Every organization wants to hire employees to drive business success. But nowadays, attracting top talent requires far more than a job advert. Companies have to actively target the right candidates, promote positions through various outlets, and capitalize on their marketing efforts to stand out among a surplus of great job opportunities.
Being successful at recruiting talent also means companies have to rethink their current employee recruitment strategies and find innovative ways to attract talent. The following action steps can help your organization transform its hiring process and win big when attracting talent to your organization.
1. Create a talent pipeline
If your organization is rethinking how to attract top talent, it’s essential to consider reaching both active and passive candidates. Just because a talented individual isn’t knocking at your door doesn’t mean they shouldn’t know more about your organization and why it’s a great place to work. According to a benchmark study published by recruitment software provider Lever, approximately half of all hires are recruited or proactively sourced.
Find ways to build relationships with passive candidates ever before they consider looking for a new position. To do this, listen to their career goals, know what motivates them, and then provide a clear picture of how their career could thrive at your organization. Regular communication will ensure you keep them engaged with your company and alert you to any new developments in their career path.
To boost your recruitment efforts, create a robust careers page. Utilize job boards such as LinkedIn and Indeed, and consider implementing employee referral programs to extend your talent reach.
2. Advertise what sets you apart
You may already know your organization is a great place to work. But that doesn’t necessarily equate to successful recruitment. To differentiate your organization from the competition, showcase what makes your culture special and unique. One of the most authentic ways is to feature the words of who knows your organization best: your employees.
Showcasing your employer brand with tools that draw upon strengths from your employee engagement survey – such as a Culture Cloud or examples of anonymous employee feedback – can capture the attention of job candidates and provide a glimpse of what it’s like to work for your organization.
An intentional, people-first culture is an important quality of a great workplace. But there are other considerations for recruiting talent too. Pay and benefits are critical for some. For others, it might be learning opportunities, a work/life balance, or feeling challenged by the work. Knowing and promoting your organization’s key strengths will make it easier to attract top talent. It also enables you to fine-tune your marketing efforts, job descriptions, and external communications.
3. Leverage your internal team
Employee engagement is an indication your employees are motivated to give their best every day, willing to refer their networks to others, and committed to your organization. Employee advocates validate your company’s culture and core values. That’s why it’s essential to feature employee testimonials on your careers pages, job listings, social media, and other marketing efforts.
Employee referral programs can also help with recruiting talent. Empowering company ambassadors is one of the innovative ways to attract talent.
4. Stand out as an employer of choice
People want to work for – and do business with – companies with the best workplace cultures. Earning third-party, credible employer recognition such as a Top Workplaces award is an indication that your employees believe in your company. It’s also an excellent way to bolster your brand, which is helpful in attracting top talent.
5. Create brand awareness through social media
There are many innovative ways to attract talent to your organization, including leveraging social media platforms to grow brand awareness, promote your unique culture, and build credibility. Popular sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are visible places to showcase company events, highlight employee testimonials, and connect with top talent.
6. Education and community outreach
When considering how to attract top talent to your company, partnering with local community projects or schools is a great way to demonstrate your company’s core values and reach a specific target market. Consider creating a company internship or mentoring program. Specialized opportunities will attract candidates who are willing to learn about your organization, its values, and goals.
7. Host an open house or job fair
Allow applicants to experience your organization up close and personal by hosting an open house or job fair. Depending on your recruiting goals, the event guest list can be as broad as an open social media invitation or as exclusive as a personal email invite to referrals sourced from current employees.
Don’t overlook the potential of a virtual event like happy hour or a live tour to give prospective candidates the chance to connect with your team and get to know your organization better. Remote opportunities are especially effective when in-person events aren’t an option or when candidates are geographically dispersed.
8. Create a great experience for candidates
The process of attracting talent extends beyond the interview itself. It’s essential to give candidates a positive view of your company throughout the process, including hiring and onboarding. A positive experience ensures your organization delivers on expectations and can also lead to positive reviews.
