Recruitment used to be about picking and choosing from a pool of eager, prospective employees, but these days, it is often more about the employer selling their business and role to the right person.
Talented employees are increasing in demand, and competition can be fierce to attract the best candidates. How do you go about attracting the most talented employees to your business?
1. Make sure the role is clearly defined
Knowing who you are looking for is half the battle when it comes to finding the right person. The more detailed the job description, the more you are likely to attract the right candidate. Make sure you are realistic about what the job entails, and that you identify the personal skills and attributes required for the role, rather than simply looking for someone you get along with.
2. Make sure you are looking in the right places
Do you know where to find the ideal candidate for your role? Be aware which are the best forums and job boards for your particular industry. Use social media and other more creative tactics. Remember that a lot of the good candidates won’t be actively looking as they will be well looked after in their existing companies, so you will need to think about how to get in front of candidates that may not be looking.
In truth, the battle for valuable employees has led many companies to go to great lengths to lure candidates away from their competitors for example. The right person is out there, but if they don’t know about your opportunity they will never be able to find you.
3. Have a well defined, fast moving recruitment process
Delaying or being unclear as to the progress of your candidates through the recruitment process can mean you miss out to other recruiters. Recruitment is a fast moving process, and desirable employees are often snapped up quickly. Even if the process is likely to take a while, keeping candidates informed of their progress can help alleviate any anxieties which might lead to them looking elsewhere.
4. Effective interviewing and good communication is essential
If you don’t know the right questions to ask you may end up missing out on the perfect employee. Make sure interviews are competency based, and you have a structured progression through the interview. Try to put the candidate at ease – remember you are not trying to test them and catch them out, you want to find out if they are a good fit for the role, which means allowing them to be comfortable enough to express themselves.
5. Sell yourself
Make sure you emphasise the positives of working for your company to your prospective employees. Even if a particular candidate does not turn out to be right for this role, there may be other roles in the future they are more suited to, or they may speak positively about your company to their colleagues and friends.
Let them know about any bonuses, flexible working conditions, parking and appealing aspects of your company culture. If they are faced with the choice between several quite similar roles, a few perks can be what swings them in your favour, and keeps them on board once they are in the position.
Remember to treat all candidates well and respond to all applications with respect as they may be potential new clients now or in the future.
