Scarce Talent: Learn Your Alternatives
April 14th, 2010 by Louis P. Kadetsky, CPC
Unemployment doesn’t always equate to available talent. For highly specialized positions, an economic downturn does little to alleviate the pressure on corporate recruiters to source candidates with unique, coveted skills. The only solution is to have what amounts to a succession plan for key roles in your company, not just for the executive suite. Fundamental to this effort, of course, is to know every corner of your market. If you know the intricacies of the talent market for scarce skills, you’ll have an advantage when it’s time to fill open reqs.
Some talent markets are naturally small. Fields that require a considerable amount of education and experience of a specified nature in order for employees to be effective are essentially exclusionary. So, to attract talent, you often have to spend more than you’d like … and provide a work environment that will resonate with a particular candidate.
What many corporate recruiters don’t realize, though, is that they aren’t powerless. While scarce talent may have a bit more leverage in negotiating an offer – and even in getting an interview, for that matter – recruiters can take steps to regain some strength in the transaction. It all comes down to the information you have at your fingertips.
KGTiger’s TMR service can provide the talent market research you need to understand the full dynamic for scarce highly skilled talent. Our market research team can gather the intelligence you need not only to understand the challenges in front of you but to identify alternatives that may not be immediately evident. In addition to possibly finding new talent pools (that you can pursue using our STREAM service), you may learn of market developments that can at least support your negotiating position.
Some talent markets will always be difficult to penetrate. Rather than get into bidding wars and making substantial bets to lure candidates to your company, start by equipping yourself with a granular understanding of the relevant marketplace. In addition to investing less in crucial talent, you’ll find the results more favorable.
[Thanks, Mass High Tech]
[...] technology – all of which have plenty of specialist positions that require unique and sometimes rare skills and experience. A battle for talent is brewing, and only the savviest corporate recruiters will be able to come [...]