to comments and reviews about your employer branding on social media. Invite existing employees to share their experiences on social media and on the website in the form of videos and blogs. During the recruiting process, make sure that, if possible, all applicants have a positive experience with the company, even if they don't end up getting the job.

This includes making the initial contact as well as the first interview a positive experience. Take both a personal and relevant approach. Show that you took the time to look at the candidate's profile and explain why you think they would be a good fit. Even if the candidate is not convincing during the interview: continue to be friendly and answer questions, such as the responsibilities of the position, who they would report to, or questions about the location.

After the interview, it is important to provide feedback to candidates, even if they are not shortlisted. Provide a clear timeline in advance so candidates know when they can expect feedback. Always make sure to be politically correct and not discriminate against anyone.
 

It is true that patience is required until the ideal candidate for the job is found. However, that doesn't legitimize an inefficient recruiting process that drags on longer than necessary and frustrates potential candidates. Clear evaluation criteria help ensure that hiring teams can competently and quickly communicate and evaluate candidates.

Analyze which part of your recruiting process takes the most time. Streamline administrative processes to make decisions as quickly as possible. Minimize the manual tasks of your hiring team by relying on applicant tracking systems (ATS), automated recruiting features and appropriate CRMs, e.g. to stay actively in touch and in communication with candidates during the process.
 

From our 20+ years of experience in various digitization projects, we know that large and very time consuming task cannot be accomplished single-handedly. Don't be afraid to enlist help to get there better and faster. Whether it's identifying digital maturity levels and skills gaps, creating concise job descriptions, building an internal talent pool, or attracting external candidates to your organization. You don't have to do it alone.
 

We're happy to help - contact us under.