Recruiters continue to tough it out in this crazy talent market. Many of us thought 2022 would be the year things level out but the crazy continues. I like to use music as a way to escape the chaos of life and inspire me to push forward. Here’s an updated recruiter play list for you to check out and why I think these songs speak to the times we’re in.
If you want to catch up on the first songs, check out the post The 2022 Top Recruiter Song Playlist (Part 1).
People Like Us
Oh, people like us we’ve gotta stick together
Keep your head up, nothing lasts forever
Here’s to the damned to the lost and forgotten
It’s hard to get high when you’re living on the bottomOh, woah-oh-oh, woah-oh
We are all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh, woah-oh-oh, woah-oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us
With a sharp rise in the talent wars, coupled with dealing with a Great Resignation, where about four million Americans leave their jobs over an all-too-common basis, recruiters are left feeling burned out. Faced with a high turnover rate, recruiters are often put in difficult positions, left working longer hours, under heavier workloads, under greater stress and pressure.
Companies struggling to win the talent game should focus on and attempt to alleviate recruiter burnout. You will not only increase the ROI of hiring, you will have a positive impact on your hiring teams work-life balance along the way, thus protecting your hiring team and ending recruiting burnout forever. Whether you are a C-level executive concerned for your hiring team, or you are a recruiter yourself, these tips and tricks can help you mitigate stress and avoid recruiter burnout. These are some ways to decrease the burnout and stress that recruiters are feeling these days, as well as tips for how your organization can do a better job in quickly filling positions with qualified candidates.
If this scenario describes you, be sure to crank up this song while you work to get you fired up and ready to conquer.
Catch Me if You Can
Catch me if you can
I’m gone just like the wind now
‘Cause once I plant my feet
Taking the lead
Better believe
You never had a chance, no
So catch me if you can
It used to be easy to have your pay ranges keep up with the market but lately, I feel like a character in the move “Catch Me if You Can”. Seems like every time I think we have a grasp on what the market rate is, it shifts another 15%. While I am all about paying candidates what they are worth, which is usually driven by demand, it’s becoming a bit of a free-for-all in some sectors. This volatility makes it hard for recruiters to attract the right talent when we’re fighting to get the talent and then fighting internally to get them paid the (literally) running market rate.
According to CNBC.com, recruiters are fighting to hire by advertising skyrocketing pay bands, throwing out buzzy benefits and putting everything on the table to chase down a candidate. Some companies are offering a Never Return to the Office benefit while others are finally embracing the idea of unlimited PTO. Only two years ago, recruiters could combat counter offers with the line “We’re bringing you in at the top of the pay range,” but that argument is irrelevant because the pay bands aren’t stable enough to have a beginning and end that lasts longer than 45 days in some sectors.
The long overdue discussion around pay transparency has added fuel to the fire. With states like New York and Colorado instituting laws forcing companies to post the pay ranges, candidates have even more bargaining power when it comes time for negotiating offers.
If this is you, add this one to your playlist!
I Need a Hero
I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ’til the end of the night
They gotta be strong, and he’s gotta be fast
And they gotta be fresh from the fightI need a hero
Edits made to be more inclusive
I’m holding out for a hero ’til the morning light
They gotta be sure, and it’s gotta be soon
And they gotta be larger than life
Larger than life
Qualifications…. what qualifications?
Qualifications have become less of a barrier to entry as companies finally consider hiring candidates for transferable competencies. CVS changed their education qualifications for front-line workers last year to open the candidate pool. In some tech firms, rather than becoming enamored with the sexy tech college graduates, they are considering candidates who graduate from coding boot camps or similar programs.
As the need for talent continues to grow, I think we will begin to see a shift in how qualifications are not only written but evaluated during the interview process. This will provide firms with a growth-mindset to attract and develop candidates who were once passed over. While this may seem like settling, I like the idea of firms being forced to look at what someone can bring to the company in terms of their competencies versus their black and white experience.
It’s good for the candidates who are trying to break the mold of their career and try something new. And it’s great for companies who are willing to offer candidates that chance.
Here’s your oldie but goodie!
Here’s my update to the playlist. As your recruiting DJ, I’m taking request so be sure to comment on what song resonates most with you and why. It might be featured in the next update!
About me
and Sprint Recruiting
I joined the HR industry in 2004 after working as a sales leader in the Financial Services Industry for eight years. After spending his first couple of years in HR trying to fit in, I found my voice. Now I leverage all of the things I once hated about HR to become a consultant and invaluable partner to the businesses I support. I contribute to the HRGazzette and to DataDrivenInvestor on Medium. WARNING: my writing style is raw and in your face, not what you would expect from an HR executive.
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