Finding high-quality new hires
We know that finding the right candidate for an open position can be a difficult and time consuming. Matching knowledge, skills, abilities and cultural fit isn’t the easiest thing. It’s even more difficult when there isn’t a great talent pool to recruit from. We aren’t saying that there’s no talent out there. We’re saying a stale pipeline and internal mobility strategy are keeping you from finding that perfect fit. If you want to snag high-quality hires for your business, you need a solid strategy.
Tip #1: Take advantage of your internal pipeline
Internal mobility – or hiring internally – has a number of very valuable benefits:
- If you’re proactively engaged in performance management, you can groom your tried and true workforce for critical roles in the company and boost retention rates. Remember, employees want career development and they aren’t afraid of leaving your organization to get it.
- It costs companies thousands of dollars to bring on new employees. That number grows each time a new employee doesn’t work out. Hiring internally could save you the time and money required for recruiting and training new employees.
- Grooming internal candidates for opportunities to grow boosts morale and improves company culture- two things that are extremely important to employees in our current job market.
Your internal pipeline also can help grow your network. Nearly 74% of recruiters say the best-quality candidates come from employee referrals. When an employee refers an interested candidate, they generally hit all the requirements to do the job and excel. A solid employee referral program is a must for every company serious about hiring. It cuts down on recruitment costs and creates a team goal for new hires to succeed.
Tip #2: Boost your branding
It isn’t enough to just be connected anymore. Companies need to have a unique presence to attract new hires and high-quality new hires. Show job seekers that you are seeking candidates. Not the other way around. When updating your message, you need to:
- Understand the needs and trends of the talent pool. Rather than focusing content on what the company’s immediate needs are, emphasize aspects of the company that will attract worthy candidates. Success stories, company culture, industry articles about employment trends and interviewing advice are good places to start. This shows potential candidates that you value them as a professional, even if they aren’t looking for a job with the company quite yet. If the candidate feels a strong connection, they may seek out a position in the future or refer someone from their network.
- Keep up on social media. If you aren’t being proactive on social media, you’re missing valuable opportunities to connect with potentials on a different level. Posting engaging content on social media not only gives you more reach and influence, it gives you a chance to be fun and creative. You can really bring your company to life and create an impression that will last.
Tip #3: Keep in touch
Does this phrase sound at all familiar? “If any positions open up matching your qualifications, we’ll let you know.” It’s a standard response that rarely sees any kind of follow through.
Don’t dismiss or lose track of candidates from previous job openings, especially if they seemed like they could be a good cultural fit for the company. Stay in contact. There may be another opening that they’d be better qualified for later on down the road. And who knows? If they have a continued and positive experience with your company, they may help widen your talent pool with referrals of their own.
Essentially, if you want high-quality new hires for your business, you need to take a close look at what you already have. If you can’t find a match there, woo external job seekers with solid branding and a message that focuses on them rather than you.
Most importantly, keep track of your applicants. The right applicant tracking system (ATS) can help. An ATS streamlines talent acquisition from attraction to to making that decision to hire. After that, an onboarding software that continues to motivate and engage leading up to Day One and beyond is a stellar idea.
