Don't Wait to Hire: Why Exceptional Candidates Are Always Moving, Even in Tough Markets
Why economic downturns don't slow down the best performers
In today`s article I am going to go over why good candidates always in demand regardless of market conditions.
Breakdown:
Our candidate and why he is good
Playbook on how we got him into our client fast
Reality of the market, pitching against other opportunities
What candidates, recruiters and hiring managers can learn
How you can retain talent in today`s ultra competitive market
A-Player in Demand
You know a candidate is good when companies reach out to them directly.
This is the case for our Mr. X.
Mr. X. has built a high level portfolio in a niche specialization, PLM.
PLM stands for Product Lifecycle Management a way to coordinate all aspects of a product’s journey from initial concept through design, manufacturing, sales, and eventual end.
Its a high in demand skill, and if you are well versed and experienced in this it can command a lot of dollars.
Mr. X is also bilingual, meaning, he does business in English and Japanese.
That makes him even more valuable.
Getting Him to Our Client
We work a lot in the technology space and one of our clients is a well known PLM vendor.
There was no opening headcount with them but we knew if the right person landed in front of them, they`d consider it.
We targeted the decision makers within the company, drafted a brief email with the candidate`s background, key experience and highlights then sent him off.
The client was interested to meet them.
Within a few days we had Mr. X meet with them, and in less than 10 days an offer was out.
Competing Against Other Offers
Ah yes….
We patted ourselves on the back. Not only did we close the deal but we got our candidate an outstanding job with a leader in his industry.
But wait, other interviews and other offers?
You got it.
Just when you think things are going your way, they turn around to bite you in the #$s!!
Unbeknownst to us, there were two other companies he was meeting with.
One had a verbal offer out to him, the other was in the final stages of the interview process.
So we waited, kept our client warm and kept Mr. X interested in our opportunity.
In a week, he decided to drop the one position he was still interviewing so it was down to our offer and the other company.
We finessed it in way that logically presented the pros and cons of each opportunity. There is so much you can do but at the end of the day the candidate will choose what`s in their best interest, luckily for us, Mr. X chose our role.
Things To Take Away
For Candidates
Valuable experience is always in demand whether we are in a recession or economic boom.
Keep your pulse on the market and see where trends are going; focus on those skills.
Don`t rely on one company, you should be constantly reaching out to your network and community on potential opportunities.
Get things started now - the interview process can be long, often several weeks or months, plan accordingly.
For Recruiters
A good candidate is worth their weight in gold, start building relationships with people and develop those relationships, you never know when the timing is right to make a good match.
Be a good communicator and advisor - recruiters should be studying up on their field of expertise, voraciously reading articles and books, and creating content demonstrating their abilities.
Never rest on your laurels, good candidates never stay in the market long.
By the same token, be an advocate for your clients, they pay you to be a sounding board for them and bring in A-level talent.
For Hiring Managers
Constantly be on the lookout for good talent, for good talent is worth their weight in gold.
Use all sourcing modalities, 1) your internal recruiting team, 2) employee referrals, 3) headhunters, 4) job boards and other ways to bring in talent.
While you are interviewing the candidate the candidate is also interviewing you - be ready to answer any questions that they may have, be positive and friendly.
Don`t take too long to make a decision, some companies take weeks or months and this can turn candidates off.
Be flexible in compensation, being too rigid in your comp scheme will have you ending up losing candidates based on a few dollars.
Retaining Talent in 2025 and Beyond
Good candidates never stay in the market long.
The cost of a missed hire can be millions of lost revenue for your company and millions of dollars in revenue for your competitor.
Candidates, companies and recruiters are all moving parts in a fast moving pinball game, in order to win you need to keep your balls and fingers moving….
Howard operates between the tech epicenters of Tokyo and San Francisco, bridging East and West as a specialized recruiter in AI and emerging technologies. His weekly articles explore AI-driven career strategies and the future of work in tech.
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