{"id":35193,"date":"2023-07-11T08:27:25","date_gmt":"2023-07-11T15:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/?p=35193"},"modified":"2024-02-09T00:51:37","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T08:51:37","slug":"how-to-leverage-a-hiring-lull-to-upgrade-your-technical-recruitment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/blog\/hiring-developers\/how-to-leverage-a-hiring-lull-to-upgrade-your-technical-recruitment\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Leverage a Hiring Lull to Upgrade Your Technical Recruitment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>While companies <em>are <\/em>still hiring developers, some organizations are slowing or freezing their hiring in the face of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/whatis\/feature\/Tech-sector-layoffs-explained-What-you-need-to-know\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">economic uncertainty<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can be uncomfortable for recruiters and frustrating for hiring managers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a recruiter, you have to deal with the feeling of being \u201cat a loose end\u201d, the fear for your job and the frustration of turning good candidates away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a hiring manager, you\u2019re faced with the challenge of doing more, with less. You\u2019re forced to find ways to get things done, without the new resources you were counting on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, hiring freezes or hiring lulls are trying for everyone involved, but they\u2019re also <em>temporary<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not worried. If there\u2019s one thing the more than 20 years in this industry has taught me, it\u2019s that hiring always bounces back. And when it does, it often does so with a vengeance, leaving many companies flat-footed and unprepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The solution is for talent acquisition teams to use this downtime strategically. Now, when you\u2019re not recruiting, is the time to level-up your skills and optimize your processes. If you do this well, when hiring inevitably picks back up again, you\u2019ll be in a position to win.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>&#8211; <strong>Richard Cho<\/strong>, Executive Vice President, Talent Acquisition at Charlie Health<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re a hiring manager or a technical recruiter, here are a few ways to leverage a hiring lull:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><nav aria-label=\"Table of Contents\"><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-can-hiring-managers-do\">What can hiring managers do?<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#1-provide-your-ta-team-with-constructive-feedback-and-support\">Provide your TA team with constructive feedback and support<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#2-map-out-a-hiring-forecast\">Map out a hiring forecast<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-can-ta-do\">What can TA do?<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#1-document-and-optimize-your-process\">Document and optimize your process<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#2-nurture-your-employer-brand\">Nurture your employer brand<\/a><ul><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-can-hiring-managers-do\">What can hiring managers do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-provide-your-ta-team-with-constructive-feedback-and-support\">1. Provide your TA team with constructive feedback and support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not easy to find time to provide useful, collaborative feedback when you\u2019re smack-bang in the middle of a recruitment process. A hiring lull, however, may just be the perfect opportunity to do so.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your recruitment team is most likely looking to identify areas of improvement, so as to optimize their processes and hit the ground running when hiring picks up. Why not meet with the team to discuss previous hiring experiences and share your observations?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cSome hiring processes are just ridiculously grueling, you know, \u201818 stages of madness!\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n<cite>&#8211; <strong>Nathan Sutter<\/strong>, Global VP of Engineering at CoderPad<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>If you feel that your company\u2019s recruitment process is too long, for example, try to pinpoint exactly what it is that bothers you. Be specific and transparent.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you worry that candidate experience is suffering? Do you feel like you&#8217;re wasting time with candidates that aren\u2019t relevant to the role? Are you uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the tools being used?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally, your talent team will meet your feedback with clarifications or suggestions for change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that your talent team has the same goal as you do: to fill open positions quickly, with the right candidates. Go forward with a positive attitude and appreciation for their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\ud83c\udfac <strong>Related watch: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/events\/the-secrets-to-aligning-talent-acquisition-amp-engineering-teams\/?utm_medium=webref&amp;utm_source=ebook&amp;utm_campaign=23-Q2-WebRef-Ebook-AWR-All-Global-ta-eng-relationships-23\">The Secrets to Aligning Talent Acquisition &amp; Engineering Teams<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-map-out-a-hiring-forecast\">2. Map out a hiring forecast<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another thing that you can do now, to save time later, is forecast your hiring needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It may seem optimistic to do this during a hiring pause, but hiring <em>will <\/em>pick up, and you want to be ready to answer the \u201cso what do you need\u201d question when it does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While your plan will never be 100% accurate, drafting a hiring plan will allow you and your TA team to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fill your talent pipeline with the right candidates (your TA team can even start nurturing these candidate profiles before roles reopen)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plan your actions and budget