One of the first steps to finding great employees is determining what type of person will fit into the new position and the company. But finding the right way to lure in candidates can be difficult if not done properly. The key is to reach out locally as well as outside the region to reach a range of people and a range of talent.
Advertise Where Candidates Visit
When planning to advertise, it’s important to put your company name where you want to get candidates attention. Industry specific sites are an ideal place to post job openings or opportunities to hand in resumes. These sites can appeal to candidates currently looking for work or those simply interested in the particular type of industry and line of work. Online job websites are a large source for job seekers, which make them a great place to advertise and seek new candidates.Â
In print, trade magazines appeal to a large group of magazine buyers and often cater to a focused group of job seekers. Although newspapers are decreasing in popularity and readers, advertising with posters or newsletter articles are a great place to start looking for new recruits, especially since college students and graduates will be looking for work. Increasing exposure to the growing public will increase chances of finding more candidates and increasing company exposure.
Develop Corporate Citizenship
Developing a corporate citizenship is a phrase used to describe the process of a corporation working together to share responsibility and initiatives. Also known as corporate social responsibility, corporate citizenship can cover a wide range of services and processes, including charity works, business plans, and office procedures. Developing a corporate citizenship among employees helps them become engaged with each other and hold each other accountable for their own actions.Â
When a company utilizes this citizenship, it helps draw in talent and potential candidates since it can make employees feel like they are part of a team and feel better about working with each other. Utilizing corporate citizenship can also help retain current employees because employees feel like they are part of a family and feel supported by the rest of their team when a problem arises.Â
Treat Your Candidates Well
Any company knows that if the employees do not feel as though they are treated fairly and are respected, they will want to leave. Happy employees become loyal employees. However, it’s important to treat new hires as well as the candidates you choose not to hire with respect. Any candidate who comes in contact with the company, whether by interview, resume, or simple phone call, that is not treated respectfully, could not only lose interest in your company, but can share their mistreatment and cause other candidates to lose interest as well. Be honest with everyone you choose not to hire and offer advice and feedback before letting him go. Keep job seekers up to date and notified of interview processes and potential open positions. You don’t have to kiss the feet of the candidates you meet just to make them happy, but it is always good practice to be nice and treat them with respect. They will return the favor.
Look at the Competition
Competition is not always clean, and sometimes you can find the perfect candidate by playing a little dirty. While your company should not go nosing around to rival companies, sometimes they have talented candidates that may not be happy and are looking for a change. Don’t try to up sell your company or exaggerate what it has to offer, but be truthful about what you can give them and what kind of position you have open. Sometimes the employee just needs to know what’s out there, and with a little nudge, they can make the decision to join your company. Always use a level of caution and finesse when trying to recruit from other companies because you don’t want your company to get a bad reputation as an employee stealer, nor do you want to open the door for other companies to poach your employees.Â
This post is from June’s topic on Hiring Strategies, which is also a course on our Mini-MBA program online from Harvard Square.