In this job market, you’ll have to do things differently if you want to avoid sifting through a huge stack of poor-fit resumes — or if you want to reach your dream candidates who already have a job elsewhere.
That’s why many companies are embracing creative recruiting.
From adding interactive group interviews to the recruiting process to actively looking for talent in unusual places, we’ve created a list of ways companies are innovating the hiring process.
These methods can make your business stand out from the crowd and put you in touch with your ideal hires.
Interacting with potential candidates in a group setting is an excellent way to see their character, level of interest, working knowledge, and communication skills. It also lets you see if they’re a good fit with your corporate culture.
Interactive interviews can be conducted in different ways, but the fundamental feature is inviting select candidates in for a group session, where you and current employees can engage with them.
Passive candidates (those who are already employed and not actively jobhunting) are most likely to be your dream hires, but you’ll never attract them without letting them know how much you want them.
Reaching out in a really personal manner demonstrates that you’re willing to go out of your way to get their attention.
The Director of Talent Acquisition at Quicken Loans tells the New York Times how his company (which is regularly listed in Fortune’s “100 best places to work”) hires fast while maintaining its corporate culture standards: by looking for great people in unexpected places.
For example, the company once conducted a “blitz” of local retail stores and restaurants, sending employees out to interact with workers and offer interviews to those who really stood out.
“Too many companies focus on industry experience when they recruit… We can teach people about finance. We can’t teach passion, urgency and a willingness to go the extra mile,” Quicken tells the NYT.
Job fairs often turn out to be somewhat useless, since the best candidates probably already have a job. So you should try looking great talent at other events that aren’t traditionally recruiting-related.
Search forums such as Meetup for group events that are likely to be attended by people qualified for your open position.
For example, if you needed a graphic designer in New York City, you could attend a graphic design-focused meetup in the area and look for potential candidates. You’ll already know they’re passionate about what they do, and you’ll be able to get a feel for what they’re like in person.
A written job description on a jobsearch site won’t necessarily make you stand out. A video or podcast, however, will do just that.
Using non-traditional recruiting media is also a chance for you to convey something about your corporate culture to jobseekers.
Whether it’s through a fun video on YouTube showing how awesome it is to be an employee at your business, or a recorded podcast describing the position and your company.
this strategy will differentiate you from all the other recruiters out there — and hopefully make you more appealing to the cream of the crop hires.
Rather than sifting through the hundreds of bad-fit resumes you might get in response to your job post, take the search into your own hands. That way, you’ll only see candidates who have the criteria that you want for the position.
Several websites allow candidates to create profiles that include their resumes and other details that can give recruiters a better understanding of their knowledge and talents.
Visual CV is another reputable place to look through candidate profiles.
You’ll not only be able to screen for the perfect resume, but you’ll also have a chance to learn a little more about that person pre-interview.
Former rejections could make great hires now.
In the past, you may passed over a good candidate for some reason or another — perhaps their salary requirements were too high, or they weren’t an ideal for that other position.
Whatever the reason, if you think they would be good for this opportunity, it can’t hurt to get in touch with them now and see if they’re interested.
Referrals are excellent sources for great hires. You just have to let people know that you’re looking, and maybe offer an incentive to send someone your way.
A financial reward for the referrer is standard if you end up hiring their referral; if the referrer is an employee, non-monetary perks can work, too (i.e. a premiere parking spot for the year, extra vacation days, etc.).
To publicize outside the company, a great way to to spread the word is to include a note in your e-mail signature indicating that you’re hiring and what you’re looking for.
Use LinkedIn for recruiting:
LinkedIn doesn’t have the buzz or the customer base of Facebook or a Twitter, but it has quietly changed the way many jobs get filled. While you are unlikely to land your next job as a car mechanic using the professional social network, LinkedIn has become ubiquitous in the business world.
Big corporations and professional recruiters pay through the nose for premium LinkedIn features, but even the basic service can be a powerful recruiting tool if you know how to use it. Here’s how to get the most out of LinkedIn without breaking the bank.
