In working with my clients and talking to business owners, the one question everyone is asking me is where do I go to find qualified applicants. With today’s low unemployment rate, it’s getting harder and harder to attract top talent. In an effort to build an effective recruitment strategy, here are some tips on how to find qualified applicants:
1. Create a great culture
Having a great company culture will not only help you attract great employees but it will help you keep them, too. Your culture should reflect your brand personality and empower its people. It should align with your core values and it should evolve over time. Diversity, inclusiveness, and teamwork are all ideals to strive for. A winning culture will position your company as a desirable place to work and ideally, the people you are hoping to hire will be hoping to work for you.
2. Show that culture in your employer brand
A strong employer brand improves the quality and quantity of applicants. How to do this: as a brand, make a point of being seen in the community. Create videos to post on your website and social media pages that underscore the employee experience. Use webinars to let people know about your organization and how great it is to work there.
3. Be clear about what you are asking for
Knowing what position you need to fill is one thing, but often, a job may entail much more than what can be found in a job description. By having a strong understanding of what’s required for the position, key result areas, essential qualifications, and soft skills you are one step closer to finding your ideal new hire. Be clear about how you expect your teams to perform, communicate, and collaborate. If there are high stakes involved, don’t downplay them! If there are challenges, be forthcoming. Your candor, your honesty, and your willingness to share your unique needs will go a long way to developing trust.
4. Ask your employees, customers, and vendors
Consider asking your employees, customers, and vendors if they know anybody who they think would be a good fit. These are the people who know you best. They know what you do, they know how you do it. Who would be better qualified than these individuals to identify a potential candidate? Better yet, the person would be (at least partially) pre-screened before they sit across your desk. Having a great endorsement from somebody you trust is as good a reference as it gets – in most cases, these people would never put their own reputation on the line unless they were pretty sure it was a good call.
5. If you can’t get them to come to you, go to them
Your next great hire is out there. If you don’t know where to start, think about attending industry events or networking events that focus on a related field or specialty. College campuses are also a great place to look. Faculty may be able to share some insight as to their brightest prospects. Internships and apprentices are another great way to nurture talent. The stakes are high for them and if they work out, everybody wins. Many “rockstars” in business started their careers as interns. Depending on what type of business you are in, there is likely a lot of untapped potential to be had – you just have to look in the right places.
Finding qualified applicants is an essential component of success in today’s business landscape. If you would like to learn more about how to find and hire the right people, set up a call today.