The struggle (to attract talent) is real
Running into difficulties finding & attracting candidates? No surprise here, as the talent market is getting more and more competitive. We are sure you are trying your best to utilize all the tools available to you, but with hundreds of tips & tricks coming your way, it can become confusing and lead to a lack of consistency and understanding of what really works. To have an effective and up-to-date recruitment process, it’s important to step back once in a while and make a checklist of what can be added or improved. Here are some must-haves for successful recruiting in 2023:
Adopt new methods & embrace new technologies.
From no-CV applications, telling company stories on social media and QR codes to AI-generated job descriptions, you should not snooze on what candidates expect in this new era of recruiting. Utilizing online assessment platforms is crucial in this regard. These platforms enable employers to efficiently evaluate the skills and competencies of potential candidates through various tests and simulations. This not only speeds up the hiring process but also ensures that the selected candidates are well-suited for the roles, enhancing the overall quality of hires.
New technologies usually relate to automation – while it’s definitely a good idea, it is important not to lose personal touch in your recruitment process. In other words, automate, but do it well so no one can tell that it’s not Brenda from HR writing these informative, personal, and persuasive emails.
Attract Gen Z.
Connected to the previous point, your recruitment process should appeal to Gen Z, who will soon constitute 30% of the global workforce. While it’s easier said than done, you can rely on research and focus groups to find out what makes them tick.
It doesn’t have to be costly or overly difficult – go to your local high school and talk to students there about what they would consider as attractive when applying for a job. If you don’t want to do that, simply scroll through social media, where you will find loads of Gen Z content about their experiences, expectations, and don’t-do-its when it comes to work culture.
Reconsider your benefits offering
With heated competition, it is a perfect time to put focus on authenticity, transparency, and personalisation.
Again, finding an effective benefits package for you will take some research, soul-searching, and serious planning (mainly related to budgets and implementation). As discussed, there are different recipes for what works for different generations and you must diversify your benefits to reflect that. For example, with bigger flows of Gen Z coming into the workforce, you won’t be able to skip benefits that relate to social and environmental impact.
Rethink your criteria for education and experience
With the supply and demand gap, you should ask yourself what qualifications are truly necessary & search for transferable skills.
People these days are more likely to change their sphere of work and explore different roles before finding THE ONE. Good for them. However, it is important that you can be understanding and considerate about employment gaps, transferable skills as well as motivations and other types of experience when it comes to candidates.
Create alumni networks (and nourish them)
This starts with the overall company culture & attitude when employees quit. It’s important to continuously keep in touch with talents that might have left you – in fact, people in this database should be the first you contact when you have a new vacancy.
It can be regular newsletters about the company and the team or a casual LinkedIn message from an ex-manager. You can also consider hosting alumni meetup events, which can not only be beneficial for keeping in touch but also for knowledge and experience sharing. Win-win.
Make onboarding fun.
Yay, your offer was accepted! And we all know that onboarding is crucial for you to increase employee lifetime value and maximize their potential immediately after starting their job. You should definitely put a lot of effort to make sure that all the important information and tools are introduced effectively.
However, being informative doesn’t have to be boring. More and more companies are introducing fun and memorable first-day or first-week experiences. From picking new joiners up with a limousine to after-first-day meals and drinks and other entertainment, make it a celebration to remember. It will demonstrate that you are happy to welcome them, demonstrate the company culture & create an opportunity to make those important personal connections faster.
Tell your story
As mentioned, different generations of workers are considering different company values as important. You don’t have to please all people, but having strong values and telling your story will attract candidates who will match your culture and goals.
By telling a story we don’t only mean company history – it’s also important to create a vision of what it is like working at your company and what opportunities await when people join. Social media is a great way to do it, as it offers multiple different formats and ways to express these important factors. If you feel like it’s not something you can do consistently as an HR specialist, think about having an employer branding specialist on your team.
Referrals, referrals
Yes, we have to come back to basics – encourage everyone in your company to become a recruiter. We are sure that you have tried referral bonuses in the past and one reason it might not be working like it used to is the increasing pace of life in the workplace.
Instead of one payout after 3 months, you should consider having 2 or 3 payouts after a smaller period of time has passed. Additionally, you should definitely consider personalized gifts to both the new hires and the person who referred them – it keeps them engaged.
Do you have any additional must-haves? Let us know!
