2021 will be defined by the re-empowerment of the worker.

This year marks the change. And it's only just begun.

Herein you'll understand what forces are creating this tectonic shift and ready yourself and your company not only cope with it, but to survive it gracefully.

From an executive search perch at Pinnacle Source, the employment marketplace is clearly different than ever in my forty years of experience. 

Wages are up. Supply of labor is way down. As of 11/15/2021 4 million more US jobs are vacant than people actively looking to fill them.

This dearth of viable candidates is attributed to many factors, but 3 stand apart as new phenomena.

Our Federal Government has provided a larger percentage of Americans with non-employment money than any time in history.

The stock market roars to new heights daily fueled by retail investors padding their pockets further. Plus, the number of eligible workers in the grip of Pandemic fears persists.

Demand for talent escalates weekly in our Colorado Tech Community as SaaS apps revitalize the health of the economy.

The result? Multiple job offers go out to the same shallow pool of jobseekers daily.

Which companies offers are being accepted and why?

The answers may surprise you.

NEW INCENTIVES

Supply chain constraints are not limited to your grocery store or Amazon order.

The employment bottleneck of 2021 is the ultimate knot in our intertwined world. It starts and will eventually end here. The sooner we accept what the labor pool is looking for, and allow these changes into our workplaces, the faster the knots loosen; and we heal. 

Growth is just around the corner. But not for those looking to control it. 

Job applicants are willing to hold out for more. But more of what? Hiring managers want to know! 

Here's how to remedy your talent shortfall:

Move away from credentials-based hiring. Sound simple enough. Maybe 10% of employers have the courage to try it. 

Focus on candidates` skills, life experiences, values and real-time priorities. When's the last time you asked an applicant about their PERSONAL challenges and strengths? You'll learn a lot by actively listening,  

Throw out your old way of thinking about job offers. Today's employees, tomorrow's leaders, are considering non-material factors over status quo items like salary.

That's right. Our most well-qualified prospective employees are keying on, and finding, relationships based on trust and respect.

We just had a candidate reject an excellent career opportunity and satisfactory compensation plan because how our client made him feel. They made it clear he'd have to earn his keep the moment he ‘walked in the door”. They conveyed a lack of trust. He said, NO Thanks… He didn't feel genuinely accepted by our client.

Representative of today's environment, another candidate of ours received 3 job offers. His decision was obvious when one of the employers offered to pay for his new prosthetic. They learned of this Military Veteran's personal needs by acknowledging who he was, beyond his resume. Kudos to company “A, and they're leadership. Not only did they “win” a highly coveted prospect, now they have an enduring bond with John Doe.

Replace outdate, formatted interview techniques.

Pre-scripted questions are moldy old. Find the confidence to improvise. Flip the script by engaging informally. Show you care and want to establish connection. Interactive conversations yield discoveries. 

Err on the side of faith.

Traditionally, my clients look for reasons not to hire applicants. That strategy will keep you parked in neutral.

Seek first to understand before expecting to be understood
_{- Stephen Covey}

Solid candidates have multiple alternatives. The time has come to drop your guard, be yourself and talk about what inspires you. Then listen. Unless you're truly aligned with your prospect, he/she will see through you and choose another offer. 

#THEGREATRESIGNATION

It's time to evolve your hiring mindset. We're living in a heart-centered world, not Madonna's Material World. 

Job seekers are looking for more than a payday. They're looking for community. We're all hoping to find colleagues and work/life experiences that fulfill us. We've been taxed enough. And it's amazing how much work gets done when we're surrounded by supportive peers and managers. That's the great awakening necessary to counterbalance “The Great Resignation”. 

So approach interviews head-on and heart-on!

Whether you like it or not, the pendulum has swung. Your candidates have the upper hand. 

#CULTURALCREATIVES RULE 

There's one more wrinkle to consider. Over 20 years ago, two extraordinary sociologists (Paul Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson) discovered the phenomenon of “cultural creatives”. They reasoned that a powerful portion of the population doesn't want to fit in to societies' institutional norms. These people tend to be leaders and fit the profile of “influencers” impacting all of us today. That's why the book title is “How 50 Million People Are Changing The World”. 

This breakthrough way of looking at human potential was written before 911. Before the Great Recession. Before the Pandemic. Before George Floyd. Just imagine how the number of cultural creatives has grown! 

Top talent doesn't want to fit in!

They seek to be acknowledged for their unique strengths and flaws. They're looking to be allowed and encouraged to be the best versions of themselves by employers compassionate enough to get to know them. 

So… What's the future hold? 

Next year is tough to predict, even plan for. But you will benefit by giving up long held hiring standards and controls. If you believe in your company's mission and culture, have faith in it through your transparency. Self-confident employees will follow. 

The key is to start focusing on attitude and aptitude, not just resumes.

Companies adapting this tact will be more attractive to more candidates. Set yourself apart and enjoy the shift.

The question is not whether we are able to change but whether we are able to change fast enough
_{- Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany}