Dive Brief:

• In an entry on Jobs2Careers, nearly two dozen hiring pros shared their insight into sourcing and hiring for hard-to-fill jobs, a growing problem due to the skill gaps that exist in today's employment pool.
• "In addition to requiring excellent effort and networking skills, it's about setting expectations for clients," said Fletcher Wimbush of The Hire Talent. Sheldon Arora, CEO of LiquidAgents Healthcare said, "Referrals are very successful because companies are more likely to hire someone connected to a friend or colleague than an unknown candidate.
• According to the most recent research from Staffing Industry Analysts, contract and temporary sales will increase by 4% in 2017, while search and placement sales will grow by 5%, adding to the already 16 million temporary and contract employees that are hired each year, 

Dive Insight:

Finding candidates for hard-to-fill jobs takes skill and patience. Most of it comes down to developing strong networks and fostering positive relationships with both clients and prospective candidates. It's also important for recruiters not to neglect corporate branding as a way to encourage employee referrals.

But finding a candidate with specialist skills can sometimes have a recruitment team scrambling. Screening only those candidates who have the desired skills helps to narrow down what can be an otherwise overwhelming experience.