No matter if you’re running a fast-paced, well-known technology firm, or a small, locally-based electrical company, hiring the right people is an absolute must when it comes to helping your business grow.
Of course, one thing that can play a key role in this process is the current hiring trends at play in your market, all of which could help determine whether or not the person you’re interviewing is the right fit for your company.
However, if you’re not really used to hiring new staff, and you have no idea what hiring trends to look out for, then you might not really be sure where to start, which is exactly why we’ve pulled together this guide on current hiring trends.
From working out what sort of employee you’re after to remote hiring trends to bear in mind, we’ve covered everything you need to know about bringing in new staff to make the hiring process that much simpler!
What are the most common hiring trends?
First things first, let’s take a look at what the current most common hiring trends are, to help give you that much better an idea of what to consider when looking at taking new staff onboard.
Currently, some of the most popular hiring trends include:
- Gender diversity – gone are the days of the office being a boy’s only club, with women becoming more and more prominent hires in every industry, particularly when it comes to hiring trends in technology sectors.
- Experience – an age-old hiring trend, and one that will never really change, no matter the job you do, experience will always trump base knowledge when it comes to finding the right candidate.
- Upskilling from within – although hiring new staff can be incredibly beneficial, sometimes it’s cheaper to promote staff from within your company, which may be why we’re seeing a substantial increase in internal staff upskilling in all markets.
- AI experience – it might not be the game-changing piece of technology everyone dreams it to be, but AI is certainly leaving its mark on every industry, and businesses of all sizes are already looking for those with AI experience to help make use of this futuristic tech.
- Skills not degrees – in a similar vein to increased demands for experienced workers, many businesses are now seeking fresh-faced employees with the skills they need to do the job, rather than whether or not they have degrees. After all, knowing the theory of a job is not the same as doing it yourself.
What are the five steps to follow when hiring a new employee?
Now that you have an idea of the current hiring trends being followed at the moment, we can now turn our attention to the five core steps you need to bear in mind when making any new hire.
With these in your repertoire, you’ll have no issue finding the perfect person to fit your latest role:
1. Decide whether you’re looking for an employee or an independent contractor
Consider the position you’re hiring for. What are the time commitments for this work? How much have you budgeted for compensation? Do you plan for this hire to be permanent or temporary?
Once you’ve asked yourself these questions, decide whether you’re interested in hiring a part or a full-time employee, or an independent contractor. Either type of worker can be an excellent addition to your team, but their effectiveness will depend on what your hiring needs are.
For example, you might feel you need a receptionist to answer some of your incoming calls, but not necessarily on a full-time basis. In that case, hiring a temporary live answering service or a virtual receptionist, such as those we employ at VoiceNation, might be perfect for your needs.
By deciding on an employee or an independent contractor first, you’ll be better able to tailor your recruitment plan to fill your open position as you move forward in the hiring process.
2. Obtain your EIN
Once you know the type of employment you’re planning to offer, it’s time to get your Employer Identification Number set up, otherwise known as an EIN.
This nine-digit taxpayer identification number is used by the IRS to identify your business. And while some entities like sole proprietorships aren’t required to have an EIN, most businesses must have their EIN set up in order to hire employees.
If you’re unsure whether or not you need an EIN, you can always take this quick test from the IRS to be sure. After determining your need for an EIN, you can then apply online for your identification number.
3. Make a recruitment plan
Next, it’s time to turn to whoever is in charge of recruitment and settle on a plan for how you want to go about this process. For example, what are the timelines you need to adhere to and what skills are looking for in a candidate?
All of these questions are important to consider when it comes to your hiring process. And seeing as most small businesses won’t have a full HR department to create and implement a recruitment plan, especially when you’re just starting out, you may have to step in and decide these for yourself before you can hand it over to the designated team members.
However, the good news is that by creating a plan that you can easily follow each time you need to hire a new employee, you’ll be able to streamline the entire process at a much faster pace than if you attempt to start from scratch with each new role.
4. Clearly define your new role
With a recruitment plan in place, it’s now time to implement it! Take the time to make an ideal candidate profile before writing your job descriptions, so that future applicants have a clear picture of precisely what you’re looking for.
The more detailed you are in your posts, the more accurate your application pool will be. If you don’t clearly outline your candidate’s desires, you’ll have to take additional time out of your recruitment plan to sort through unnecessary applications that don’t fit your needs.
5. Evaluate your pool of applicants
Finally, with your pool of candidates filled, it’s time to evaluate them. Evaluating your pool of applicants is the last and most essential step in hiring a new employee. It’s incredibly important that you allow yourself ample time to go through each application to find the right fit and don’t rush the process to fill the position faster.
When you rush, you could gloss over someone who may end up being the perfect for your business. So, once you’ve ruled out some applications and you have a reasonable number of final candidates, you can contact this shortlist to set up phone and in-person or virtual interviews to determine your final choice.
Can you outsource recruitment for your business
Although you might want to manage every part of the recruitment process for your business, the truth is that you simply might not have the time necessary to dedicate to this important process.
Fortunately, there is some good news on this front, as recruitment outsourcing is a very common practice nowadays, especially when it comes to remote hiring trends. For example, many businesses now outsource receptionist positions rather than taking on desk staff permanently.
Best of all, this sort of process still lets you handle the initial stages of recruitment before transferring the process onto a trained professional to find the best candidates for your job opening.
Naturally, you’ll still be in charge of the interview process as well as the final decision-making elements, but having a third party advertising the role, forwarding you candidates, and handling incoming calls can save you a lot of time to focus on your day-to-day work.
Streamline your hiring process with VoiceNation
Hopefully, you now have a better idea of what to think about and the steps to follow the next time you need to hire new staff. And one way you can streamline your hiring process right now could be to work with a live answering service, such as the team at VoiceNation.
Our virtual receptionists and live chat agents are some of the best in the business, delivering first-class customer service at a price that’s perfect for small and big businesses alike.
Get in touch today to learn more about our services, price packages, and our free trial period. With our team’s help, we’ll make sure you’re able to focus on building the best team possible while maintaining the excellent customer service skills that your clients have come to expect.