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Article authored by Qualigence Intern Todd Owens
Over the past two years the workforce has been steadily moving towards the couch. The current market has seen this influx of couch talent and has given recruiters the task of finding it.
With this blog I wish to inform recruiters on how to approach “couch talent” more formally known as fully remote candidates. I also want recruiters to understand their concerns and where they come from regarding new opportunities.
We all know the story of the global pandemic. But we can’t deny the enormous effect it’s had on candidates’ personal and professional lives.
Back in 2020, studies showed around 70% of workers were doing their jobs from home.
In 2021 between 20-30% of worldwide workers work completely remote. Although there are many benefits to working from home such as saving money, less transportation, and a home cooked lunch, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
So…what does this have to do with recruiters? When trying to recruit couch talent you want to seem approachable and understanding.
The best way to do this is to be open and willing to hear any concerns they might have when considering a new position.
Understanding Candidate Concerns
When tasked with recruiting for a fully remote position, the recruiter must always make sure to fully understand all of the candidate’s concerns. A person can work from home right from when they get out of bed to when they collapse from exhaustion but be completely unhappy during the time in between.
A candidate may have a perfect work-life balance and excellent time management skills. However, if they lack chemistry with their boss or coworkers they won’t be the right person for the job.
A helpful tool recruiters can use when addressing these concerns is called the Predictive Index. The Predictive Index helps you understand the mind of the candidate while the resume helps out with the briefcase.
PI measures four key drivers of human behavior. That’s a drive for dominance, a drive for extroversion, a drive for patience, and a drive for formality.
They tell us what a candidate needs more or less of in their daily work. This can be very helpful for determining if a candidate is right for your remote role.
As an example, if your position will require lots of working independently while remote, it might not be the right fit for someone with a high drive for extraversion.
With the Predictive Index, you can find a job that suits someone’s natural drivers. In doing so, recruiters can help companies unlock discretionary effort. It’s about finding a role where an individual thrives and adds real value.
Discretionary effort can definitely help those who may only be happy at the beginning and end of their work day but not in between. No recruiter wants their candidate to feel completely drained or extremely unproductive at their new spot. This is part of why the discretionary effort you can achieve with the Predictive Index is so important.
Couch Talent is Not Going Anywhere
Moving forward the workforce will continue to look for couch talent and will hand the task of finding that talent to recruiters. This time, recruiters are fully prepared to take on the challenge head first.
With the knowledge of candidates’ concerns regarding what they can expect to get out of the new position, the recruiter can put themselves in their shoes and look for ways to address those concerns. With the help of the Predictive Index, addressing those concerns won’t be a problem.
You’ll have knowledge of not only their work drive but their behaviors as well. The fate of a candidate still rests in the recruiter’s hands but they can now make a well informed decision on if they are the right person for the right position.