It has often been stated that in a poor economy, superior talent can be had for the asking. Without debating this more than dubious point, one must still recognize the fact that finding this talent is somewhat problematic.
There are thousands of companies vying for the same people and the larger ones have significant advantages in terms of name recognition and recruiting resources. For these reasons, it is imperative that small and mid-sized companies take full advantage of their resources. To this end, it is worthwhile to examine some of the key ways to recruit and hire the best talent:
Integrate Branding into Your Career Site
If your career site is not telling the right story about your company, you will be at a serious disadvantage when it comes to hiring. If it is out of date, conflicts with your current branding strategy or simply looks like a side note, candidates will not be impressed with your company. In many instances, the career area of your website is the first impression that many potential employees get of your company. As in any other aspect of business, first impressions do matter. Just consider the ramifications.
Capitalize on the Reach of Social Media
Mobile devices now account for over 10% of global Internet traffic and the percentage is forecast to double in the next three years. Integral to this growth is the use of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. In fact, social media is the fastest way to advertise for talent for your company. As they say, “People talk.” In addition, the concept of “crowdsourcing” as a resource for information on everything and anything is becoming increasingly popular, If your company is unknown in social media circles, or worse, is not liked by the “crowd,” you will have a considerably more difficult time finding the best talent.
Stay Involved with the Recruiters
Senior management and the owners of a business should be actively engaged with their recruiting department. After all, they are the ones who truly know what type employees they are looking for. Collaborating with the recruiters, personally interviewing candidates for the most important positions and just bringing a fresh perspective can make the entire process far easier and more productive. Not only will you then find the best talent but you will also increase the effectiveness of your recruiting team.
Use Analytics - They are Not Just Numbers
Finding and hiring the best talent may seem a task best left to those with superior interpersonal skills. While these skills are inextricably linked to hiring the best talent, the use of analytics can immeasurably help the process. Simply knowing how many positions are open, how many candidates have applied and how long they the positions take to fill can guide your future recruiting efforts. There are a number of HRIS platforms that can automate and facilitate this process. Recruiting should not be a “shotgun affair.” Using business metrics to measure success is as valuable here as it is in any other part of your business.
Be Decisive and Hire the Best Candidates
As was mentioned at the beginning, it may seem like it is a “hirer’s” market but it never hurts to seize an opportunity. The best candidates are not stupid or unaware. They have many lines in the water and are liable to be hired at any moment. Bearing this thought in mind, do not be afraid to be decisive, it’s OK to hire the perfect candidate before interviewing the rest of the field.
Sometimes, - not often, but sometimes – the first candidate is the best one. This is not a recommendation to fill every spot with the first warm body that walks through the door but a good manager should know the right candidate when he sees them. Recruiting, interviewing and hiring is a process but it does not necessarily need to be a long, drawn out affair. Instead, the best companies use HR software and HCM systems to streamline their hiring process and thus find the very best talent.
About the Author
Carolyn Sokol writes about issues that may affect small businesses such as human resources, HR management software, and HRIS systems. She is a founder of PEOcompare.com and contributor to compareHRIS.com, both of which help match businesses to the right HR or payroll service provider for their particular needs. Her background is in marketing and communications, employee education and training, development of policies and procedures and the ongoing delivery of outstanding customer service.