The current job market is short of skilled engineers and there are about 173,000 engineering jobs waiting to be filled, which means on average, every company has 10 open roles. This level of competition makes it difficult to secure the best possible candidates with nearly half of UK engineering companies finding it difficult to secure engineers with the right skills.
Understanding the Cause of Unsuitable Applications
In the UK, over half of employers are receiving high volumes of applications from candidates who don’t meet the job criteria, causing an extended hiring process and wasted resources. The issue often stems from unclear job advertisements, particularly in engineering roles, where adverts fail to outline the required technical skills, soft skills, and personal qualities needed. Some job adverts also fail to communicate the demands of the job and the company culture, leading to a mismatch in expectations.
Another reason could be where the job advert is placed. Regular job boards might not bring in the right types of candidates, especially for specialised engineering roles. Working with specialist engineering recruiters and using targeted job boards or professional groups can help cut down on unsuitable applications by ensuring candidates not only have the right technical skills but also fit well with the company culture. That is why Sigma Recruitment publishes adverts across multiple job boards and uses a cultivated network to provide you access to both active and passive candidates.
How to Communicate the Exact Skill Set Required in Your Job Listings
Defining the ideal candidate’s skill set, attitude, and what value they can add to your organisation is the first crucial step in the hiring process. By clearly listing these requirements, you ensure that you’re recruiting against a set of specific criteria which can then be used to develop your job listings.
Using your defined criteria, develop a job description that clearly states what skills and attitude you’re looking for and how the candidate can add value to your company. Often businesses recycle or reuse old job descriptions without making the relevant changes needed. This approach, while convenient, can lead to issues further along in the process.
This level of clarity should be continued through to the job advert. A job description tells you what the job is about. A job advert makes you want the job. Job descriptions inform, job adverts attract. You should focus on these key areas to attract the right applicants:
- Be Clear and Honest: Start by accurately defining the role, including responsibilities and necessary skills, ensuring the job title reflects the actual job. This honesty helps in building trust with potential candidates from the outset.
- Talk About Your Company: Highlight your company’s culture, achievements, and any benefits offered, emphasising how you value your staff’s wellbeing. A strong employer brand is attractive to potential applicants and enhances your company’s overall image.
- Don’t Be Vague: Customise your advert to reflect your company’s specifics, such as the types of engineering projects the candidate will be involved in or the specific technologies they will use. Avoid generic terms and be as descriptive as possible.
- Use the Right Technical Language: Include relevant technical terminology, like specific software or tools (e.g., CAD, MATLAB, SolidWorks) that are necessary in the role, making the advert informative and accessible.
- Highlight Your Competitive Salary and Benefits: Offer a competitive salary and frequently measure your offering again your competitors. Most engineers still consider salary to be their biggest motivator when looking to change job. Benefits are also important, and you should showcase benefits such as flexible work hours or career growth opportunities if you can’t offer higher pay.
- Promptly Provide and Incorporate Feedback: Implement a process to ensure quick and helpful feedback. Use this as an opportunity to gather feedback from you candidates by listening to their experiences and using that to help you improve your hiring process. Being open, responsive, and valuing everyone’s input can make your company stand out to the best engineering talent.
- Consider what is in it for the candidate: Ensure that you talk about what you candidate can get out of the role. This doesn’t just mean adding the salary, it includes discussing development opportunities, showcasing the meaningful nature of the work, and providing information on benefits such as flexible working or private health cover. Often companies fall into the trap of trying to sell their company based solely on their achievements and by using buzzwords. Instead, step into the shoes of the candidate and try to think about what truly matters to them about the role.
Benefit From Specialist Recruiter
Finding the right engineers for your business can be tough, especially with the current skills shortage. Creating job adverts that attract the right people and sorting through applications takes a lot of time and effort. This is where a specialist recruitment agency can make a big difference.
At Sigma Recruitment, we offer a comprehensive range of services to streamline your recruitment process. Our team provides director and experienced consultant oversight, advertises on multiple job boards, sources both active and passive candidates, and implements sequenced email, SMS, and telephone marketing campaigns for candidate engagement. We also create professional video adverts and explainers, conduct competency and scenario-based interviews, and handle pre-employment checks with precision.
Our GDPR-compliant CV portal ensures an efficient and transparent process, and our offer management system increases acceptance rates. We also provide aftercare support for new hires to facilitate a smooth transition into your organisation.
We understand the challenges of finding the right talent, especially when it comes to engineers and professionals in the manufacturing sector. The current skills shortage makes this task even harder. Our approach is straightforward and effective: we dive deep into understanding what your business needs and connect you with skilled candidates from our extensive database.
Don’t let the difficulties of finding qualified engineers and manufacturing professionals slow you down. Reach out to Sigma Recruitment at info@sigmarecruitment.co.uk or call 02920 450 100. Let us support your recruitment needs and help you find the right people for your business.
