Earlier this week, we started to address some of the obstacles facing active candidates, quiet candidates, hiring managers, and recruiters. We kicked things off by looking at the problems many active candidates have finding the right type of recruiter, so we thought it only fair that we should look the difficulties recruiters (internal and otherwise) have finding (and keeping) top talent.We’ve reached a point in many industries where there are more jobs than candidates. This is what some like to call a “candidate friendly” environment. What it means for recruiters is that they’re often not the only one with an offer for top talent. So, how do they compete? In a world where anyone can get all the information they need with a few mouse clicks, how does a recruiter ensure that her job offer is top on the candidate’s list? Well, as simple as it sounds, getting there first might be half the battle. Shally Steckerl had this to say in a recent interview with David Dalka:

“The clearest competitive advantage is being first in reaching top talent that has not yet considered other opportunities. First we must identify where that talent is, but then we also must quick reach them before our competitors find then. Having the first chance to offer a top candidate new opportunities is much more advantageous than being very fast at reacting to the same candidates that have applied at every competitor.” (From Creating Revenue and Retention)

Being the first to reach a quiet candidate is key, but it doesn’t make it a done deal. Candidates can easily find other recruiters or seek out openings directly with a company, so many suggest that in order to keep top talent on board it’s key to “control” the application atmosphere:

“You can control the process and environment your applicant goes through when you meet with him/her. Making sure that the process and people are in line with the image you want to convey is all important. You may have some external (non-HR) decisions that are impacting your recruiting process, and making sure your interview process can successfully address some of the external chatter is your mission in life. For example, if you just did a layoff, you can be sure that these ex-employees are slamming your company on the yahoo finance discussion boards.” (From Systematic HR)

Access and control are key to any recruiter’s cause, whether they’re on their own or internal. We believe that both of these needs will be served by a system that is truly designed for working professionals who already have a job, but who want something more. We’ll make finding the top talent among quiet candidates faster and easier for recruiters. We’ll also allow recruiters to convey exactly why the job is the right match for the candidate. It doesn’t mean you’ll be able to keep them in the dark about other offers, but it does mean you’ll have an easier time keeping their attention.