Theresa Parrales — October 31, 2017 — October 31, 2017
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Regardless of your industry, you’ve likely found out first hand that it’s difficult to locate and hire skilled talent for your business. Job openings drastically outnumber qualified candidates, so competition for the attention of job seekers is rapidly increasing. On top of that, if you’re leading a small or medium-sized business, you may feel that you lack the resources necessary to boost your hiring. The good news is there are many answers. Successful recruiting strategies are the ones that have adapted to the modern job seeker, and best yet, they don’t cost much.
1. Embrace Technology
If you want to reach today’s talent, then it’s time to embrace the technology that can put your messaging in front of their eyes and ears. Refresh your website through a company blog that can share insight on your industry that job seekers will find interesting. This form of content marketing can position you as a thought leader, build low-pressure relationships with talent, and attract passive candidates. Applicant Tracking Systems can assist in keeping track of candidates, while marketing automation software and email marketing services can help you reach elusive talent. Since studies show a $ 1 investment in email marketing returns $ 38, rest assured that any initial costs will see a healthy ROI in the form of improved recruiting.
2. Streamline and Shorten the Recruiting Process
Talent knows they’re in the driver’s seat these days, and they’re getting attention from multiple companies. Any speedbumps they hit talking with your organization will make it too easy for them to turn to a competitor. For example, when filling out online job applications, 60% of job seekers quit in the middle because they found them too long or complex. This is why streamlining your HR and recruiting is so important, and this mentality shouldn’t end once a candidate gets to the interview. 23% of candidates lose interest in a role if they don’t hear back within one week. Shorten the recruiting process wherever possible, and hiring will improve.
3. Start Getting Social
In the eyes of today’s candidates, if you’re not on social media then you’re irrelevant. 79% of job seekers use social media as part of their job search. Taking care to create and regularly update Facebook, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor accounts is necessary at a minimum if you truly want to go to where the people are. If you’re still on the fence about social media recruiting, consider that posting a job on social media increases applications by 30-50%.
4. Focus on Relationships
In the grind of each day, candidates might start to seem like an endless series of phone numbers and email addresses. However, a relationship mentality must be at the heart of a recruiting strategy. Technology and social media are essential, but balance is necessary. Come face-to-face with potential candidates by participating in and attending as many industry events as possible. Whether it’s a career fair, conference, speaking engagement, or charity event, nothing beats a great conversation accompanied by a firm handshake and business card.
5. Referral Programs
One of the absolute best pipelines for new talent resides in your current workforce. Candidates referred by current employees have an impressive 40% applicant conversion rate and require a shorter recruiting process. Once they are on board, these referrals stay longer with an organization and better fit company values and culture than non-referred employees. Even if you’re unable to implement a full referral program in your organization, at the very least it’s necessary to encourage employees to tell their friends and networks about your open roles.
6. Put Culture on Display
Money talks, but culture talks louder. According to a Glassdoor survey, culture is the workplace factor that matters most to employees, easily beating out compensation. Focus on building an inclusive culture and fun environment and it will improve your organization in multiple ways. It’s been proven that a strong culture attracts better talent and retains that talent for longer periods of time. For maximum effect, show off your great culture anywhere possible, especially on your website and social media channels.
7. Partner with a PEO
With so many different recruiting strategies to implement, things can seem overwhelming for business leaders or HR reps that already have a lot on their plate. If it’s time to overhaul your recruiting and make more than just a small change, it may be time to partner with an experienced PEO. The right one will already be skilled in the above strategies and have access to a huge network of top talent. It’s a big reason why outsourcing your HR lowers turnover and improves every aspect of recruiting.
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