We’ve all seen the jobs headlines splashed across the media recently. Employment is at an all-time record of 74.8% according to the ONS – and every political partyy you can think of is are jumping on the jobs figures to back up their campaigns ahead of next month’s election.
At Adzuna, we love that more people are working, but we also know this means life is harder than ever for recruiters and hiring managers. It’s getting tougher to source suitable candidates as the pool of jobseekers evaporates. We’re all feeling the hiring pressure. In out-of-the-way areas of the country, without the glitz and glamour of city life drawing in potential employees, finding quality candidates can be a real challenge.
So what tactics can you use to fill jobs in those hard-to-reach locations?
Arm yourself with the numbers
Perhaps you’ve got the bumper challenge of filling roles across lots of offices or stores – in which case you’re probably hiring across multiple locations. One of the most frustrating things for any recruiter is that you can be inundated with applications for posts in some areas, while for others the choice of candidates is a lot thinner.
Knowing where you might struggle can help you to allocate your time, effort, and money more effectively to get the results you need.
Our job market data pinpoints the places where the numbers could be against you. For example, it shows that in Cambridge there are 16 times more vacancies than there are jobseekers. The situation is not much better for employers in Guildford, Oxford, or Winchester all of which have an abundance of available jobs.
But you might be having more success in Sunderland, Belfast, or Middlesbrough, where there are three jobseekers looking for new positions to every opening on the market.
Choose a candidate-rich location
If you’re opening a new office, or perhaps just building a new department into a business, you’re in the lucky position of being able to factor this in when choosing where to move. You should check out our local job stats to get an idea of whether there’s a high demand for that type of job in that area, and which areas will give you a headache. If you can, set up shop in an area with fewer competitors.
Realistically, changing the location where you’re hiring isn’t an option most of the time. However, if you can offer relocation packages, pay travel costs, or even offer remote working that could help relieve the pressure.
Get competitive
You need to be sensible about salary. If you’re being outbid in your area, candidates are unlikely to come to you. Use our handy stats to check local pay levels for the roles you’re filling and make sure you’re on the same playing field as the competition.
Money’s not the only thing you could be being outbid on too. The most attractive placements offer the full package, regardless of location. Any other work perks you can showcase at this stage could make all the difference.
You might be based in a rural location, but maybe you have regular trips to the main hub in the city? If the office you’re hiring for is cut-off from local amenities, does it have an on-site canteen or gym? Maybe you offer work-from-home days to save on long commutes? Or subsidised travel or petrol money? Or even a company car? Make sure you shout about all the great extras you have to offer.
Focus in
The advantage of hiring for an out-of-the-way location is that you can get super specific about targeting. A shallow pool of candidates can equal a high bang for your buck return on paid advertising.
One top tip is to use targeted campaigns on social media to get in front of local jobseekers.
You could also look to send highly targeted emails based on location – you may need to partner with a recruitment service that has this kind of data and reach. When you’ve identified your search area, don’t forget to advertise in local newspapers and on local job boards too.
Word-of-mouth is also key; with harder-to-reach locations often have a thriving community spirit. Posting on community pages on sites like Facebook is a brilliant way to tap into the local network.
Widen the pool
Finally, if getting specific doesn’t work, re-evaluate. Can you widen your target area? For example, we recently had someone looking for network installers in the Highlands of Scotland, which would involve a lot of driving anyway.
In some locations, it’s the norm to commute a significant distance to get to work. Make sure you’re not missing out on those potential candidates by being too narrow! If you can offer remote working, relocation, or even a company car you may be able to reach further afield.
Ultimately if you’re smart with how you invest your recruitment budget and you use data effectively you can make your own life a lot easier. Make sure you are visible, that you are tracking where your best applications are coming from, and seek out new channels if what you are doing now isn’t working.