Recruiting Scientific Candidates: 3 Steps to Finding a Needle in a Haystack

If a company fails to fill a job opening within the first month, there is a 57% chance that the position will remain open for three months or more. That’s an alarming statistic. A staff shortage for longer than one month can have serious negative consequences for recruiters and employers.

So how do you reduce this gap when you’re looking for the perfect candidate in a specialized field like chemistry?

Try using the three steps below to recruit top scientific talent quickly and efficiently.

1. Choose your stack wisely. You’re looking for a needle. Why exactly are you in a haystack? Many recruiters do not have the time to dig through hundreds of unqualified job applications in hopes of finding the right candidate. If you’re interested in filling your chemistry position, why post your job on a site that specializes in anything other than chemistry?

Avoid application pollution by focusing on niche job sites that are created specifically for your industry. General job boards and aggregators may deliver on quantity, but when it comes to talent acquisition, quality rules. If you want to hire chemists, go where the chemists are.

2. Timing matters. You’ve found where the chemists are; now the real recruiting begins! Every recruiter hopes their positions will be filled quickly, but you shouldn’t actually plan for that scenario. Consider advertising your posting for at least 60 days at the start (as only 44% of jobs in the US are filled within 30 days). Job postings that have been continuously live for 60 days will beat out postings that expired at the 30-day mark, and you’ll continue to receive qualified applications and views while other recruiters scramble to repost their position.

You should also be proactive: utilize a job board that allows you to access quality candidate resumes. The contact information you’ll receive from a reputable source ensures that the contact information you receive will be fresh and up-to-date.

3. But also, let them find you. The recruiter’s search doesn’t have to be one-sided. By depending solely on job postings, recruiters must rely on candidates typing in matching job search keywords. Why not reach job seekers at every step of their career path? Surround scientific job seekers and become top of mind by engaging with them via sponsored articles, sponsored events, or featured videos.

Potential candidates are visiting job boards for two reasons: to search for jobs or to consume career development content. Recruiters who take advantage of both platforms are able to develop talent pipelines in order to fill not only their current openings, but future openings as well.

If you’re looking for top chemistry talent, go where you know the chemists are. Be the content that chemists are consuming. The American Chemical Society can help with the C&ENjob board and branded content. Click here for more information.