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Cleared Recruiting: 3 Key Trends You Can’t Afford to Ignore

In today’s competitive job market, cleared candidates have a lot of options. It’s up to cleared facilities employers to stand out and make a lasting impression to win over top talent. To do that, recruiters must stay on top of the latest recruitment trends and strategies and assess what works best going forward.

Consider three key trends that can help you attract the best candidates: leading with your employee value proposition, opting for short applications, and engaging candidates throughout the recruitment process. Whether you’re a seasoned recruiter or new to the game, these trends can make all the difference in attracting and securing top talent. So, let’s dive in!

Lead with Your Employee Value Proposition

When it comes to attracting talent in the security cleared community, leading with your employee value proposition (EVP) can be a game-changer. At its core, an EVP is all about answering the question “why” for candidates.

Why should they choose to work for your organization over others? What unique benefits and opportunities do you offer that they can’t find anywhere else? By answering these questions, you can paint a compelling picture of what it’s like to work for your organization and what sets you apart from the competition.

For cleared job seekers, mission-focused work is often a top priority. Highlighting your organization’s mission and values, and how they align with those of your candidates, can be a powerful way to connect with potential hires. Candidates want to work for an organization that offers more than just a paycheck. They want to work for an organization that shares their vision.

Additionally, highlighting unique benefits such as hybrid work opportunities, flexible schedules, or professional development programs can make your organization an attractive choice. With the pandemic changing the way we work, hybrid work opportunities have become a significant aspect of EVPs. Offering candidates the flexibility to work remotely can be a huge draw.

Your EVP can be communicated throughout the candidate journey, from the initial job posting to the final offer letter. Job postings should include information about your organization’s mission, values, and unique benefits, along with a clear call to action for candidates to learn more.

Your careers website should also prominently feature your EVP, with testimonials from employees, photos or videos showcasing your workplace culture, and detailed information about your benefits and other perks.

During the interview process, your recruiters and hiring managers should be well-versed in your EVP and be able to answer questions from candidates about what it’s like to work for your organization. They should also be prepared to share personal stories and examples that illustrate how your organization lives up to its EVP.

Overall, an effective EVP should speak to the unique needs and interests of candidates in the security cleared community. By highlighting the “why” behind your organization and what sets you apart, you can attract top talent who share your vision for success.

Opt for Short Applications

With more cleared openings than qualified cleared candidates, every aspect of the recruitment process must be carefully considered to ensure that you’re not inadvertently turning away potential candidates.

One of the biggest factors that can hinder the recruitment process is a lengthy, cumbersome application process. While some organizations (particularly large ones with well-established brands) may be able to attract a high volume of applicants regardless of their application process, smaller and mid-sized organizations that rely on sourcing candidates can’t afford to take this approach.

This is where short, mobile-optimized applications come in. By streamlining the application process and making it easy for candidates to apply from their mobile devices, you can significantly increase the number of candidates who complete the application process and express interest in your organization.

There are a few key reasons why short applications are so effective. First, they eliminate unnecessary barriers to entry that may prevent qualified candidates from applying. By reducing the time and effort required to complete an application, you’re more likely to attract a wider pool of candidates who may not have otherwise applied.

Second, mobile optimization is essential in today’s job market. With more and more candidates using their mobile devices to search for and apply to jobs, a mobile-optimized application process is no longer a “nice-to-have” – it’s a must-have.

Prioritize Candidate Engagement

And finally, engaging candidates throughout the recruitment process is crucial to sealing the deal. With the fierce competition for security-cleared professionals, it’s essential to keep candidates engaged and interested in your opportunities.

So what does candidate engagement actually look like in practice? Candidate engagement is all about building meaningful relationships. This means keeping them informed and engaged at every step of the way.

Consider using social media to engage prospects before they even enter the hiring process. Platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter can help your brand stay visible and top of mind, showcase your organization’s culture and values, and provide updates on job openings and events.

Speaking of events, niche events like Cleared Job Fairs offer in-person engagement opportunities with security-cleared job seekers. Use these events to meet face-to-face with candidates and prospects, build brand awareness, and showcase your organization’s opportunities.

By regularly posting relevant content, responding to comments and messages, and leveraging social media and niche events like Cleared Job Fairs for targeted outreach, you can build a community of potential candidates and keep them informed about your latest opportunities.

Another way to engage candidates is by using recruitment videos. Video content is becoming increasingly popular in recruitment, and for good reason – it’s a highly engaging and effective way to showcase your organization. By creating a series of recruitment videos that highlight different aspects of your organization and its work in the security cleared community, you can give candidates a clear sense of what it’s like to work for you and what sets you apart from the competition. Additionally, recruitment videos can be shared on social media and your career site, further increasing their reach.

It’s important to engage candidates throughout the entire recruitment process, not just during the initial stages. This means keeping them informed of their progress, providing regular updates, and seeking feedback on their experience.

This approach not only helps to build a relationship with candidates but can also help to improve the candidate experience, even if they’re not ultimately selected for the position. Add to your pipeline today for tomorrow’s openings.

Put These Three Trends to Work

Showcasing your organization’s EVP, providing a seamless and mobile-friendly application process, and engaging candidates throughout the recruitment journey can make all the difference in attracting and securing top cleared talent.

Remember, recruiting is an ongoing process, and it takes time and effort to build a pipeline of candidates and convert them into employees. But with persistence and the right strategies in hand, you can build a team of passionate professionals who share your organization’s mission. So, keep these trends in mind as you move forward in your recruitment efforts, and stay focused on creating a great candidate experience that will set your organization apart.