accordingly (less scrambling when the time comes)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Where should you start? A few words of advice:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Document the engineering team\u2019s organogram<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spot likely promotions (and add any anticipated gaps to your hiring plan)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify likely turnover (individual warning signs and\/or statistical estimations)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plan project resources&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Analyze skill gaps<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-can-ta-do\">What can TA do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-document-and-optimize-your-process\">1. Document and optimize your process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not yet gotten round to documenting your hiring process? Or, you created something back in 2020 and you\u2019ve been meaning to update it? The time is now!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the same way that your candidates should know what to expect from your hiring process (<a href=\"https:\/\/generallyintelligent.com\/company\/2022-01-20-our-hiring-process\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Generally Intelligent<\/a>, for example, do a great job of presenting their technical hiring process to candidates), so should internal contributors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aim to document and standardize your process. Strive to clearly communicate each step\u2014and its value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For every step of your internal hiring process, from the job description to the initial screen to the technical interview and beyond, address the following questions:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What does this step entail?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who is involved and what is expected from them?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What do we hope to learn?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why is this important to us?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>(Bonus) How does this benefit the candidate experience?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, bear in mind that consistency doesn\u2019t mean refusal to evolve or improve. It\u2019s not a case of setting things in stone. You should always be willing to adjust and optimize your process, whenever justified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cThere are often things you can do to make the process shorter, less redundant. Stay on the lookout for gaps in your process, don\u2019t be afraid of reprocessing (the \u2018big enemy\u2019 of TA!), there are always opportunities for talent acquisition to grow and improve.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<cite>&#8211; <strong>Gerardo Tobar<\/strong>, Senior Team Leader, Talent Acquisition at Telus International<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-nurture-your-employer-brand\">2. Nurture your employer brand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fast forward a few months, hiring is picking up\u2014and you\u2019re not the only company hiring.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When that day comes, you want to be in a position to shine! A hiring lull is a great time to update and polish your online presence.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-does-your-linked-in-company-page-look-like\"><strong>What does your LinkedIn company page look like?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure all of the information is accurate and up to date, share company updates and content relevant to your activity or industry. Spend time building up your LinkedIn \u201cshop window\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-about-your-company-blog\"><strong>What about your company blog?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A blog is a great way to cultivate your employer brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Give tech talent content to munch on and let them know what it\u2019s like to work within your tech teams. You\u2019ll create your own audience of developers, and you\u2019ll be able to tap into that audience when hiring regains speed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Uber, for example, run their own engineering blog: <a href=\"https:\/\/eng.uber.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Uber Engineering<\/a>. Tech fans can browse categories such as AI, Backend, Culture, Data, etc. There\u2019s a good mix of tech trends, company news, and employer branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spotify also publish regular updates to their <a href=\"https:\/\/engineering.atspotify.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">engineering blog<\/a>. Back in 2014, for example, they released a <a href=\"https:\/\/labs.spotify.com\/2014\/03\/27\/spotify-engineering-culture-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">two-part video<\/a> describing their internal tech process. They described the video as \u201csomewhere between how things are today and how we want things to be\u201d. Totally honest and a little creative, Spotify\u2019s video became a reference in terms of tech team organization (with over a million views!). You can bet they received a good bunch of applications from tech talent who identified with their way of working and who wanted to be a part of it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A hiring freeze or hiring lull can be uncomfortable for recruiters and frustrating for hiring managers. Read about how to leverage a pause in tech recruitment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":38554,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"persona":[27,28],"blog-programming-language":[],"keyword-cluster":[],"class_list":["post-35193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hiring-developers"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35193"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38555,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35193\/revisions\/38555"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35193"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=35193"},{"taxonomy":"blog-programming-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog-programming-language?post=35193"},{"taxonomy":"keyword-cluster","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/keyword-cluster?post=35193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}