Jona JoneLooking for the best man for the job is never easy. It’s true what they say that hiring is like finding needles in the haystack. Recruitment is never a game of heads or tails; it requires rigorous assessment and some crucial trusting of gut. And this year, employers will have to do some serious gut-trusting as 49% of financial professionals expect their companies to increase hiring, according to the 2015 report of the Association for Financial Professionals Business Outlook.
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But before the next applicant comes through the door, it is important to consider trends in recruitment. Human resource experts, managers, and employers could be hiring and firing employees all their lives but there are recruitment practices that may need a second look. Off hand, there is social media. Just to give you an idea of how social media has changed the recruitment landscape, a survey by CareerBuilder found that 43% of employers research job candidates on social networking sites. Using social media in recruitment practices is just one of the trends that employers need to look into. Hiring practices, as in job hunting, is not as it was one or two decades ago. That is why it is important for employers to go over recruitment practices that they should rethink.
Find an alternative to job fairs
Is your company still casually joining job fairs? Where has this gotten you? The guess is: not very far. Just as your company casually joins career fairs in universities, so does applicants who casually drop their resumes to every booth. In 2013, job fairs only accounted for 1.4% of total hires, according to a report by CareerXroads. That is lower by 0.5% compared to 2011. Aside from the small haul of talent, career fairs can also be very costly.
Here is a suggestion: instead of joining job fairs, why not look for talent in unlikely places? The director of talent acquisition at Quicken Loans once told the New York Times that this is how they hire quickly and effectively. The company sent its employees out to interact with workers and offer interviews. Exams and series interviews are a good thing but witnessing how people actually work is wonderful.
Posting in the right place
Aside from job fairs, job postings in newspapers and all-inclusive job boards online may not also reap a favorable haul. Update this recruitment practice by focusing your hiring efforts in ways and places that fit your dream hire. For example, Google placed an ad in the San Francisco area to attract math-savvy candidates. In short, turn your job posting into a job invitation for the right people at the right place.
When job boards are not enough
Online job boards are a ton these days. It is but natural for companies to post vacancies there because it is cheaper, faster, and has a wider reach. But don’t stop there. One way to upgrade this online strategy for recruitment is to try looking at forums, too. Watch out for events that are likely to be attended by your potential dream hire. For example, your company is looking for an advertising expert. You could attend an event or meet-up of advertising practitioners. At least, you already know that they are somewhat experienced plus you get to see what they are like in person and how they act around people.
Turn to social media
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It could be a waste of time and energy to sift through bad-fit resumes in response to your job posting. Why not take matters into your own hands and do the search yourself? The answer: social networking sites. A Jobvite report found that 73% of recruiters plan to invest more in social recruiting. LinkedIn is a runaway winner with 79% of employers having found a hire through the site.
Social media has changed recruitment processes in ways we’ve never imagined before. Today, more and more applicants are uploading their credentials online and using social media to stand out. For example, getting noticed in a sea of call center applicants requires creativity. Uploading a video, creating infographics of skills, and displaying work portfolios are all possible through social media.
And as applicants get creative, employers are getting even more convinced that social media can help in the recruitment process. It also allows them to be more critical and know an applicant better. A study by social media monitoring service Reppler found that 13% of employers have rejected applicants because they found out in their social accounts that they lied about their qualifications.
Don’t settle for resume, go for data and metrics
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Another online strategy for recruitment is using data and metrics. Big data can be used to hire hard-to-reach talent. Metrics are good for sourcing and analytics. One way to gather data is knowing who are searching for keywords relevant to your company. This will make the search easier.
Build a talent bank
Job boards work but having your own talent bank means you have access to exclusive data. This is like a gold mine for recruitment. At the same time, having a talent bank will enable you to tap applicants who did not make it the first time but are perfect for the job now.
Believe in employer branding
Make developing a compelling employer brand a priority. Applicants are not the only ones who should impress; it also works the other way around. A company should outline its values, accomplishments, and what it is about to attract the right people. Do not miss this trend in recruitment because a good employer branding is a long-term recruiting strategy. Research from LinkedIn shows that good branding can reduce costs per hire by 50% and turnover rates by 28%.
Capitalize on “passive” candidates
Active candidates or those actively seeking employment are often the focus of recruitment. However, it pays to be on the lookout for passive candidates or those that are not job hunting but are willing to speak to a recruiter. This a talent pool not to be missed. One recent poll showed that on LinkedIn, 63% are not actively looking but interested in new job leads.
Mind the past but don’t forget potential
Steve Jobs said of recruitment: “We do not take a man on his past history. I never met a man who was thoroughly bad. There is always some good in him if he gets the chance.” Background check all you want but remember to look into potential. This is where gut takes its course.
The Internet and social media have made it easier to find talents so go ahead and use them. Most of the trends in recruitment revolve around these. While traditional recruitment practices have worked for your company in the past, it is worth giving new recruitment tactics a try. After all, going through all the trouble to find the right people always pays in the end.
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