TopGrading Solutions Finds That Candidates Are Bottlenecking As The Race To The Starting Line Begins

April 14, 2010 - PRLog -- Job openings rose sharply earlier this year, evidence that employers are beginning to ramp up hiring as the economy improves.  Openings in January rose about 7.6 percent to 2.7 million, according to the Labor Department, the highest level since February 2009.  Job gains continued in manufacturing, adding 21,000 jobs to the durable goods side, while non-durables lost 4,000 positions.  With unemployment still at about 9.7%, there remains an average of 5.5 unemployed people competing for each job opening, far more than the 1.7 people who were competing before the recession.  Professional unemployment, however, fell to 4.7% from highs of 5.5% last summer.  As a result, recruiters and hiring managers are buried in job applications which in turn are increasing the length of the interviewing process and escalating candidate frustrations.    

TopGrading Solutions recently surveyed its candidates about their most recent interviewing experience.  Forty-three percent of those surveyed expressed frustration as their experience was drawn-out.  However, 35% were pleased as the process was fast and the company seemed serious about filling the role.  “Companies with the most urgency are still moving quickly.  Employees have been spread so thin during the recession that companies can no longer leave critical roles unfilled.” stated Chris Lutes, a recruiter at TopGrading Solutions.  Other results from the poll included 6% stating their interviewing experience as “not what they expected” and 16% applied but haven’t been contacted.  
 
In a follow-up poll question, TopGrading Solutions asked candidates what would have improved their last interviewing experience and increased their enthusiasm to join the company.  Results again indicated that candidates wanted to see a faster process when interviewing (41%), while 25% wanted a better grasp of the company culture.  Only 18% wanted to see a better compensation plan or benefits, 9% wanted more exposure to the staff when interviewing, and 4% wanted a better grasp of what sets the brand apart.  

With candidates eager to move forward, companies are still showing trends of hesitancy when it comes to filling roles. “Right now, a lot of employers are taking their time when hiring, exploring more candidates than normal and requiring more interviews.” stated Lutes.  “However, when companies are ready to move forward, their top candidates have already been hired elsewhere.”  If companies want to secure top talent, decisions are going to have to be made fairly quickly, shortening the interviewing process.

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TopGrading Solutions, Inc. is an MRINetwork® affiliate with offices in Massachusetts and Florida. MRINetwork has more than 1,000 offices in over 35 countries. TopGrading Solutions builds the Heart of Business by helping our clients locate and place Impact Players – that top 10% of the workforce that accounts for 90% of business impact on both a permanent and contract basis. Its industry specialties include Payment Systems, Retail Store Systems, and Supply Chain Demand Planners and Consulting. Visit TopGrading Solutions at www.topgradingsolutions.com or call 772.871.1100 for more information.