In today’s job market, applicants aren’t hard to find. As an employer, your challenge is finding the right employee for you. Here are seven tips on recruiting high-quality candidates for your company.
1. Treat candidates like you would your customers.
Think of this as the golden rule of recruiting. Remember that you’re selling the idea of joining your company, and your candidates’ first impression of you is critical. To make the best impression, respect their time, make them feel welcome, and make yourself available during the interview process.
2. Work your social media channels.
While social media used to be a realm for keeping up to date with friends, companies have learned social networks’ power to build their business. And this is perhaps most obvious when it comes to recruiting. Posting a job opportunity in social media isn’t just slapping a flier on a bulletin board: it allows for a much greater reach and two-way conversations. It also can give a candidate a sample of your company culture.
3. Start an employee referral program.
Successful companies have engaged employees who act as great brand ambassadors. So why not incentivize them to go the next step and act as informal recruiters? Providing tangible rewards will encourage your employees to not only tell their friends about job openings but actively refer the best talent they know.
4. Write captivating job descriptions.
Just like a great headline sucks a reader into a news story, a powerful job description can be a magnet for highly qualified candidates. What makes a job description powerful? Make it specific, interesting, and concise.
5. Consider past candidates.
Have you ever had several outstanding candidates apply for one position? Did you regret that you could only select one? Make a note of those candidates and keep their resumes on file. That way, when you need to recruit for a similar position, you’ll have some “banked” candidates who already know your company. Who knows? Their skillsets may be even more attractive now.
6. Do some stealth recruiting at industry meetups.
Job fairs are great for recruiting, but sometimes, they cast too broad of a net. On the other hand, gatherings of industry specialists that aren’t explicitly tied to job-hunting can showcase the kind of talent you’re looking for. Visit a networking meetup and look for professionals who proud of and passionate about what they do.
7. Include would-be peers of candidates in the interview process.
If you really want to know if a candidate has the right stuff for a job, invite someone at your company with a role similar to the position you’re recruiting for to participate in the interview process. These would-be peers know what the job entails and what it would take for a candidate to succeed in the position. Plus, the employees you select for this type of involvement will be even more engaged moving forward, knowing you trusted them to help make such an important decision.
Looking for Another Resource for Replenishing Your Talent Pool? MegaForce works with staffing agencies in Wilson and throughout North Carolina to provide quality candidates. Contact us to request an employee.
