Getting talented people to join your business is not always easy and can be costly. Those with the best experience and skills will likely have a lot of options and opportunities open to them, so it’s the job of employers to do what they can to entice the most suitable new hires with a multifaceted recruitment strategy.
To give you a head start over your competitors, here are just a few of the best ways to bring brilliant individuals into your business and convince them to stay for the long haul once they arrive.
Clarity is key
Lots of employers fall at the first hurdle by advertising their available roles in an unhelpfully vague way, using language that sounds superficially compelling, but does not actually drill down into the detail of what the job involves and what the company is like to work for.
It’s better to make sure that there is no room for ambiguity here; instead, aim to add relevant details that will demonstrate to prospective applicants exactly what they can expect if they decide to jump onboard.
This is important for a few reasons, chief among which is that it will lessen the likelihood that the people who apply for an open position will be unsuited to it, whether through lack of relevant experience, qualifications or personality type. So while you might think that appealing to as broad a pool of talent as possible is necessary, in reality this will just leave you with more work to do and could mean that the real winners are allowed to slip through the net.
Company culture is significant
You can offer the most competitive pay packages and the top perks on the block, but all of this will be irrelevant if your business does not seem like it will be an enjoyable, rewarding and fulfilling place for new hires to work.
This is where fostering a cohesive, coherent and definable culture is impactful. This is not just about adding a ping pong table to the break room and calling it a day; you need to make sure that the mission statement of your organization is not just marketing fluff, but actually reflects the reality of day to day life in the office.
The considerations of company culture should also extend to other areas. You want to demonstrate to the talent you're head-hunting that they can rely on professionalism across all departments, whether that means you highlight how keen you are to remain in compliance with rules and regulations on HR matters such as payroll management, or pinpoint the steps you have made to improve the sustainability of your business and its engagement with the local community.
You may need to unpick and analyze the values that ideal new hires will need to have to work well within your firm to come up with a unified culture that matches these, but as this will have benefits for the broader organization, it’s definitely worthwhile.
Flexibility is expected
Technology has changed the world in many ways, and perhaps the most significant development in recent years from an employer’s perspective is that it’s no longer possible to claim that working from the office every day of the week is essential.
Likewise with the rise in remote working, people are looking to their employers to accept the need to be more flexible in how, where and when team members are expected to be available.
Rather than seeing this as a problem that needs to be quashed, organizations that want to win over the people they’re attempting to recruit should concede that flexibility is becoming an essential perk, and embrace it.
Showing would-be team members that their work-life balance is important, and that the role they’re stepping into will be able to fit in with their other interests and responsibilities, rather than being overly rigid or disruptive in its own right, will position your business as forward-thinking and innovative.
Social media is useful
One struggle that businesses may have in the modern world is finding new hires in the first place, and making sure that they’re on their radar ahead of time so that when a job opportunity arises, they’re already up to speed with what the company does and why it might be a good one to work for.
Having a robust presence on social media is a powerful tactic in this respect, and should certainly be part of your broader digital marketing strategy already. Since this can boost your reputation for recruitment purposes as well, there is no excuse to neglect growing your audience via relevant platforms.
It’s also perfectly normal for companies to list jobs through social media, as this is an excellent means by which they can be organically spread and end up in front of the right people.
Speed is of the essence
An inability to act quickly can cause talented applicants to be poached by competitors, so it’s crucial to make sure that your recruitment processes are as efficient and effective as possible.
This relates not only to the way you process applications and handle interviews, but also to the post-interview decision making process. The longer you deliberate over whether or not to hire someone, the more likely it is that they will look elsewhere or even lose faith in your firm and decide to decline any job offer if and when it does arrive.
Existing employees will point the way to ideal new hires
The final strategy to use if you're struggling to bring talented people onboard at your business is that of the tried and tested employee referral program.
Anyone who has been in a given industry for a decent length of time will have a network of contacts they can call upon if a position needs to be filled. And if there is an incentive for doing so, they will want to make a good impression by putting forward people they know to be appropriate.
Each industry and organization will have its own quirks and complications to overcome when planning your approach to recruitment, but the most important thing is to be willing to try new things if you're not getting the results you desire at the moment.
About the Author
Richard Fendler is a goal-oriented manager with proven leadership abilities. Expert in increasing productivity and growth marketing through content. Committed to streamlining procedures while optimizing employee talent. Most importantly, dog lover.
