Struggling with hiring qualified employees at your firm? Hiring quality candidates usually takes time, but you might be in a position where you need to fill a position quickly. If you are in need of some fresh ideas, this article will discuss some instances where you may need to change up your recruiting strategy to find well qualified applicants.
Finding Applicant for Difficult to Fill Positions
Certain job positions may be difficult to fill, leaving you lost on the best recruiting approach. Below are a few suggestions on how to increase applications for these types of positions.
- Use in-person opportunities to recruit: This gives you a great opportunity to connect with different individuals and recruit for jobs quickly, as well as discuss the benefits of the position one-on-one rather than hoping someone notices a job posting online.
- Offer bonuses: Sometimes a sign on bonus might be the best way to go if you have had some trouble filling a position in the past and want to get applicants in quickly.
- Recruit from companies with recent layoffs: If you are able to find similar companies that have recently laid off employees, you might have some luck recruiting difficult to fill positions from these organizations. These types of individuals are likely to want to find work quickly, so they are likely to be open to new types of opportunities.
Increasing In-Person Recruiting Opportunities
We all know that recruiting in person works well since it helps give applicants a more personal sense of a brand, as well as the ability to directly ask questions about what a job might entail. Below are a few ideas for opportunities to recruit for positions in person.
- Offer group lunches: Group lunches can help introduce your brand in a more informal and conversational way, as well as get a sense of which applicants might be a great fit for the position. Since this is a group-style setting, it also reduces the amount of time spent on a specific individual that might not be well qualified for a job.
- Recruit directly on college campuses or trade schools: If your business is looking for fresh talent, recruiting directly on college campuses could be a great way to go. While they may have less experience, you might find that younger professionals have better adaptability to a new job position.
- Recruit at grocery stores: Recruiting at businesses that are frequented often – such as grocery stores – can be a great way to find new types of business professionals. Try to limit recruiting times at these types of places to lunch, weekends, or after business hours to increase the likelihood of finding qualified individuals for the positions you are looking to fill.
Attracting the Right Types of Talent
While it’s relatively easy to find job applicants, it can be difficult to find individuals that are truly the right fit for a position. Below are a few ideas on ways to find more qualified candidates when recruiting.
- Ask for referrals: Whenever possible, try to utilize opportunities for referrals from trusted sources. Referrals can be a great way to fill a position since you have a better sense of what an applicant might be like. You can request referrals from past clients, similar businesses that might have had to recently downsize or layoff employees, or even internally from other employees at your organization.
- Create a better online careers page: You may want to consider making some updates to the website design of your careers page in order to attract the right types of applicants. Use your website to market core values, perks of the position, and why someone would want to work for you. Rather than just listing jobs on your website, use your careers page to really highlight your business as a whole. What is your business mission, values, and vision for the future? What does a day look like working for your business? Do you offer any employee perks? The more an applicant can connect with your business, the more likely you are to find the right types of applicants that align with these core values and standards.
Recruiting During COVID 19
Recruiting during the pandemic poses its own set of challenges. Recruiters now have less opportunity to find applicants in person, interviews are often held via skype or over the phone, and many employees must be trained and trusted to work from home. Below are a few ideas on how to adapt to these new business standards and find the new applicants online.
- Utilize social media to promote job opportunities: LinkedIn can be a great resource for finding qualified candidates during times such as the COVID19 pandemic. Ask your other business employees to spread the word through social media platforms for any open positions that might need to be filled within your company. LinkedIn can also be a great way to find applicants. Try searching for similar organizations that might have recently laid off some employees and connect with individuals that align with the experience you might be looking for.
- Incorporate video or other media on your careers page: Since there is less opportunity to attract talent face to face during the pandemic, incorporating some video or other media might be a great way to add a personalized feel to the careers page on your website. Some ideas that you might want to highlight in these videos might be: a better understanding of your company culture, an insight on job training, or employee perks.
- Reach out to other HR professionals: Connecting with other HR professionals might be another way to find job applicants remotely. Consider emailing or connecting with other HR professionals via LinkedIn and ask for candidate referrals. They may have filled a position, but had multiple well qualified candidates that they can refer to you.
- Consider Digital Marketing and Search Engine Optimization: Since many job applicants will be applying for jobs solely online, this might be a good time for your company to invest in a digital marketing strategy, whether that be through display advertising (on social media or similar websites) or through search engine optimization. For assistance getting started on search engine optimization or a digital marketing campaign, click the link here.
By considering some out-of-the-box strategies for recruiting, your company can attract the right type of qualified talent, find applicants for difficult to fill positions, and connect with potential applicants both in person or remotely.