This is a guest post from Michael Deane, who is one of the editors of Qeedle, a small business magazine. When not blogging (or working), he can usually be spotted on the track, doing his laps, or with his nose deep in the latest John Grisham.
According to research, 51% of employees are considering a new job. That means that there are plenty of experienced, talented people out there and yet, somehow, you still struggle to find a suitable candidate to fill an open position in your company. It’s not uncommon to see companies with open positions keep posting the same ads over and over again and not being able to find top candidates.
This means that the traditional approaches to hiring talent are not working anymore. If you want to attract only the top-tier, talented candidates, then you need to think outside of the box. It’s time to change your approach and use some innovative recruitment tactics to find the best and the brightest and to convince them to join your company.
Here are some actionable tips you can use to acquire talent.
Attend Various Events and Mingle
Attending various events and conferences is a great way to stay one step ahead in your recruiting game. These events are often filled with great talent and potential candidates so you should start building relationships with them.
These passive candidates who might not be looking for a job could become part of your team someday. Remember the statistics we mentioned earlier? Well, these amazing people are likely to change jobs sooner or later so they might consider your company.
Give Cool Rewards for Referrals
Referrals are very important when it comes to acquiring talent. If you are looking to hire someone, start with your own employees and whom they might know. Often the best candidates come precisely from referrals so throw some cool rewards for the employees who refer a friend of theirs. This will serve as an incentive for them to make an effort and bring more great people to the company.
You can give movie tickets or personalized gifts based on what each employee likes. This shows that you care about your existing employees and will help you acquire future talent.
Focus on Candidate Experience
This might not strike you as out of the box thinking but given the fact that so many companies neglect the importance of candidate experience, it seems that it really is. Positive or negative candidate experience can greatly affect your company. That is why you should pay particular attention to this aspect of the recruitment process if you want to attract talent.
Candidates want to be treated with respect and more than anything else, they want the application process to be simple and interesting. According to research, about 78% of candidates say that the candidate experience they receive is an indicator of how a company values its people.
Plus, bear in mind that candidates talk about their experiences and share them on social media. They leave their good or bad reviews on platforms such as Glassdoor where other potential candidates can see. Given the fact that most candidates first check out the employer reviews online before applying, this is another reason why you should strive to provide a great candidate experience.
How to improve your candidate experience?
Be friendly and honest about your expectations. Instead of a boring job description and requirements, make it simple and inviting. Make the recruitment process fast (no great candidate will wait for a month or more). If you really want to hire someone amazing, don’t waste the candidates’ time. Another company could realize their potential and hire them before you.
Be Creative with Your Job Post
According to the statistics, funny and creative recruitment videos seem to improve your chances of attracting top talent. These videos can make a real difference in the recruiting process. We are visual beings so we respond better to visuals when compared to dry text (in this case job description). Also, videos will account for 82% of all traffic by 2022.
Companies that use recruitment videos saw a 34% higher application rate. Videos are more engaging and allow you to present your company in a creative way that would not be possible with a job description. They also help you attract a wider pool of candidates and appeal to the younger candidates.
Inspire them to submit an application with engaging storytelling. Use the video to show them what it would be like to work in your company. Most importantly, make sure to say or offer something different from what other companies say.
Tailor Your Benefits
Go one step ahead from your competition and ask your potential candidate what kind of benefits would they like. Give them what they want.
It’s becoming harder and harder to attract and retain talented employees. The standard employees’ benefits package is no longer sufficient. You need to step up your game and tailor the benefits to suits the candidates’ needs.
Top pay and retirement savings are essential but many candidates also value flexible working hours and the ability to work remotely. Other important benefits include career development opportunities, wellness benefits, etc.
About the Author: Jocelyn Pick
