I have heard numerous times, on several different occasions and from a diverse group of people that there is a shortage of talent available in today’s workforce. Every time I heard this, I could not help but wonder what has become of the talent pool. Did it ever really exist in the first place and if so, at what point did we begin experiencing this shortage? Believe it or not, this is an important question many hiring managers often ask themselves, and especially now, in today’s rapidly changing world of work.
A panel discussion themed, “The Elephant in the Room- Is There Really a Shortage of Talent?, was held on day two of the recent three days “7th Africa HR Leaders Conference” in Accra, Ghana to address this very same topic about talent search.
Here is my take on the matter.
Does talent exist? Yes, talent still exists! More so now than ever before, however, we have to search a little harder, dig a little deeper and strategize a bit more. We have to apply some innovation and niche marketing to our search criteria.
In case you are wondering what I am referring to, here is an example:
An employer is seeking a recent graduate to occupy an entry-level position at their company. Therefore, they decide to publish an advertisement in the Daily Graphic newspaper because, for a long time, this has been their job search strategy. What this employer failed to realize is that in today’s modern day tech era, entry-level candidates infrequently purchase newspapers, therefore, the chance of reaching many qualified candidates is limited. Also, not only is this a costly mistake, the employer has limited their chance of reaching more qualified candidates. They were better off using a digital approach to their search criteria since the majority of entry-level candidates can be found online.
Not to mention, in an age where there is so much content and information overload people are dispersed and in their own corners. It is up to you to go the extra mile to find them in their niche.
“There is available talent but there is a shortage of refined and complete talent,” this quote was made by Abena Antwi-Darkwa, Human Resource Manager at Vokacom Limited, during the “7th Africa HR Leaders Conference”. This is probably the best and most accurate way to phrase the talent situation.
I agree very much with Abena that the talent is there and requires some level of grooming and unless employers are going to invest in the talent then, of course, there will appear to be a shortage.
Here is my last random thought…
In conclusion, the future of work will require employers to become comfortable with outsourcing and using contractors for selected jobs. Especially, as the number of entrepreneurs continues to rise.
In a world with many aspiring business owners, it is safe to say that it is an employees world and it is now time for employers to play hide and seek. The employer now has to search harder for the talent they seek.
As an employer, seeking the best of the best, consider switching your strategy when searching for talent. Old ways won’t open new doors and surely it will not find you the talent you seek. Now if you are fortunate enough to find the talent, how do you manage it?
Get in touch with your HR Consultants at KUSI Consulting for all of your recruitment, staff training/grooming and talent management needs.