When you take recruitment initiatives online, one of the first lessons is that you must focus your attention on high-quality leads, not a high quantity of leads. Believe me, before the end of the first week is up, you’ll likely be flooded with resumes, CVs, cover letters and applicants. However, if you do your job right, complete a thorough research and investigative process and are very clear about what skills and experience qualified candidates must possess, you’ll lighten your burden.
Tip #1: Visualize the Perfect Candidate
The first step in attracting the right talent is knowing precisely what it is that you’re looking for. How educated are they? What salary are they expecting? How long have they been in the industry? What type of experience do they need to have under their belt? Will they be expected to travel regularly? If so, what percentage of their time will be spent on the road? Remember: according to the article “50+ Job Search Statistics You Need to Know” on www.careerchangechallenge.com, in the year 2009 more jobs were lost than existed during the Great Depression.
Tip #2: Put That Visualization Down on Paper
Now that you know what you’re looking for, get it down on paper. Think about ways to word your requirements and qualifications. Find the appropriate verbiage to communicate exactly what you’re looking for and be explicit. Then, consider how applicants should respond and make those instructions clear. Then, weed out those who are unable to follow directions as step one of the selection process.
Tip #3: Learn to Effectively “Sell” Your Organization
Although the job market is competitive, smart candidates are still selective about where they’ll apply. Because of this, you must shine the best possible light on the company or organization in question, whether it’s your company or a client’s. Even after stretches of unemployment, people want to work for a great company that does exciting things. Capture that excitement.
Tip #4: Scout Out the Competition
When it comes to the best practices of recruiting, there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. Before you start laboring on your job posting from scratch, take a moment to search for similar positions on some of the larger sites like Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, etc. and see which employment postings work and which ones don’t. Look for key ways to set yourself apart from your competitors to attract the best talent.
Tip #5: Establish an Extensive Online Presence
Recruitment policies should be part of a larger process of networking to identify and recruit the best talent out there. One of the most effective, efficient ways to supplement your recruitment is to effectively use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, but most certainly LinkedIn. Not only will this make it easy for potential applicants to learn more about the organization, it also provides additional outlets for your recruitment reach. This can yield high-quality applicants while encouraging referrals from existing online employees.
Tip #6: The Power of Narrow-Casting
When seeking the top talent, aim for specialized professionals who focus their attention on niche-specific job boards. While there are thousands of potential niche job boards out there, the folks at Internet Inc. have already tackled the hardest part if you visit here. From aerospace to insurance, this site runs the gamut.
Tip #7: Zero in on Local Opportunities
While national online recruitment outlets are invaluable, it always pays to go local with your recruitment policies and procedures. Although local job boards may not offer a slew of applicants, there is the added bonus of proximity and (if handled correctly) high-quality prospects. A simple Google search will yield a few potential local job boards your staffing organization previously overlooked.
Tip #8: It Pays to Be Picky
Unless you want to be overwhelmed with poor-quality applicants and respondents, take the time to be selective about where you’ll post your listing. For example, if you are looking for an employee with a fair level of industry expertise, a niche job board may well outperform a more generalized site like www.snagajob.com. Don’t just post your positions randomly, put thought and precision into it first. In the long run it will save you a great deal of time and frustration.
Tip #9: Don’t Be Afraid Compensate For Referrals
Offering a recruitment bonus or referral bonus for those who help you locate a talented professional who not only is awarded the job but makes it to and through their introductory 90-day period is a great way to increase quality leads. This incentive can help sweeten the pot for others and allow you to locate high-quality talent you might have otherwise missed in your search.
Tip #10: Always Answer the Question: What’s In It For Me?
In today’s competitive job market there is still a need to distinguish yourself from the competition if your earnest aim is to attract the very best talent. One of the most effective ways to do this is to answer the question your ideal candidate will always have in mind: “What’s in it for me?” What kind of salary can you offer? What benefits are available? What additional perks are offered – onsite day care, gym access, extra vacation time, etc.? Make your offer as attractive as possible by appealing to everyone’s inherent sense of ambition and hunger.
Be sure to stay tuned for additional tips on how you can tilt the odds in your favor during your next recruitment initiative.
Author Bio
Katelyn writes on a variety of technical securities for Bit9, including intellectual property protection.