Challenges Recruitment Agencies Face in Sourcing Candidates

Sourcing talent is critical for every company, be it small firms, mid-sized companies, or large-scale organisations. Recruitment is a challenging aspect for technology, healthcare, and product-based companies. Staffing agencies and recruitment vendors face problems hiring for various types of roles. Talent acquisition specialists are under increased pressure to fill open positions in minimum time and lower hiring costs. Given the evolving talent landscape and technology, recruitment agencies face many types of challenges throughout the recruitment process, especially in candidate sourcing.

So, if you are looking to hire resources, you are likely to face certain recruitment challenges. It will be helpful to know about them beforehand and be prepared with solutions to tackle them successfully.

5 Recruitment Challenges Faced by Talent Acquisition Specialists in Sourcing Candidates

1. Attracting a Qualified Talent Pool

One of the biggest challenges recruiters face is attracting and engaging qualified candidates for open positions. The widening skill gap and resulting talent shortage are major reasons talent acquisition specialists have a hard time sourcing candidates. According to the Korn Ferry Institute research, the global talent shortage is likely to grow to 85.2 million people by 2030, a frightening situation for talent acquisition firms. The shrinking supply and increasing demand for qualified candidates create stiff competition for hiring quality talent.

Finding the ‘purple squirrel’ (A term used to describe a job candidate with the right education, experience, and qualifications for a given role) is another challenge aggravating recruiters’ sourcing problems. Many companies have over-specific requirements for candidates with a combination of various skills, making it difficult to source suitable candidates.

Tip– Talent shortage is the biggest problem recruiters face, and the best way to deal with it is to enter the competition head-on. Building a strong employer brand and employee referrals are some ways in which you can entice a qualified candidate away from your competitors. Of course, a good talent acquisition strategy emphasizing building a talent pipeline is essential to tackling your hiring woes. A recruitment outsourcing partner could do just that for you.

2. Reducing Hiring Time

A delayed hiring process can result in losing a good quality candidate to a competitor. Often recruiters or talent acquisition experts are stuck in finding the perfect candidate leading to unnecessary delays in hiring, increasing the overall hiring cost. Also, when the hiring processes are too long and tiring, you are likely to lose a good candidate to competitors.

Tip– Go through the hiring process swiftly and avoid delays in the decision-making process. Many times, a recruiter is hesitant to proceed with a strong candidate due to a lack of relevant experience. However, many organisations are willing to recognise suitable candidates even without work experience if they are eager learners willing to train and gain the required skills.

3. Using Data-Driven Recruitment Technology

A common talent acquisition challenge is the inability to use data for decision-making. The advancement of technology in recruitment is still not fully utilised by many recruiters who do not use data to optimise their decision-making ability. Talent acquisition specialists with the expertise to use emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, etc., are in demand for making quick and effective hiring decisions.

Tip– Using a data-driven recruitment process and upgrading recruitment metrics can help you make informed decisions, improving the overall efficiency of talent sourcing. You can outsource your requirements to offshore recruitment agencies that can leverage AI technology to help you hire efficiently and quickly.

4. Providing a Great Candidate Experience

There is an intrinsic need to generate a great candidate experience during the hiring process. A candidate is less likely to accept offers if they have a bad experience during the recruitment process. Recruiters must provide a positive candidate experience as that enhances the employer brand and increases the likelihood of offer acceptance by good candidates. However, this can make the recruitment process challenging and add more to the recruiter’s tasks.

Tip– Communication is the key to a good candidate experience. Using the latest recruitment technology and ATS software can be crucial in making timely and effective conversations with applicants improving their overall experience. Set reminders and email templates to communicate according to the candidate’s expectations.

5. Improving Employer Branding

Hiring is a complex process, and a strong employer brand can help attract a better talent pool. Employers must ensure a good candidate experience and effective engagement with potential candidates to make quality hires. Research has shown that applicants refrain from applying to companies with negative reviews and comments. Building a strong employer brand requires a collective, consistent effort.

Tip– Recruiters should ensure that candidates get a good recruitment experience irrespective of whether they are hired or not. Reply to reviews or comments on social media or other platforms and encourage existing employees to share their employee experience across various digital platforms.

Candidate Sourcing Solutions

Has candidate sourcing become a recurring challenge for your talent acquisition specialists?

Speak with talent acquisition consultants at the QX Global Group today and get the best solution for all your talent sourcing requirements.

As your offshore recruitment partner, we will help you attract and engage the best talent in your industry. Our 360-degree recruitment services will get them on-board and offer customised talent management services for your staffing business.

Aanchal Jain

Originally published Apr 12, 2022 01:04:54, updated Dec 13 2024

Topics: Candidate Sourcing, Recruitment Challenges