Don’t call it a Comeback…2021 was definitely a bounce back year in the #sportsbiz.
Fans were back in stadiums and arenas, brands were able to conduct in-person activations, new technologies and advancements are changing the way we look at live entertainment, and most importantly #hiring came back with a vengeance.
I learned quite a bit talking to so many of you the past 12 months who were in a job search and came away realizing some hiring and recruiting practices were good and some were bad.
I’m going to share my hopes heading into 2022:
FOR CANDIDATES: Create a clear vision of your career goals for 2022. The goal will be much easier to attain if you put tangible steps in place on how you can get there.
FOR HIRING COMPANIES: Understand the hiring process has become marathon and not a sprint. The #sportsbiz used to be able to post a job and instantly have 20-30 immensely qualified candidates willing to accept the position. 2021 showed this not to be as true anymore. Candidates are becoming more cognizant of what is most important to them (culture, location, growth potential, etc) and will not make a change for just a small bump in pay. One of the easiest ways to offset longer search times is by creating a process to keep in touch with those candidates who you’ve interviewed before. They may be a better match this time around.
FOR CANDIDATES: Expand your network beyond your close connections. The Covid-19 Pandemic has shown that our industry is tremendous at lending an ear to those who need it. Get outside of your comfort zone and identify new people to contact and learn from.
FOR HIRING COMPANIES: Give your job descriptions a BOOST. Write job descriptions consistent with your company’s personality and culture. Ask yourself, “What’s great about this job”? This is the first branding opportunity you have to share with a career seeker. Worry less about the process aspects of the job and hit key aspects that would make people interested in the role. Also, write the description for the candidates’ benefit (i.e. How will this position contribute to the company mission?
FOR CANDIDATES: Get some honest feedback from trusted colleagues to understand what your perception might be. Too many times we have a inflated sense of what our strengths and weaknesses might be as opposed to asking those who work with us daily.
FOR HIRING COMPANIES: As has been said many times on LinkedIn before, “THERE ARE VERY FEW IF ANY UNICORN or PURPLE SQUIRRELS” when it comes to finding candidates. Ask yourself, how long can you afford for the job to be open?
FOR CANDIDATES AND HIRING COMPANIES: It is imperative to identify your VALUE PROPOSITION. I’ve seen too many times this past 12 months both sides fail to “sell themselves” and missing out on a great opportunity or candidate. If you are a candidate, ask yourself “How am I the Aspirin to the hiring companies pain”. For the company, ask yourself, “What am I offering this potential candidate that they cannot get anywhere else”. Either way...selling has to go on!
FOR HIRING COMPANIES: Realize your best talent acquisition approach in 2022 might be just focusing on retaining and educating the employees you already have in place. They made it through your screening the first time and may just need a small tweak to turn themselves into a superstar. Make it a point in 2022 that on day one to connect with your new hires, continue to check in with them to make sure they are fitting in, and ultimately would feel comfortable coming to you with any issues or concerns.
Most importantly, I hope we can get to a better place as it relates to GHOSTING. We all need to be better.
Look forward to what 2022 has in store for everyone in the industry!
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