Recruiting? Get Ready to Rumble

If you’re looking to find qualified candidates, limber up. More than ever before, hiring managers need to be responsive, nimble and mentally flexible to fill positions across the Copier Channel.

It’s hard to digest, but we are all adapting to a new reality. The hiring landscape seems familiar, but it has changed tremendously in ways that require the same of us. Change. Full Stop.

The post-COVID and now inflationary economy is a whole new dynamic — especially with how business has evolved and how candidates see their work. This change has landed especially hard on the Copier Channel, where finding qualified applicants was always a challenge and now filling jobs is difficult to the 10th power.

“Everyone’s got a problem getting people,” says Paul Schwartz, president of Copier Careers. “When it comes to the recruiting market, it’s not the market that you wish it was, it’s the-market-that-is.”

What is the-market-that-is?

In 2023, the Copier Channel is rife with jobs and scant on candidates. The competition for hiring is fierce, and candidates are feeling their power and looking for the best deal. Our new reality comes with some hard truths. For those reasons, our top recruiters have pulled together some pro tips to help hiring managers accept the reality of a candidates’ market and what it takes to hire.

It’s no longer about you choosing candidates, it’s them choosing you:

Jessica Crowley: The employers who are successful in hiring understand this changed dynamic. They are as tenacious about hiring as they are about securing new clients. Flexible companies have a distinct advantage in this market, and those who reject candidates because “they don’t fi t our model” are struggling. Candidates who are a perfect fi t are few and far between. You might get lucky, but then again, you might not.

Jenna Humbert: The realities of a candidates’ market are starting to sink in. In this market, even though employers have standards, they’re getting more flexible about qualifications. They are also improving on frequent, effective communication with recruiters and candidates.

Jean Gothberg: Companies need to be more creative to attract candidates, and money is a big factor along with benefits, 401(k), a company car and other perks. Paying techs to get certification is also effective. Most of all, timeliness in feedback and making an offer is critical to hiring strong candidates.

Pro tips to improve your hiring success in today’s market:

• Streamline your hiring process to minimize delays from referral to offer.
• Be articulate in explaining how your vacant role meets their needs.
• Be prepared at every step of the process.
• Make the interview a conversation, not an interrogation.
• Avoid making a snap judgment and rejecting a qualified candidate, because it’s unlikely you will see another
  potential hire for a while.
• Start the assessment right away, and get background checks out of the way to keep the process moving.
• Remember the candidates are interviewing you as much as you are interviewing them.
• Keep in touch with us. We’re following up with candidates and keeping them interested.

“Seems to me when good talented people are in short supply, you should respond to the ones that apply quickly. You never know when that next key person is going to slip right past you!”

– Poll comment April 2023

RECRUITER’S NOTE:
“When employers don’t really know what they’re looking for during an interview, it’s glaringly obvious to the candidate and is an immediate red flag. Candidates want to know what the job entails, what skills are needed and what their advancement path looks like. Not having those answers makes you look disorganized and unsafe to candidates.”
– Jenna Humbert

Flexibility is the name of the game

• Money isn’t the candidate’s only focus. People want work-life balance, flexibility and a healthy culture.
• Work harder to understand candidates’ push and pull factors — and then respond to what motivates or discourages them.
• Sell candidates on your company and why they would be a great fit.
• Be willing to train a candidate to build your bench.
• Flexible or remote work does not come up as often this year, but be ready to respond to requests for some accommodation.
• A long, complicated interview schedule will whittle down your candidate options — so be responsive and flexible to keep the process rolling and the candidate engaged.

“Can we really call it wage inflation when a copier tech makes less than a bus driver? Or when certain gig work pays more? $40k isn’t cutting it anymore, sorry.”

– Poll comment, February 2023

RECRUITER’S NOTE:
“I recently had a candidate rave to me about a great interview. They were so impressed with the hiring company because the interviewer didn’t treat them like a suspicious character who needed to be investigated. They felt seen and respected, and that had a huge effect on their impression of the company.”
– Jessica Crowley

Be prepared to answer hard questions

• Give authentic answers on culture, management style, learning opportunities and more.
• Be upfront about the company’s issues from turnover to takeover. Candidates need to know what they’re walking in to.
• Assume the candidate has researched your company and has read reviews of your company from employees and clients.
• Glossing over the truth won’t impress candidates and if hired, they are likely to leave soon.

“Wages need to come up to inflation cost or people will jump to a different job/career to make up for loss of income.”

– Poll comment, February 2023

RECRUITER’S NOTE:
“Authenticity is key. You have to be honest about the culture, so candidates are prepared. If you blindside them, they’ll be gone. You can’t trick or trap candidates.”
– Jean Gothberg

The-market-that-is — is more complex

Recruiting and hiring aren’t easy. They never were. But now more than ever, it’s imperative for companies to be in tune with candidates’ motivations. “The-market-that-is” has seen a shift in motivation, and those needs are more nuanced and complicated than they were in “the-market-that-was.” Be ready to respond to requests that will require some flexibility.

• Compensation is always a key concern, but today candidates also are firm in their conviction for having work-life balance. Help them achieve that.
• Candidates know their skills are in demand, and they will ask for what they need to do the job well. Help make that possible.
• Most candidates want to work for a company with a great reputation and a healthy culture. Make them feel proud and appreciated.
• Be ready to offer more vacation time. Experienced candidates don’t want to go backward on the amount of PTO they earn. Make them feel valued.

“The mean age of copier service is male and over 40 — more toward retirement. We will need to replace 60% of the labor force in the next decade. This takes time to build a tech — I would encourage companies to not put all focus on male replacements as there are female techs just as good as men.”

– Poll comment, January 2023

RECRUITER’S NOTE:
“We literally do this all day, every day. When we tell you someone is worth talking to, trust us. When we tell you a salary won’t work, listen to us. Put in the work, prioritize the search, be nimble and accept the market as it is. That will make hiring great candidates a lot easier.”
– Paul Schwartz

Copier Careers®
More than Resumes, Candidates®

About Us

Copier Careers® is the only recruitment agency specializing in the Copier and Office Solutions Channel. With over 30 years of experience, Copier Careers connects employers and job seekers, providing valuable insights, career opportunities, and unmatched support in the industry. Learn more about our commitment as the only Recruiters for the Copier Channel® at www.CopierCareers.com or call 763.231.8388 to speak with one of our recruiters. Whether you’re an employer, employee or job seeker, Copier Careers is here for you!

2023 Mid-Year Update: Copyright 2023, Copier Careers®. All rights reserved