How to Find Great Candidates in Seattle (During a Talent Shortage)

By Jezabel Southard

Posted on March 13, 2015

Seattle’s employment data continues to outpace national employment numbers – which is great for both businesses and job seekers, but it means stiff competition for the best talent.

Contributing Factors:

• Formerly stagnant sectors are now seeing substantial growth, including construction, finance and the tech sector.
• Continued growth in business then powers expansion throughout the service sector, increasing demand for retail and hospitality employees.
• Boomers who postponed retirement due to economic uncertainty, are now taking another look at leaving the workforce. With nearly 25 percent of Seattle’s workforce at or near retirement age, that’s a lot of backfilling to do.

How Can You Beat The Competition To The Best People?

Leverage Social Media

Keep the local talent market aware of the opportunities available at your company. Use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to discuss projects you are working on, open positions and community activities. Most importantly, use social media to engage with potential employees. The beauty of social media is that it creates the ability to have informal two-way dialogue. Answer any questions that may arise and respond to any comments. Demonstrate that your company has a great culture. Turn it into a target company for top talent.

Enlist the Help of Experts

Work with a staffing and recruiting agency. They have insights into where the best people are working now and who might be ready to make a change. They can even seek out people at your competitors to find the skills you need.

Request Employee Referrals

Your fastest, most reliable talent source is your existing employees. Chances are, they will know someone with the skills and experience you are looking for. And they will be able to give you an honest assessment of how well the candidate will fit into the organization.

Rely on your Network

Stay active in the community. Attend industry events, visit college campuses or develop an internship program. Host a happy hour or give seminars that will attract the kind of candidates you want. The more time you spend out where your potential employees are, the better your chances of finding the right people are.

Improve Your Postings

Rewrite job postings or advertisements from the perspective of the people you want to attract. Typical job postings are a wish list of what you want, but when talent is in demand, they will want to know what’s in it for them.

At TERRA Staffing, our experienced recruiters can help you compete for talent in even the most demanding markets. Contact us today to learn more about our staffing services in the Pacific Northwest.

Categories: HR and Management Advice, Staffing Tips & Recruiting Trends

Tags: Finding Candidates in Seattle, How to Find Top Candidates in Seattle, Seattle Recruiting, Seattle Recruiting Services, Seattle Talent Shortage, Seattle Talent Strategies

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