Nick Malefyt, president, Master Search Solutions. –
“Our job postings just don’t ‘pull’ the right people.” We hear this all the time. Luckily, there is much you can do to stack the odds of finding the right candidate in your favor. Here are 10 Gems:
- When posting a role, don’t just copy a generic (boring) job description that focuses on routine responsibilities and requirements. Instead, sell the jobs’ “sizzle” (what problems will the candidate be solving) and your company’s “WHY” (why should applicants want to work with you). Be creative.
- Also, if you are posting, make sure that you are posting roles on sites where your target audience “lives”. It makes no sense to post positions on sites where your ideal candidate isn’t even visiting. Post on niche-oriented job boards whenever possible.
- Optimize your application process. Losing good candidates because you are making them jump through fire before even speaking with them may not be helping your cause. Keep it simple.
- Be sure to tap into your current employees. Do you offer an “employee referral” program for your current employees? If not, perhaps now is the time to start.
- Don’t forget about the power of your local community. Make sure key people you interact with know that you are looking to hire. Lawyers, accountants, bankers, real estate agents, religious leaders, and politicians, often know people who are “in the market.”
- Do you know of, or belong to, an industry-related association? For example, if you are a law firm looking to hire a paralegal, can you reach out to the Paralegal Association of New Jersey to see if they offer any ways to connect you with their membership? Even better, make real connections with their leadership for referral purposes.
- Leverage Social Media. Platforms like LinkedIn offer you another way to approach recruiting. Instead of counting on candidates to “find you” via a post, be proactive and go out and find them! In addition to searching for candidates on LinkedIn, be sure to join related groups on the platform to help you zero in on qualified talent. Also, be sure to boast about your company, mission, vision, and employees of these platforms. Build your brand awareness as the place to be.
- For more entry-level roles, try contacting local colleges and trade schools to establish internship programs. Or, equally important, establish real relationships with the team members of their respective “Career Centers”.
- Contract/Temporary Staffing Firms can help you maintain productivity while you are searching for the right person. Plus, firms that offer a temp-to-hire option give you the opportunity to evaluate a potential employee in a real-time work environment without making an employment commitment. It could be a win-win.
- Executive/Direct Hire Recruitment Firms can be great strategic partners in helping you find the candidates that you can’t find on your own. Typically, search firms help identify and qualify talent for a one-time fee investment. Often, their services are guaranteed to ensure a great fit. Many firms offer niche or geographic concentration, so they already know who-is-who in your marketplace.
Posting jobs may be the most prevalent way to try to find people. However, they may not always yield the most qualified candidates. Posting can also be both expensive and time-consuming. But there are additional resources at your disposal if you just take a little time to figure it out. Hopefully, this gets you started. Happy hunting.
Nick Malefyt is the president of Master Search Solutions, a firm that connects top talent in the state with progressive employers. Malefyt is the past vice president of the New Jersey Staffing Alliance.
The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ROI-NJ.
