A successful recruitment process enables growth – even in the middle of a prolonged crisis

The arrival of COVID-19 in Finland transformed the economy and working life, to say the least. Like many service businesses, Friisberg Finland was forced to face facts in March 2020: the uncertain situation in Finland and around the world has increased caution for headhunting customers and candidates.

The fact is, however, that the need for competent professionals still exists; if we wish to ensure continued growth and move on from the crisis, we need the right people in the right places.

COVID-19 affected recruitment and headhunting processes

What has changed in the recruitment of key personnel over the past 10 months?

Change 1:

Successful recruitment is ensured through psychological aptitude tests and personality assessments.

More and more customers want the option of two top candidates to choose from instead of one at the end of the headhunting process with both candidates tested using psychological personality and aptitude assessments and their references checked. Why? Especially in these circumstances, customers want to ensure that they will be able to hire one of the two best candidates as quickly as possible. A diverse psychological personality assessment tailored for the position in question provides information on the top candidates’ competence but also on what motivates them and how they will fit into the culture of the business.

Change 2:

Candidates for key personnel need security and continuity.

The COVID-19 situation has made candidates more security-oriented; people are looking for a good, safe job and a guaranteed income.

There are risks involved in transitioning to a new position in a new company. Due to the crisis, businesses have seen an increase in refusals at the end of their own recruitment processes, especially if the process has been prolonged.

Change 3:

Successful recruitment is still the sum of many parts.

If the company is well-known and has a positive employer image and interesting operations, it most likely will not suffer from a lack of candidates, even in trying times. A relatively unknown company with a less appealing reputation or employer image, however, may not be able to attract the most sought-after individuals on its own.

The security offered by the employer affects the candidates’ choices

Uncertain times affect the choices made by candidates. That is why hiring companies must pay attention to the candidates’ sense of security and offer them support in changing circumstances. The employer image built by the recruitment processes should also be kept in mind.

As positions and searches become international, finding the best candidate beyond the borders of your own country is becoming increasingly common.

The best candidate may be a returning migrant with a spouse, in which case the spouse’s career opportunities will influence the candidate’s decision on switching jobs and returning to their native country. Family relocation support and levelling the threshold of making a transition are currently of particular importance.

Participating in a headhunting process and assessing aptitude should also create value for the candidate.

Regardless of whether the process results in employment, the best type of recruitment process supports a positive employer image by offering the candidate personal feedback from the headhunter. The feedback should cover an analysis of the candidate’s interviews and a report on the aptitude assessment.

Such elements leave a positive image of the hiring company while supporting the professional development of the candidate.

How to ensure a successful recruitment process?         

A successful recruitment process has an efficient schedule and open communications and does not involve unpleasant surprises at the last minute.

These three tips enable you to ensure the best recruitment results, hold on to the best candidates and allow the key employee to start their work according to schedule:

1. Do not delay in your recruitment decisions. Choose the top candidates quickly after interviewing the main candidates. If the decision-making process is slow, the candidate may start to feel like the company is not interested in them and that changing jobs might be a mistake – or that they might be able to negotiate better terms for their current position.
2. Be open about the steps in the recruitment process. Keep both of your top candidates up to date about the process and ready for further discussion. Do not expect the candidates to simply wait patiently for your decisions.
3. Keep your word in the agreement negotiations. Once you have discussed the candidate’s salary expectations and start date, you should not introduce any unpleasant surprises when negotiating their agreement.

An experienced headhunting partner will help you in uncertain times

In the middle of a crisis, such as COVID-19, an experienced headhunting partner can help you avoid any pitfalls and hold on to your candidates throughout the process.

Despite the pandemic, Friisberg Finland has seen excellent success in its headhunting processes; our customer and candidate experiences are at a very high level. Last year (2020), the NPS measurement of our customers’ and candidates’ satisfaction and their willingness to recommend our services to others was +77 among customers and +87 among candidates.

Mika Rossi
Partner