Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

In the aftermath of the pandemic, and now into an economic recession, organizations are facing recruiting challenges during an uncertain market. What do those challenges look like? Are there misperceptions about the talent market among recruiters and HR leaders? And if so, what are they? How do organizations deal with those challenges and misperceptions? We invited Courtney Nelson, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at o9 Solutions, Inc., to join one of our podcast episodes to answer those questions and more. Let’s first start with finding out more about o9 Solutions, Inc.

What is o9 Solutions, Inc.?

According to o9 Solutions, Inc.’s LinkedIn profile:

Faster, more intelligent planning and business decision-making translate directly to better financial results – i.e. being able to deliver on the business plan. However, it means much more. Global supply chains are the largest consumers of the earth’s resources. Good planning means enterprises can achieve their goals while using less of the earth’s precious resources.

Better planning and decision-making processes drive more transparency. They reduce organizational silos, empower people, and increase productivity. That translates to inspired employees who are happy at work, are happier at home and better contributors to society. We are on a mission to develop the best platform and solutions to help enterprises in this critical pursuit.

Who is Courtney Nelson?

I had a great chat with Courtney Nelson on our podcast. Here’s more information based on her LinkedIn profile:

Courtney is an HR Professional with a focus on Talent Acquisition. She thrives on giving both the candidate and the hiring team the best experience possible. Like many, Courtney stumbled into recruitment by chance, but once there, she fell in love with the interaction and the ability to be a trusted advisor to my company and team on recruitment strategy and process.

Courtney is honored to be an ambassador for candidates looking for new opportunities. Previously, she had the chance to develop her analytical and project management skills by launching new applicant tracking systems, working as a system administrator, and becoming known as a report guru.

Now, let’s dig into the topic of the podcast…

What Are Some Recruiting Challenges You’re Experiencing?

A lot has happened since the pandemic hit. The market is not staying the same. Unfortunately, we’re seeing a lot of misperceptions and challenges in this “employee market.” 

In The Recruitment Role

Recruitment is very challenging. It’s about finding the right match, getting hiring managers to think outside the box, and not pigeonhole people to a specific set of requirements. We have to fight for candidates and fight for understanding about what the market really looks like for specific roles. 

In The Leadership Seat

There is a misperception that recruitment will get easier because there are a lot of layoffs happening. Shouldn’t that mean that there’s a lot of talent to select from? Not necessarily.

How Are You Dealing With The Challenges?

Recruiters must take deep breaths and just take one step in front of the other. Oftentimes, we must have heartfelt conversations with the hiring team to help them understand where the pipeline is, the talent the recruitment team has found, and the data we’ve collected. We must be creative with our approaches to recruiting. One area my team highlights is transferable skills and how we can help a candidate fit into a particular role.

For example, a company might be looking for an Instructional Designer. A few of the skills they would need are the ability to lead virtual and classroom training sessions, use tech systems, and develop content. The recruiter would look for specific degree programs for entry-level talent, or look for people who have already performed that type of work before. A transferable person to that role outside of a corporate environment would be a teacher or professor that has used technology, has taught learners, and has created content. A lot of teachers are leaving teaching, but they get overlooked in the corporate world. However, that would be a transferable candidate.

What One Thing Do You Want The Audience To Remember?

As a hiring leader, be open to candidates that may not fit the perfect image of a role. Be open to considering transferable skills.

Discover More

There’s much more we cover in the podcast, such as:

  • What are roles where transferable skills won’t work?
  • What challenges are hitting candidate pipelines the hardest?
  • When do you start headhunting for a certain position?
  • And more!

Listen to the whole podcast here: Recruiting Challenges During An Uncertain Market. Enjoy!