How to fill last minute vacancies

Jun 13, 2019 | Attraction & marketing

Lucy Grant of Freshminds explains why being realistic about who you want is key to filling last minute vacancies.

As a recruiter I hear the words “we need someone yesterday” a lot. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, in fact it’s exciting for us and it means we know we can take on the challenge immediately. However, to fill these last-minute vacancies there are a few things that companies need to consider.

Getting people on board quickly without compromising on quality is not an easy task. It is a candidate’s market and the good ones get snapped up, so being realistic about your internal recruitment requirements when you need a fast turnaround is key, whether you are looking for a junior administrator or 10 people to join a graduate programme.

 

Setting the right criteria

Think about your criteria – is there something you can be flexible on? For example, do they need to be from a top ten university or have that very specific skillset or perhaps that’s something that could be taught with some training. Sometimes the answer will be yes, but more often than not if you think a candidate is a good fit and will be able to learn quickly they are probably worth considering pretty carefully.

 

Spreading the word

Where are you advertising? You won’t be the only company offering great perks, a competitive salary and a fun culture, so making sure your brand name is out there will really help you to get applications quickly. Job boards and university websites, and even investing in LinkedIn advertising can have more of an impact than you might think.

 

Maximising interviews

Are you getting the most out of interviews? When you finally have a candidate that is good enough on paper are you asking the right questions to draw out potential? There is a lot of emphasis on how the candidate is performing, but interviewers can under-estimate the importance of how they are coming across and what they are asking.  

 

Act quickly

A huge reason why companies struggle to recruit is time. Outsourcing can seem like a headache or another expense, but it can be incredibly beneficial and even save money in the longer-term. Speaking to experienced professionals who have access to a candidate network, understand your situation and even help with all the logistics of the recruitment process can be a really good solution to tight timeframes. To review those CVs or get interviews right you need candidates, and the good ones are hard to come by, so reacting quickly to your staffing shortage and seeking out advice as soon as possible can really make a difference.

 

Be creative

Finally, to grow and be successful companies need great people working for them, but sometimes when we are in a hurry it’s worth thinking outside the box and looking at all possible avenues. Dare to be creative and if you need someone “yesterday” don’t be afraid to try something new.

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