A middle market business can thrive in a competitive job market if they can address and find solutions for common recruiting challenges.

The talent shortage is a challenge businesses of all sizes face in today’s job market, but it can be daunting for middle-market companies. These companies often have limited resources and struggle to compete with larger corporations for top talent. They may lack the brand recognition and employer reputation that bigger firms have painstakingly built.

To tackle these obstacles, mid-market companies must devise effective recruitment strategies that can enable them to entice and keep the most talented individuals obtainable. Challenges in recruiting differ by industry, but mid-market CEOs typically confront some, if not all, of the following recruiting challenges.

Candidates Don’t Have the Necessary Skills

One of the significant obstacles that mid-sized companies encounter when recruiting talent is that many candidates lack the essential skills or experience. Unlike larger corporations, which may possess more established training programs or resources, mid-sized companies don’t have the same resources for employee development.  

Having said that, mid-sized companies can still be an attractive landing spot for talent by leveraging other aspects, such as focusing on employee benefits and incentives. These can include customized development plans, flexible work arrangements, or chances to work on high-impact projects.

By thinking outside the box and exploring non-traditional benefit options, mid-sized companies can attract candidates seeking a unique work environment customized to their preferences and needs. 

Smaller Reach and Brand Presence

Smaller and lesser-known businesses often face an uphill battle when it comes to attracting the cream of the crop in the talent pool. Competing against larger corporations with wider reach and better-established reputations can be tough, especially for mid-size markets with limited resources.

Once again, there are ways to overcome this obstacle and emerge as an employer of choice. An often overlooked area where mid-size companies can differentiate their brand is through their culture. Who wouldn’t want to work for a company with a positive, engaging workplace culture that promotes diversity and inclusion and delivers exceptional employee experiences?

Scarce Resources for Training and Development

Unlike their larger counterparts, mid-size corporations may not possess comparable monetary resources devoted to employee development programs, thereby making it difficult to attract prospects seeking opportunities for advancement and growth. 

Even so, mid-size corporations have several options still available to them to overcome this obstacle. Even though they may be thin on traditional development offerings, they could focus on mentorships or job rotation programs. These options allow its workforce to acquire new skills at lower price points. Mid-size corporations could also leverage external online educational platforms and resources, giving employees access to self-paced education and improvement possibilities without building them internally. 

For mid-size companies, finding and keeping high-quality employees can present a number of challenges. Resources may be limited, reach may be smaller, and skilled candidates harder to come by. However, with a strategic approach, mid-size companies can overcome these challenges and still build a powerful brand that attracts sought-after talent. It may mean you need to get creative in your recruitment strategies or look to other factors that will differentiate your brand but don’t lose hope and give up.

Mid-size companies can thrive in this competitive job market if they look to solutions, such as the ones outlined in this article, that will cultivate a robust and successful workforce for years to come.

Charles Good  President, Institute for Management Studies 775-322-8222  |  ims-online.com  |  charles@ims-online.com