As summer comes to an end and workers prepare themselves for the final quarter of the year,
With nearly 9.5 million views on TikTok, #SeptemberSurge has garnered a global audience, with many job seekers hoping to secure a
"The reason will vary based on what industry the recruiter is coming from," says Cain. "The retail space is gearing up for the holiday season and healthcare companies expect an influx of questions as people change their benefits at the end of the year. So you'll see a lot of hiring activity begin in that September space."
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Cain also notes that recruiters are more likely to have a full team in September and October since fewer people are taking
Still, recruiters have more work cut out for them if they want to find the right talent this season.
Company reputation and the September surge
For Cain, the success of the surge depends on the work the company has done to strengthen its work culture and benefits in the last year. If employees are happy, not only does this lower the hiring needs but it increases the number of internal referrals, too. For example, 30% of Paycor's hires come from referrals given by people within the company, explains Cain.
"If you build the right culture and organization, you become this magnet — that's a great place to be as a recruiter," he says. "Our great reputation with our workforce means people working here tell their friends and family, 'I love my job and you should consider working at Paycor as well.'"
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Higher satisfaction and retention rates also mean talent within the organization can grow, filling open positions. Ideally, recruiters can work with the talent at their company to build a stronger staff, says Cain.
Recruiters need to be considerate of all applicants
Once the job posts are up and recruiters pinpoint a pool of qualified applicants, Cain warns against apathetic, automated rejection emails and ghosting. Applicants should be seen as customers of the business, even if they don't move to the next step in the hiring process.
This is especially crucial once the recruiters reach the last three or four candidates, underlines Cain.
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"Unfortunately, probably only one person is going to get an offer," he says. "But those three other people were very qualified and we may want to go back to hire them for future opportunities. It's critical we take care of the individuals we meet who are applying to our organization."
Recruiters can't rely too much on technology
Even in the age of AI, technology doesn't improve every point of the recruitment process. Cain warns recruiters against letting technology come between their communication with candidates, primarily through automated email responses and rejections. And while AI and automated technology can help recruiters narrow down the applicants, ultimately recruiters should be diving into the resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles and interview notes to decide who moves on to the next step.
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"The personal touch in those conversations is really important," says Cain. "When recruiters rely on technology too much, that gets taken away. Remember, [applicants] are your customers or potential customers for the future. We always have to ensure they have a great experience with us."
Choosing the right candidate
If recruiters know the qualifications and experiences they truly value for their open roles, the question of who is the "one" out of a pool of candidates should come down to who wants to be at the company more, says Cain. He advises recruiters to ask a simple question to all other top candidates: Why should I select you?
"I want to hear the [candidate] say, 'I want to work for your organization,'" says Cain. "I don't want to feel like I'm one of five choices [for them]. I want to retain that person and put a lot of time, energy and resources into making that person successful."
