The job market today has never been more competitive, with candidates enjoying a level of power and choice that employers have never faced before. The landscape, especially in the U.S., has shifted dramatically since the pandemic, with many workers either leaving the job market entirely or transitioning their side hustles into full-time roles. As a result, the available talent pool has contracted, and employers are finding themselves in a race to secure the best talent.
In this highly candidate-centric market, you cannot afford to miss the top candidates. The talent competition is aggressive, and if hiring processes are lagging behind, you would easily let your next hire go to the competitor. So, how do you devise smarter hiring strategies — better, faster, and stronger?
Let's look at eight key strategies that can help you secure the right talent at the right time.
1. Build a Strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
In today's market, your employer brand is more important than ever. A strong EVP is crucial in attracting and retaining top talent. As a matter of fact, 62% of candidates would reject an offer if they perceive that your company lacks diversity, so it is essential to have a compelling story that will resonate with potential hires. A well-crafted EVP doesn't just talk about the benefits of working with your company; it reflects your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), career growth, and a positive work culture.
Besides, employee referral programs can be a good source to tap into the network of passive candidates who are highly qualified and aligned with your company's values. Employee referrals lead to hires who tend to stay longer and perform better, helping to reduce turnover and improve retention rates.
2. Target the Right Audience, Right Place, Right Time
How you reach out to candidates can make all the difference. Emails and phone calls are not as effective as they once were. Texting has emerged as a highly effective initial outreach method, with response rates 10 times higher than email or phone. This approach is particularly effective for reaching younger candidates and passive job seekers who may not want to take calls while at work.
Once you’ve engaged a candidate, follow up with a personalized message that includes your company’s perks, career opportunities, and culture. This type of outreach makes candidates feel valued and can help differentiate your company from competitors who may rely on automated messages. This is one of the better recruitment techniques, easy and sustainable.
3. Utilize Social Media to Showcase Your Company Culture
A strong social media presence is arguably the best way to attract top talent into the company. It provides insights to potential candidates into company values, work culture, and mission. While most companies use social media just to transmit information to employees, the best employers connect with candidates through these different platforms, sharing tales and content that reveal one's work environment and culture.
Paid social ads are also very effective channels to reach potential candidates, so make sure your content is interesting and reflecting the personality of your company. This will help candidates connect with your brand and see your company as an employer of choice.
4. Act Fast and Secure Talent
Speed is of the essence in hiring. Top candidates are often presented with multiple offers, so time is of the essence. Same-day offers are becoming more common, especially for entry-level positions, where the right candidate is known immediately during the interview. This quick decision demonstrates to the candidate that you respect their time and wish to bring them on board as soon as possible.
However, just moving hastily doesn't work for efficient process. Do simple interviewing processes and effective communicating should be made easy in handling candidates throughout your screening and selection processes. In case you move very slowly, that first-runner will get an offer before you've contacted yours. Recruiting strategies for better hires involves going slow and steady.
5. Make appropriate expectations
In a competitive labor market, the temptation is to oversell the job to potential candidates. But overly selling the job to recruits will lead to dissatisfaction, early departures, and high turnover rates; thus, be clear regarding what candidates can expect regarding training, day-to-day work, and career advancement.
Candidates who have realistic expectations about their roles and growth opportunities are more likely to stay with your company long-term. This honesty upfront is an investment in your company’s retention efforts.
6. Understand the Role You’re Hiring For
Hiring for a position is not merely filling an open position; it's about understanding the nuances of the job and what it takes to succeed in that role. If you don't fully understand the responsibilities, challenges, and skills required for a position, it becomes difficult to attract the right candidate.
For example, hiring content moderators for a social media brand, understand specific kinds of content they will deal with. That way you're speaking more knowledgeably in your conversations with potential applicants, and you've already got a clearer image in place with your prospects; so much easier on the job fit perspective. Understanding trends in recruitment technology also helps in this step.
7. Warm Up Candidates Between an Offer and a Start Date
Once you’ve made an offer, the hiring process doesn’t end there. High-touch communication is essential between the offer acceptance and the start date to ensure candidates stay excited and committed. Use text, email, and phone calls to keep candidates informed and engaged during the waiting period.
Send them company content, let them meet future colleagues, and make sure they feel like part of the team before they even join. This creates excitement and reduces the likelihood of candidates backing out before even showing up on their first day.
8. Connect Early and Often
The moment a candidate shows interest in your job posting, rapport needs to be built. High-touch communication will make the candidates feel valued, while at the same time it will prevent them from feeling neglected or questioning their decision to accept the offer. Introduce them to your company's social media, send them videos or company highlights, and let them know that they are already part of the team.
The more you commit early on to building the relationship, the more interested the candidates will be about coming to join your team.
Prepared to Hire Smarter with Best Practices for Fast and Effective Hiring?
The job market is more competitive than it ever has been, but with the proper tactics, you can attract and hire better, faster, and stronger. Focus your efforts on your EVP and be swift while being yourself when connecting with candidates-these will help your company become distinct in the crowd.
If you are ready to optimize your hiring process to secure the best talent in the market, let's talk! Contact us today to learn how we can help you streamline your recruitment efforts and attract the best candidates in the market. Let's build your dream team together!
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