One of the most important factors to any company’s success is hiring the right employees for each job. We are currently facing a job market that favors the candidate, and according to the Credit Union National Association, 32% of employers struggled to fill job openings in 2015. As a result, 40% of hiring managers have begun “adopting new people practices”. In order the recruit the best talent for your business, you must be strategic in the way you present your company, and draw in potential candidates. It is not a matter of simply getting resumes in your inbox; it is about getting more of the right resumes. This means finding applicants that are actually likely to be a good fit for the job, and in turn avoiding wasting the company’s manpower, time and resources. Here are three of the top strategies for recruiting the best talent in 2016:
1) Promote an employee-friendly company culture
You want the right candidates to be naturally attracted to your business, and in order to do that you want a reputation as an employer that is invested in keeping its employees happy. Some factors that will help you recruit the best talent in this way include offering competitive pay, exceptional benefits (such as high-quality health insurance, retirement options and paid time off), promoting work-life balance (such as an in-house fitness center or the option to work remotely), and creating a company culture of respect and compassion towards the employee.
2) Create a positive and active social media presence
To recruit the best talent, you should have a corporate mission that is designed to draw in candidates that have the same passions and goals as your company. Incorporate this into your presence on all social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Glassdoor and your company blog. Stay as active in these channels as possible, including job postings, positive things happening in the company and industry, eye-catching videos and other multimedia. Encourage your employees to join in the conversation, since knowing other employees are satisfied is vital to drawing in other talent. Likewise, when you are vetting candidates, look beyond their resume and investigate their social media presence to find out more about them and ensure they will be a good match for the job. Try to include in your social media discussions what makes your company unique, and how your products and services have had a positive impact in society.
3) Don’t overlook quality of job descriptions
The key to recruiting the best talent isn’t to get as many applicants as possible; it is to get more suitable candidates to apply. So the aim is not to create job descriptions that appeal to everyone, it is to be as clear as possible on the duties and responsibilities of the job, and the skills necessary to perform the job. Also, be honest about any possible drawbacks involved in the position, since you want to try to avoid hiring candidates that won’t work out in the long term. Other important factors to touch on in the job descriptions include work environment, personality types that will be the best fit, and any opportunities for advancement and growth.
Author: Jessica Cody
Jessica Cody, a native of Fairfield County, Connecticut, has a background in online marketing and public relations. Currently, she works at VHMNetwork LLC in the role of Marketing Analyst. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, where she studied Journalism and Political Science. She is also an avid runner with a passion for the outdoors.
