Your Recruitment Strategy

Recruitment is one of the most important tasks the HR professional does.  The ability to place the right talent in the right seats is imperative and will impact whether a company grows or stays stagnant.  I’ll take a few moments to explain the various aspects of recruitment and give some tips that might help you become an even better recruiter.

Software

In an increasingly digital age, good software is the first step to great recruiting.  You should use a program called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).  A good ATS will have the ability to post jobs for you, record where your candidates are at in the process, provide analytical capabilities, and allow you to communicate with your candidates.  Software like SmartStart, Happy Monday, and Zoho provide free solutions but have limited capabilities.  If your organization is not in a place to pay, these programs should give you enough to get started.  If you can pay for software then programs like Bullhorn, BambooHR, and iCIMS are recommended.  No matter which software you go with, make the best of it.  Using no software at all can cripple your recruitment efforts and leave you lacking needed Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities (KSAs) in your company.

Advertisements

Advertisements are a great way to reach out to potential candidates.  While these are typically paid, you may be able to get free advertising.  Providing free services to local companies in exchange for putting up a sign or window cling at their place of business is a great way to get the word out without spending direct cash.  You can buy job advertisements in a physical or online format.  Using programs like Indeed will allow you to advertise jobs for free in an online environment that has a high number of local users.

Job Fairs

Job fairs have always been a great place to get exposure to potential candidates.  You get to set up a booth and watch as hundreds of candidates come pouring into the doors to speak with you.  This is a great way to get resumes in your hand and get your company’s name out into the world by giving away free items like pens, stress balls, and cups.

Resume or Application?

Does your company need both a resume and an application?  If so, why?  What information is provided on the application that is not provided on the resume?  Is that information truly needed to determine whether a candidate is suitable for your position?  If you work through these questions and you determine that you still need both an application and a resume from each candidate, I recommend you remove anything that is typically on a resume from your application.  Things like job history, special skills, education, etc. are all on the resume and should not need to be repeated by the candidate.  Forcing applicants to use both will prove to be a roadblock and will net you fewer candidates.

The Candidate Experience

The right software, advertisements, and recruitment process impact the experience of someone applying to work at your company.  Where they saw the ad, how easy it was to apply, the demeanor of employees they spoke to, etc. all work together to provide the candidate experience.  If a candidate is a high performer with a great attitude they want to work with similar people in a company with similar values.  If that candidate comes across well-mannered employees, easily found where to apply, and was communicated with throughout the process then they will likely choose your company to call home.