2024 - HR Recruitment Newsletter

Intro

Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter! With nearly 5,000 subscribers, I'm shifting from quarterly to monthly updates to provide more regular insights. I've kept this edition to a quick 2-3 minute read. This month, I'll focus on:

1. The possibility of a hidden skills shortage in the HR market.

2. The importance of embracing authenticity in interviews.

Hidden Skills Shortage in the HR Market?

Something I've been pondering lately is the potential hidden skills shortage in the HR market. If you've been following my updates, you'll know that much of the current job volume is in HR Generalists and HR Business Partners from non-corporate sectors like Manufacturing, Distribution, Retail, Construction, and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).

Many companies in these sectors favor leaner HR departments, predominantly composed of HR Generalists and HR Business Partners. The market activity in this area has highlighted some skill gaps, particularly in HR Generalists and HR Business Partners with extensive hands-on employee relations (ER) experience, such as leading large-scale disciplinaries and grievances.

While this skill gap in hands-on ER experience is evident, it's not hidden due to the high hiring activity in these sectors. However, sometimes the current spotlight can be distracting.

What are we not seeing?

HR job volume from more corporate sectors has been in a lull over the past 12-24 months. Industries such as Financial Services (Banking, Funds, Asset Management, Insurance, Aircraft Leasing), Professional Services (Legal, Accounting/Big 4), and IT Services & Technology (from early phase start-ups to Big Tech) have seen less hiring activity. These sectors often place less emphasis on large-scale employee relations and more on compliance and governance.

I believe there is a skills gap in data-driven roles such as Rewards, Compensation, HRIS, HR Data, Reporting, and Analytics, especially in mid-senior level roles (40-65k). Over the past year, recruiting for these positions has been challenging due to a lack of skilled professionals. Companies with strong employer brands, highly competitive compensation packages, and flexible hybrid policies can still attract talent, but the time to hire can be lengthy. For companies sitting outside of this elite club, where roles are offering standard-market salaries & benefits, unfavourable hybrid models, or non-permanent contracts, the roles are often left unfilled, sometimes for up to 6 months before they consider other options, which usually involves an internal re-shuffle.

Why is it hidden?

Although the demand for these niche HR skills is rising, the volume of job openings in these areas still remains limited, mainly due to the stagnation in corporate sectors. When these sectors pick up, I anticipate this could lead to a talent shortage.

Large organizations with a Centre's of Excellence will naturally hire within these specialized functions. However, smaller organizations may look for their HR Business Partners to upskill in these areas.

Addressing this skill gap should be addressed over the next 2-3 years as candidates adapt and upskill. During this period, companies should consider upskilling their current team to bridge the talent gap, and not be at the mercy of the external talent market.

For those looking to position themselves for future opportunities, focusing on HR Data Analytics and related areas could be a smart move, but it is certainly not for everyone, if you have a strong interest in the area and/or you feel you have the natural soft skills to progress within this space then I would encourage you to pursue it, but being in HR, your strengths may also lie elsewhere.

If you have any thoughts on this I'd love to hear them.

A few years ago, I delivered a presentation on interview skills to 300 job seekers, followed by a 15-minute Q&A session. The audience kept asking how to answer specific questions, believing that providing the "right" answers was the key to landing a job.

This highlighted a common issue: many people see interviews as black and white, obsessing over possible questions and becoming tangled in their preparation. This often leads to nervousness, making it hard to show their true selves and resulting in robotic responses.

While anticipating questions is important, it's impossible to prepare for everything. I recommend thorough preparation in the days leading up to the interview and then letting it go on the day itself. By then, you should have retained about 70% of the information. Last-minute cramming can cause mental panic and increased anxiety. Instead, spend the hours before the interview doing something relaxing—go for a walk, listen to music, sing out loud.

Be Yourself to Stand Out

I was fortunate to sit in a lot of interviews with a client earlier this year, and it really surprised me how many candidates didn't smile or show much emotion in the interviews. Yes the interview is geared around skills & knowledge but it's as much about personal fit too. Too many times, the client comes out of the interview feeling like they didn't connect.

It's so important to smile, and show warm body language in an interview.

If you want to stand out, then you need to be your authentic self. This will help build a connection, and ultimately give you a better chance of success.

Remember, people are naturally drawn to authenticity!

Lastly, when you finish the interview and exchange pleasantries, use this as an opportunity to re-iterate that the opportunity excites you and you are really interested. Many people are often afraid of this because they feel it makes them look desperate, it doesn't, for interviewers it can feel like the person doesn't really want the role. This is a perfect opportunity to show some enthusiasm!

Sources of Information

I am not an economist, or professional writer but I am in a very privileged position when it comes to being at the coal-face of the HR jobs market in Ireland. Many of my musings are formed from what I hear and what I see from many sources, and threading them together.

I'm just the guy in the middle, delivering content to keep you informed.

Personal Note

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope you found it in someway useful or insightful. All of my content is written and created outside of working hours which takes a lot of dedication, so if you have any feedback or suggestions on what you would like to see then please send me a message.

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