singtel logo
Personal
Business
Products & Services
SMB
Enterprise
Insights
Support
Why Us
About Us

Revamp your hiring process to find the best talent

There is a wave of employee resignations going on today that is leaving businesses understaffed. The true impact of this trend is even more significant than just loss of headcount, but SMB owners can take steps to intervene and prevent the worst.

FacebookTwitterLinkedIn
Revamp your hiring process to find the best talent

Key takeaways

  • 74% of Singaporean professionals are looking to quit their current job this year, as many across the world have recently
  • SMB owners should act early so that they can be ready to hire the best talent in the event of mass resignations
  • Rethinking the hiring process should involve more insightful job descriptions, an eye on improving the business’ digital reputation and approaching recruitment as a long-term relationship

Revamp your hiring process to find the best talent

22 September 2022 | SMB, Digitalisation | 5 min read

Like in many countries across the world, a wave of mass resignations is presenting businesses with the challenge of finding new talent quickly. According to a recent Michael Page survey, 74% of Singaporean professionals are looking to quit their current job this year.

These employees resign citing various reasons such as a search for better pay, career prospects and work-life balance. As such, SMB owners are being forced to examine their hiring practices, so that they can attract the best talent with the intention of retaining them for the long term.

This may also be a good opportunity to completely rethink the entire candidate recruitment process and gain an edge over other firms that may have put a freeze on hiring. Here are some ways to revamp your hiring process.

Rethink the job description

Why not start at the beginning – by rethinking the job description? For so long, we have accepted a standard job description to be one that checks a few boxes – company background, roles and responsibilities and skills required. To catch the attention of the discerning job seeker, your job description needs to stand out from the crowd.

That could mean replacing traditional sections and phrasing with a more personal tone, a section on what the role would require on a day-to-day basis and the impact that can be made in the organisation. 

While the general sentiment is that salary is a must in the job description, this may not be realistic for every SMB. If so, try to specify a range, or additional monetary perks that may be available. 

Pro tip: Put yourself in the shoes of the ideal candidate and think about what information they will need in a job description. Anticipate the type of questions that a good candidate may ask, such as what success would look like for them in six months, a year and their long-term prospects. 

"Sell" the role by emphasising perks

Remember that the hiring process is a two-way conversation. It is as much a chance for you to win over the candidate as it is for them to impress you with their application. Try to list all the perks that you can in the job description – be it a company laptop, 5G mobile data plans , coffee machines or more.

If you offer hybrid work or flexible arrangements, make sure to specify that in the job description as well. Candidates may also be keen to know whether they will have the right technology and tools to work in such flexible environments.

Remember to share details of any tools that you may be using such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace that will facilitate collaboration between employees. 

73% of employees in Southeast Asia say they want better technology in the office, according to the  EY 2021 Work Reimagined Employee Survey.

Source: https://www.ey.com/en_id/news/2021/07/majority-of-surveyed-southeast-asia-sea-employees-prefer-not-to-return1

Manage your digital reputation

Today’s job seekers have access to resources like Glassdoor and LinkedIn that help them do plenty of research on a company before even submitting their application for a role. Glassdoor reviews allow your current employees to share their feedback about the CEO, salary and work culture anonymously while LinkedIn can be used by candidates to reach them for inside tips and perspectives.

This is why it is important to make sure that your Glassdoor page has more positive reviews than negative. Check if your best performing employees can leave a positive review or if they can talk about working for you on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. It is natural to have a few negative reviews on Glassdoor but you should look at these as opportunities to engage, take criticism and present a measured response.

62% of Glassdoor users agree their perception of a company improves after seeing an employer respond to a review.

Source

Look at building a long-term relationship with a candidate

You may reach the final stages of a discussion with an ideal candidate, only for them to turn down the offer for a better opportunity, or other personal reasons. Don’t be discouraged and as you move on to others, keep communication open with your first choice candidate. If they had a good experience during the recruitment process, they might remember you for future opportunities.

This also works for any current staff who may be leaving, as there are numerous instances of “boomerang employees” who return to their former jobs after working elsewhere for a while.

Seek the help of recruitment experts

If you are pressed for time in hiring a new candidate, it is also worth considering getting the help of external recruiters or agencies. This means you can offload the task of sifting through resumes, intro calls for sharing your company background, preparing job descriptions, scheduling interview dates and more to an external agent. 

Other articles you may like

How the Productivity Solutions Grant helps SMBs stay competitiveShare
Nov 2024 | Business Connect
SMB, digitalisation
How the PSG helps SMBs stay competitive
Innovation and technology need not be out-of-reach and expensive. For SMBs willing to take the jump, the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) helps to support companies keen on adopting IT solutions.
Read More
5 basic SMB cybersecurity tips that still work todayShare
Nov 2024 | Business Connect
SMB, cyber security, cloud, digitalisation
5 basic SMB cybersecurity tips that still work today
Owing to their smaller sizes and lack of resources compared to larger enterprises, SMBs can become easier targets for cyber criminals. By following these tried-and-tested cybersecurity best practices, they can reduce the odds of cyber incidents today.
Read More
5 things to consider when choosing your business broadbandShare
Nov 2024 | Business Connect
SMB, digitalisation, connectivity
5 things to consider when choosing your business broadband
Whether you are a new business setting up broadband for your office, or you're looking to switch to another plan, keep in mind these five questions before you make the decision.
Read More
Load more

Ready to get more out of digitalising your business?

© Singtel (CRN: 199201624D) All Rights Reserved.