Blog post

How to navigate the talent marketplace as an employee and as an employer

Employers are still creating strategies to retain valuable employees. At this stage, the focus is on redefining and understanding non-traditional approaches to talent mobility.
5
min read

In 2021, around 47 million people voluntarily left their jobs to explore career options and reexamine their lifestyles. And while it began as a pandemic response, it is becoming less of a factor now.

Employers are still creating strategies to retain valuable employees. At this stage, the focus is on redefining and understanding non-traditional approaches to talent mobility.

But what does that mean for the employer and the employee?

What is an Internal Mobility Marketplace?

An internal talent marketplace has become the answer to the need for proactive and engaging employee experiences. A company utilizes a talent marketplace to develop the skills and range of its current employees.

The US Air Force talent marketplace is an example of an internal mobility marketplace. Service members bid on available assignments, and then unit leaders and commanding officers can rank them according to career goals, skills, and self-described strengths and weaknesses.

It works the same way when an organization dispatches an internal mobility marketplace. The platform uses AI that connects qualified employees with opportunities inside a company, including:

  • Gigs
  • Full-time roles
  • Certifications
  • Other internal growth opportunities

Talent marketplaces aren't just about in-house employees, either. The platform has the ability to attract outside talent by detailing what the organization has to offer and what characteristics they are looking for in an applicant.

How to Stand Out as an Employee

A lot of employees have had a chance to make a first, second, and third impression. Talent marketplace technology doesn't take into account who an employee talks to on break. Instead, it focuses on each candidate's performance and strengths in order to best fill the position.

Get a Little Chatty

Internal recruitment comes with the particular benefit of having access to managers. An employee can build out questions to learn more about what a manager wants from a candidate beyond what the company has listed in the talent marketplace.

It helps to pull a current team member aside and ask them what the work environment is like and how the managers operate. Then, ask the manager for an informal chat. Quick talks provide insight for managers and employees, which helps both parties decide if the position is the right one.

You aren't wasting anyone's time with an interview for a job you may already know you don't want. And it expands your internal network through insightful conversations in the meantime.

Research and Review

A job description holds clues to approaching external or internal recruitment. It is the guide to understanding the role and its key requirements.

Reviewing the qualifications, skills, and experience required for a job gives an employee the chance to stand out. It allows them to understand key success criteria and meet the challenge head-on.

Match the Requirements

Managers looking to fill a position are combing through resumes for the highlighted requirements. It only makes sense that an employee would match those with the applicable skills. But, many candidates submit the same resume, regardless of the position or role.

An employee must shine a light on essential skills and how they will help provide value to the organization. Otherwise, an employer may move on to the next candidate.

Interview Preparation

You want to set yourself up for a successful interview. A candidate benefits from preparing ahead of time. Here are a few helpful hints:

  • Gather all of the information you can. A candidate can never know too much about the employer, the role, and the requirements.
  • In advance, prepare some answers to likely questions. Most interviewers will ask the same questions. But be ready for a curveball or two.
  • Clear and concise answers. The temptation to ramble will always be there but keep it short and sweet with relevant information. More isn't always better.
  • Tell the interviewer if you don't have a specific skill they are asking for. When an employee is honest and upfront, they can detail to the manager how they plan to remedy the fact they don't have specific skills.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Overconfidence in the workplace stems from the belief that someone's reputation alone can speak for itself. But with new positions opening, hiring managers are looking for more information about their candidates than simply their reputation.

Team leaders and managers are looking for people willing to go that extra mile. And internal recruitment is the perfect place to promote that willingness.

An internal mobility marketplace gives candidates a platform to display education, past projects, and areas of interest. At the same time, it allows managers to use that data and technology to recruit talent with the desirable skillsets and experience.

How to Stand Out as an Employer

The candidate-driven hiring market has become competitive to where employees have and hold a good portion of the leverage. And, just because someone has worked at a company for a year doesn't mean they aren't always looking for a better option.

Mission, Values, and Culture

The employer brand is as essential as the customer-facing brand. Many employees are looking for a work environment conducive to personal fulfillment. And, unless they know that through a brand's mission, values and culture, they may not take a second glance.

Exposure comes in different varieties. A talent marketplace is always the first place to start. But, when a company applies for industry workplace awards, it showcases a company's core values and what they stand for as an employer. In turn, it alerts recruits as to whether they share that mission and if they are a good fit for the existing work culture.

Consider Remote or Hybrid Options

The Great Resignation, in part, was because employees wanted to reexamine the balance in their lives. And on the other side of that, some have found that through working remotely or in a hybrid workplace.

A company that lists a remote position is far more attractive to most applicants because of its flexibility and work-life balance.

In-office positions restrict an employer's hiring options. Going remote opens an organization up to attracting the best global talent instead of just local.

Be Transparent with Pay

New York City is one of nine other jurisdictions requiring employers to disclose pay scales. It means that the majority of companies have no mandate on being transparent.

But, to be competitive in this atmosphere, releasing the full range of pay and wages draws in the more qualified applicants. Transparency in pay does a lot to bolster a company's brand, too.

When Conducting Interviews

The faster a manager can schedule the interview, the better chance they have of getting the candidate they see best suits the position. The quicker you get to the job offer stage, the better for everyone.

The interview process is as vital to an employer as to an employee, and first impressions work both ways. An unprofessional interview will turn off talent in a heartbeat.

Just like employees, employers have a habit of using generic interview materials with the same dead-end questions.

  1. An introduction is sometimes when the magic happens. Keep it short and sweet, and don't forget to smile.
  2. A little small talk is good. Healthy work relationships and rapport are part of any team, and it starts here. Of course, avoid topics like religions and politics because it will turn off almost every candidate.
  3. Attentively listen to the candidate's elevator pitch. An employer learns more about talent during this part of an interview than any other. Body language and pitch organization will tell a lot about confidence.
  4. As dull as it is, an interview's question and answer portion is necessary. It is good to remember that it is a two-way exchange where both parties expect honesty.
  5. Leave on a good impression. Always thank an applicant for their time and follow up with an email even if they didn't get the position. A bad review on Glassdoor isn't good for anyone.


How to Match Employees to Their Best Suited Opportunities

The competitive job market means that one position can attract hundreds of applicants. It's never a cut-and-dry process, but effective tools are available to employers to match employees with job opportunities better.

Workplace Culture

Regardless of the organization, there is going to be an established workplace culture that is the culmination of values, beliefs, expectations, and behaviors within the company. A recruiter must keep in mind that a successful employee is one who fits within the existing work environment.

The Extent of Experience

Work experience is not the only type out there. Life experience directly affects the effectiveness of an employee. Volunteer work and participation in mentorship programs say a lot about a recruit and their priorities.

Experience comes in the form of education, too. Some organizations can't or don't offer the training needed to obtain the skills required for the job. An employer has practical alternatives to finding recruits with the appropriate education or training.


Internal Mobility Marketplace

Structural is an internal talent marketplace platform that opens up opportunities for employees and employers.

Applicants have the power to promote themselves by listing life and work experience, skills, and talents. And it gives employers the ability to find the right talent for the right position.

You can start recruiting top-tier internal talent today. All it takes is a moment to fill out a two-second request for a demo.

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