Eight recruiting strategies to help you win the talent war

By Daniel Abramson, HRSource

Happy New Year BrandSource members!

I’m not going to bore you with how hard it is to find people out there with 12 million open jobs and an unemployment rate of 3.9 percent.

Instead, here are some practical recruitment strategies for you to employ:

Employee referral programs are a great source of new talent and should have a solid place in your organization’s talent acquisition strategy. Not only are employee referral programs often cited as being a cheaper, quicker and more reliable recruiting tool, but referred candidates regularly stay longer with an organization than candidates who are hired via job boards or career sites. (Need some help getting going? Call me at 540-535-8484.)

Contact past candidates, both the runners-up who came in second in an earlier round of hiring, as well as those who turned your job offer down. Things are different now, their situation may have changed, and they may be willing to reconsider. If they still say, “No thanks,” ask them for a referral.

Look at your recent retirees. Maybe this whole retirement thing isn’t what they’d hoped for. They still have some good years left to give, and they’re perfect in so many ways. They know the job, the people and the culture. Work something out.

Learn the difference between job requirements and preferences. No wonder you can’t find anyone! You’ve made your filter too restrictive and described a candidate that doesn’t exist, with overly specific skills and experience that’s unnecessary for success in the job you’re looking to fill. I’m not saying lower your standards; I’m saying make them realistic. And be more willing to hire and develop potential. We may not have the luxury of a “ready-made” candidate these days.

Consider the special needs community.  Lots of good talent there, but many employers overlook this source. You likely have resources in your area that can help you connect. These are dependable people who are kind and who care.

Request referrals from new employees during their first week while they’re excited about their new job. This is an excellent source of recruits, as good people know other good people. 

Work on your website. Look at your Careers section through the eyes of a prospective employee. Is there anything there that would make you look twice — or make your move on? Elements of an effective recruitment page include your employer brand, video testimonials from happy employees, a window into your world, and why a candidate should consider you.

Make your job postings fun. So many are boring, just listing just “duties and responsibilities!” Don’t forget to give prospective employees reasons why they should work for you, such as the strength of the business and opportunities for advancement.  And don’t forget to mention your affiliation with BrandSource, a national, 5,000-plus member strong consortium with $24 billion in buying power! This might neutralize the mom ’n pop perception in a sea of other job offerings.

As a bonus, here are a few tips to consider when crafting your job postings:

Make titles as specific as possible. The more accurate your title, the more effective you will be in piquing the interest of the most qualified and interested job seekers.

Open with a captivating summary. Provide an overview that gets job seekers excited about the role and the company. (There’s lots of job clutter out there that you need to break through!)

Include the essentials. Describe core responsibilities; hard and soft skills; day-to-day activities; and explain how the position fits into the organization. Use BrandSource partner CareerPlug as an option with ready-to-go job write-ups.

Highlight your culture. Seventy-two percent of job seekers say it’s extremely or very important to see specifics about a company’s culture, so take the opportunity to highlight your values and your people. (Example: “XYZ Appliance promotes a culture of agility, collaboration, customer-centricity, results, and respect.”)

Have questions or need help with your recruiting needs? Call me at the phone number below.

Daniel Abramson is Managing Lead of HRSource, a comprehensive collection of customized employment tools and turnkey solutions exclusive to BrandSource members. For more information, contact Daniel at (540) 535-8484 or daniel@staffdynamics.biz.

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