5 Critical Considerations for the Hiring Manager Post the Pandemic.

The economy is starting to open up.  Retail sales were up 18% in the US in May.  People are out and about.  All good signs.  At the same time, many jobs no longer exist, entire chains of stores and restaurants will not reopen.  It will likely take several quarters before unemployment begins to approach 2019 levels, leaving us with an abundance of people seeking work.

For the Hiring Manager (and the organization they are part of), these signs, some conflicting, should give pause to a conventional approach to hiring.  In previous upturns, the path to growth could be as simple as hiring more to do the same, just in greater volume.  Maybe open up a new city or a product line.  The opportunity we are faced with today is to rethink how to do hiring as we work to understand a new normal.

There are any number of considerations to apply to the current environment.  Below is a list of 5 possibilities.  They’re stated in the form of a question, or two, to ask yourself as you consider the options you have to either reclaim or expand your business.

Is the job needed?

We’re already seeing that this is a valid consideration.  Some estimate as many as 10 million jobs have been eliminated in the US economy.  Is the job you have “open” one that could/should be eliminated?  Has the work been absorbed?  Could you double up responsibilities with another role?

Does the skillset exist inside the organization?

Let’s assume you’ve determined you need to fill the job.  Have you looked internally for the skills first?  Maybe you can move someone over (and then decide if that previous job is need).  Could you split the work up among current employees who have the skills?

Can the skillset be created using internal resources?

Maybe you have folks who could be trained, see this as a career advancement opportunity.  Could you send someone to school if you don’t have the training resources internally?

Do we understand the kind of person we need to hire to fill the role in the new world?

With the changes in the economy, have you considered that your existing job profiles and the persona needed to fill them may no longer be valid?  What about your sourcing strategies?  Are these still relevant given the available workforce or a new profile/persona?

If you have decided to go outside, have you adjusted the job description for the changes in your organization?

With more people working remotely, have you changed reporting structures or rules of engagement?  How does this job interact with other roles in the organization?  Are the responsibilities still relevant?  Do you need to rethink span of control?  What about salary considerations?

It seems so easy just to reuse what we already have.  Afterall, a lot of work went into creating the artifacts we utilize in the recruiting process.  And it’s clear that with what has changed and will continue to change in the economy, there is potential benefit in reconsidering hiring before the process begins.