Saskatchewan still boasts the largest percentage of job vacancies in the country as employers here are still scrambling to find talent as central Canada is beginning to see a narrowing of the gap between jobs and vacancies.
So, with roughly five per cent of the positions available going unfilled, Saskatchewan employers are always looking for new ways to lure people who might be willing to put their name on our payroll. And US-based recruiter Severin Sorensen has a tip for HR directors.
Ask your team.
Sorensen, in speaking to Saskatchewan CEOs and executives recently, counselled employers to put more emphasis on referrals as a source of talent. Most often these come from existing workers.
He says only eight per cent of candidates who make it into the pool come from employee or warm referrals but that relatively small sample also accounts for a whopping 40 per cent of all hires. In other words, this is the most potent talent pool out there.
And the best measuring stick employers can use in selecting a prospect from the pool? Ask yourself if the person is promotable three times within your organization.
