The Frozen Market

In today’s competitive talent market, filling open positions with top-tier candidates is more challenging than ever. In what is being called a “Frozen Market,” hiring has slowed, while at the same time candidates are more discerning than ever.

Some of the strongest candidates are passive job seekers, people who aren’t actively applying, but are open to new opportunities. These individuals are in high demand, and they are more tentative to change jobs at this time, making them even harder to attract. Now, more than ever, companies must employ every best practice in attracting this level of top talent.

As candidates become increasingly selective about where they invest their time and careers, it’s crucial for organizations to think beyond traditional recruitment tactics. Organizations that have a cohesive talent attraction strategy that partners Talent Acquisition with key departments such as Marketing, Learning and Development, and Employee Engagement and Retention can create a unified and effective approach that elevates the candidate experience. Having all departments collaborate effectively not only helps attract top talent but also ensures its retention—both during the recruitment process and beyond.

In this age of increased competition and social media, a recruiter’s process is under the microscope. Common complaints heard from candidates who are frustrated with their experiences in the job market include:

• A lack of understanding where the candidate is in the interview process and/or what the interview process entails.
• Interview processes that take more than two weeks, especially when there is no communication.
• Untailored interviews where the recruiter is unprepared to interview the candidate.
• AI gaffes automatically eliminating qualified candidates.
• Lack of communication or understanding of benefits, pay, performance management process and potential for increases until the end of the interview process (which may then be a deal breaker).
• And the ever-popular ghosting (which is a sure way to damage the company’s reputation and potentially lose great candidates).

The above list represents real complaints coming from candidates. They are also all missed opportunities for companies; opportunities for efficiency, for talent, and, at a time where there is a heightened focus on corporate responsibility, an opportunity for positive public relations.

How HR Works Can Help

This is where HR Works can help. HR Works’ Strategic Placements Division does more than place candidates. We help clients to improve their own recruitment practices. How?

• We specialize exclusively in Human Resources, leveraging over 30 years of comprehensive HR experience to identify top-tier candidates. We are HR practitioners who draw upon our lived experiences, not theoretical scenarios, to fully vet candidates before a client sees a resume.
• We are Executive Search Consultants. Throughout our searches, we draw upon our knowledge to inform clients about the market and factors that may be impacting their search and provide best practices on how they can be successful not only in this search, but in their overall hiring practices. We work closely with clients to understand their processes. If there are areas of opportunity in their talent attraction processes, we leverage our expertise and provide clients with expert guidance and resources. Our goal is not just to place an HR professional within an organization, but to help that organization be successful in its recruitment and retention practices, thus supporting both our clients and our placed candidates!
• We incorporate HR compliance into each search, utilizing our own proprietary HR assessment, written by our internal compliance experts.
• We focus on both the candidates and the clients. We build trust with our candidates and ensure that we truly understand the motivations and drivers of their search first, which resulted in a 90% retention rate in 2024.
• We are always engaging candidates! We have an extensive pipeline of passive candidates ready to move forward not just for any opportunity, but for the right opportunity! This resulted in a fill time that was less than one-half the industry average in 2024.
• We pride ourselves in our communication, with both candidates and clients. Our candidates know where they stand in the process and trust that we have their best interest in mind; our goal is to find the best alignment between our candidates and clients.

Ready to break the ice of this Frozen Market? Contact HR Works today!

Current HRSS clients can contact their dedicated HR Partner for assistance with recruiting for positions outside of Human Resources, or to learn more about the variety of training topics HR Works offers for HR teams, management, and recruiters.

Written By:

Adrienne Schleigh
Sr. Director, HR Strategic Placements

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