Anne Marie Sigler on The State of Recruiting

I am the Director of Recruiting at Talascend and have been with the company for 14 years. I am responsible for recruiter management, securing the resources our recruiting team needs to be successful, recruitment strategy, and training and development.

Corporate hiring has slowed or been put on hold during the pandemic. Talent acquisition teams, in some cases, have reduced in size or placed on furlough. This is why partnering with a staffing agency/recruitment firm is attractive and helpful to companies. We have recruiting teams readily available, and we have access to multiple recruiting tools.

At this time, we are seeing more and more contract hiring needs. I believe this is due, in part, to companies’ needs to add additional staff quickly to catch up on manufacturing and project timelines that may have been pushed back or halted due to COVID. These contract needs can be long-term assignments and even contract-to-hire for the right talent. We currently have opportunities for the job seeker that fall into all of these categories.

This has been a strange time for everyone, especially those that find themselves without work. The number of jobs available is on the rise as companies are trying to move towards pre-COVID headcount levels. I would recommend job seekers stay up to date on what’s available related to their job skills and location. They can do this through the numerous job boards, company websites, google searches, etc.

Job seekers should also make their resume available so companies, recruiters, and their professional network can reach them when good opportunities come along. Being proactive in their search is key. I would also recommend job seekers consider working contract roles, even if they’re used to working direct roles in the past. There are some great contract opportunities available and they could provide a permanent opportunity for them in the future. Stay positive, the next great role is around the corner.

Candidates onboarding for new positions are getting multiple offers so the ease and speed of the onboarding process for a company can help in starting new hires. Staying in communication with those new hires throughout the process is a necessity so they stay informed of timelines and any issues that may arise.

We’ve seen a lot of change to the workplace over the last several months. A large portion of employers are working remotely, job seekers are interviewing for jobs virtually, and employees back at work sites are having to take extra precautions to maintain a safe and healthy workplace. The important thing to remember is we are all in this together. Don’t be afraid of change, be ready to grow and take advantage of the new opportunities in front of you.