Expanding Your Candidate View

With unemployment rates trending low and the demand for talent remaining high, employers are exploring all avenues to find the talent they need. This can include giving a second look to candidates who might not have been actively pursued before. Great matches can be made with a wide variety of candidates. The key is to be clear in what you are looking for and recognize those qualities in your talent pool.

LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED The recession and its aftermath impacted businesses across the country, resulting in downsizing and changes in work models. This means recruiters will almost certainly run into candidates who have been unemployed. Traditional thought held that anything more than a three month gap was to be viewed with caution. Today, it’s common to see three, six, 12, even multiple year gaps. So, how to reevaluate the “gap rule”?

The two primary areas of concern generated by an extended gap are the freshness of skills, particularly in roles where technologies or processes are apt to change quickly, and general employee motivation. In these instances,

it’s desired to see candidate initiative—that could mean doing contract work, participating in online seminars or otherwise engaging in skill enhancement. In certain roles, technical assessments can measure continued proficiency.

Work history prior to a layoff can provide a key piece of information. Was there consistent employment? What was the type and duration of those jobs? In addition, references from employers can often clarify general work ethic and candidate acumen. The bottom line is a multi-month gap need not disqualify a candidate if you are careful in how you review a resume, talk with a candidate and verify their past contributions.

Beyond 12 months, the same rules apply, but the scrutiny required is greater. It’s not unusual to find candidates who, after being laid off, made life changes such as deciding to stay home with children or assist aging parents. Particularly in these situations, the onus is on the candidate to articulate their skills and how they’ve continued to stay sharp as a potential contributor to the organization. Particularly in these cases, employers might be more comfortable with a temp-to-perm situation which allows the employer to test the fit of the candidate.

Note: Ensure you are familiar with the laws of your city/state regarding hiring and unemployment. Some locations explicitly prohibit listing current employment as a requirement in a job ad, requiring current employment in order to be considered for a position and/or using current employment status to influence selection decisions.

CANDIDATES WITH A CRIMINAL HISTORYSome companies elect a “no criminal record” policy. Others are more willing to consider candidates who have misdemeanors and even felonies in their backgrounds. In some states, it is illegal to ask about criminal backgrounds on the job application itself.

In states where the question of criminal history is legal, the frequency and recency of the offense(s) can serve as consideration points. For instance, an employer might be comfortable hiring someone who had a nonviolent felony seven years ago but less comfortable with someone who has had four misdemeanors in the last year. The key is to understand what your organization is comfortable with and if this varies by category of role. Of course, keep in mind that many states prohibit discrimination based on arrest record, conviction record or both.

In states where it is admissible, requesting that all convictions be listed on the job application, with a disclaimer that this information will not necessarily disqualify an individual from employment with your organization, can promote honesty and transparency. A prior misdemeanor may not knock someone out of the running for a job, but willfully omitting it on an application when specifically asked to list such history should be viewed as a red flag by the employer.

“Nearly 1 in 3 of those who are unemployed qualify as ‘long-term unemployed’ (more than 27 weeks).”

– Bureau of Labor Statistics

“Almost 30% of the Nation’s adult population has a criminal record on file.”

– US Department of Justice

VETERANSSome employers find that candidates with a military background, by virtue of their training, bring a strong sense of responsibility, team, timeliness and adaptability to training. The biggest difficulty, however, can be initially translating military-earned skills into civilian opportunities.

In many communities, there are outreach centers that can assist organizations in this translation including National Guard outlets, transition specialists on military bases and government-operated Workforce Centers. In addition, Onet online, a site run by the U.S. Department of Labor, offers a “military crosswalk.” This tool takes a military job title and

breaks out the respective skills within that role so they can be more easily mapped onto civilian jobs. Of course, it’s important not just to rely on external sites but to create a good rapport with your military candidates in order to understand the breadth of their experience and where their real interests lie.

PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITIESHiring individuals with disabilities, while applauded by employers, can also be viewed with trepidation by those who have never before hired someone with a disability. There may be concerns about the ability to do the job, safety, even cohesiveness with the team.

Recruiters are not legally able to ask about disabilities. In fact, questions related to disability and accommodation may only be asked after an offer has been extended. Sometimes, the accommodations needed are very small and easily handled. In other instances, organizations may wish to partner with government-run Vocational Rehabilitation offices. Vocational Rehabilitation staff will often visit a job site and actually assist in making the accommodations needed.

“Post-9/11 veteran unemployment still lagged behind the comparable 2014 annual unemployment rate for the overall population.”

– Bureau of Labor Statistics

“The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is currently twice that of people without disabilities.”

– U.S. Department of Labor

“’Don’ had a felony in his past. After talking with him and looking into his job history, I really felt that if one of my clients gave Don a chance, Don would make the most of it. I was able to place him in a small factory. When I followed up with my client, he was extremely pleased. I was told Don was one of the most motivated, personable, team players in the facility. Don said he was able to show the company that he wasn’t a bad guy, he had just made a bad choice.”

– Pat Thurston, Manpower Branch Manager

“We try to make our matches as skills driven as possible. As we talk with veterans more and more, it becomes easier to pick up on clues. For example, I was working with someone who had been a parachute packer. On the surface, that might seem to be an obscure job. However, after probing on the elements of the role, I was able to help him secure a job as a quality control inspector. It was a great fit and both he and the employer were thrilled.”

– Carrie Jaeger, Manpower Recruiter

The National Employment Team (NET) of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation partners with Manpower. This partnership provides Manpower with a national point of contact to facilitate access to the network of the 80 publicly funded vocational rehabilitation programs in the U.S. It enables Manpower to coordinate outreach efforts and employment support in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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Manpower, a part of ManpowerGroup, is the global leader in contingent and permanent talent resourcing, workforce programs and workforce insight and innovation.

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TIPS FOR HIRING CANDIDATES

• Rather than defining a candidate by a recent job gap, look at the whole of job history to discern work ethic, skills etc.

• For jobs with rapidly changing skill knowledge, ask the candidate how they have continued to keep their skills current.

• References can help to fill in the picture of skills, attitude and competencies.

• If in doubt, consider a temp-to-perm arrangement.

• Discus your organization’s policy on candidates and criminal records, with thought given to the type of offense, frequency and recency.

• Veteran groups and disability liaison groups in the community can be terrific allies in translating skills and ensuring environments are a good fit.

Varied backgrounds and work histories may require some additional steps, but great talent is out there. It’s all about taking a strategic approach and perhaps a broader view.