Remember the good old days? When the market was overflowing with qualified candidates for every job you posted? Resumes and applications flooded into your office, covered your desk, and finding just the right fit for your company was pretty easy. Fast-forward to today. Hiring and retaining quality employees is the number one challenge business owners have today. The age-old recruiting strategies aren’t cutting it anymore, and businesses are being forced to use more non-traditional methods of recruitment...and they are having success.
COVID-19 shook the definition of job security at its core. Today, job-hopping is the new normal, so to find and keep quality candidates business owners must find creative ways to stand out in the hiring crowd. Qualified candidates are in high demand and are being lured away by aggressive companies with more attractive offers. This shift requires a recruitment strategy that will reach qualified candidates where they are (often employed by someone else), create a positive first impression and entice them to take action.
Write Creative Job Descriptions
This could be one of the most important parts of your recruitment strategy. Write a job description that is creative, energetic full of personality, and helps the candidate understand exactly what the position is all about. Write in a conversational tone and use descriptive adjectives. This may be the first time the candidate comes in contact with your organization. Indeed.com suggests that you treat candidates like customers and offers these tips:
- Make Position Titles Specific: Pique the candidate's attention by writing specific titles
- Lead with an Energetic Summary: Provide an exciting overview of the position, the role, and the organization
- Keep Descriptions To The Point: Job descriptions between 700 and 2,000 characters generate up to 30 percent more applications
- Include Core Responsibilities: Include the responsibilities, day-to-day activities, and why the position is important to the overall organization. Candidates want to know how their input and participation will make a difference.
Use Social Media To Recruit
Social media platforms are human resources professionals must have hiring partners. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and others are flooded with potential talent who are constantly looking for their next opportunity. Social media recruiting is also your opportunity to connect, engage and communicate with them. This provides powerful information for both you and the candidate. Social media provides a relaxed, comfortable environment for conversations, gives you insight into their personality, and most importantly, provides the candidate with an overview of your organization and brand. Ideas to incorporate into your social media are:
- Create Videos: Video marketing is growing by leaps and bounds and can provide successful recruiting results. Create informal, short, videos of your CEO sharing information about the position and the company, behind-the-scenes activities to show company culture, and testimonials from other colleagues and customers who are fans of your organization.
- Schedule a Virtual Hiring Event: Creating an online event through Facebook Live, Microsoft Teams, Zoom or other virtual platforms will generate interest in your organization and your opened positions. Make the agenda light, informal and informational. Open the chat room for questions and answers and to set up future interviews.
- Post Regularly: Generate organic reach by posting regularly and asking for likes and shares. Paying for ads and boosts will also expand your reach. Make your posts relevant to the position and your company culture. Create smiling photographs and eye-catching graphics to grab candidates' attention as they scroll through their busy news feeds.
Radio Marketing
A period of low unemployment simply means that the best candidates are employed elsewhere. Radio’s intrusive nature reaches listeners at work, driving, shopping, playing...literally everywhere. When good candidates are not actively searching for new jobs, you must go to where they are and give them a reason to contact you. Create fun, interesting ads that connect with someone and pique their curiosity. Write scripts that portray your company culture, sign on bonuses, flexible work schedules, or other benefits that are available. And hearing someone say, “I wasn’t looking for a job, but I heard your ad…” is music to your ears.
Get creative with your hiring strategy. Be assertive and take advantage of nontraditional methods that work. You'll discover an entirely new way to fill open positions with qualified, motivated employees that will position your business for a strong post-pandemic come-back and beyond.
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