Employers overlook valuable talent pools

Dubai - Employers must consider the core skills essential to a role, rather than specific industry experience, experts advise

Employers in the UAE are still overlooking valuable pools of talent such as professionals returning to the workforce after a career break and employees changing their careers, a new survey has revealed.
The study by Robert Walters, which surveyed over 600 professionals and hiring managers from a range of disciplines across the UAE, has revealed that employers are still largely neglecting valuable sources of talent despite the ongoing skills shortage.
The survey revealed that while 34 per cent of professionals have taken a career break and later returned to the workforce, just 13 per cent of employers have a strategy in place to attract these workers. The findings also show that 89 per cent of professionals would consider changing careers for the right opportunity, but 32 per cent of employers have no plan in place to attract them. In addition, 40 per cent of employers would be unlikely to hire those who do not meet their exact recruitment criteria.
Also, it was found that just four in 10 employers have a strategy in place to attract workers who are not actively seeking a new job, despite professionals being overwhelmingly open to being contacted with potential offers of employment.
"In a market where securing top talent is increasingly competitive, employers cannot afford to neglect all sources of talent," noted Jason Grundy, country head at Robert Walters Middle East. "Professionals from other disciplines, international workers and those returning to the workforce following a career break are all potential sources of skilled candidates for employers who are prepared to be flexible in their hiring criteria and adapt their recruitment strategy to reach these people."
"Employers looking for long-term solutions to candidate shortages should consider the core skills essential to a role, rather than necessarily focusing on finding a candidate with specific industry experience," he added. "By taking on candidates with transferable skills and the aptitude and enthusiasm to learn, employers can bring unique experiences and perspectives into their businesses while simultaneously filling business critical roles."
What do GCC job seekers look for in a potential employer?
Employer branding, highlighting a clear growth path as well as engaging with their employees are all factors that impact jobseekers' perception about companies, the latest research by Bloovo.com has revealed.
Bloovo.com's research has also shown that 47.4 per cent of GCC job seekers hold brand reputation as the single most important criteria when looking for suitable positions.
"Our survey results show that employer branding and company reputation is one of the key factors for candidates looking for jobs, and becomes increasingly important as seniority rises. Our research shows that developing a strong employer brand is one of the easiest ways to stand out from the crowd and attract high potential talent," said Bloovo.com's CEO Ahmad Khamis.
"Spending on employer branding has increased significantly over the past two years. Organisations are being proactive and using more outbound channels, like online professional networks and social media, to establish themselves as a preferred place to work."
Khamis also noted that apart from the use of social channels, there are other simple steps which employers can take to bolster their standing.
Some of those steps include ensuring that the jobs on the brands' careers page are current and still accepting applications, highlighting the company's culture, and making sure that the candidates can see a clear growth path.
"Our survey indicates that 42.1 per cent of employees believe a clear path to progression is the most critical element in their decision-making process," Khamis said. "Candidates also don't like being left hanging due to a complete lack of response; responding clearly and effectively on social media as well as providing feedback to job applicants are key elements for enhancing employer's strong branding."
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com