Fast & Effective Ideas to Hire Top Talent In 2018

By Jeanette Maister

Recruiting technologies are continuously improving the way we work and updating day-to-day processes. But technology isn’t the only thing that can assist when you’re trying to grow your workforce fast. Here are some inexpensive (but proven) methods to kick off summer hiring FAST!

Double Down on Employee Referrals

We know employee referrals are second to none when it comes to finding quality people for your company. According to SHRM, employee referrals continue to be employers' top source of hires, delivering more than 30% of all hires overall in 2016 and 45% of internal hires. Even cooler? Referrals that come from your internal workforce are far more likely to be superstars and they stick around for at least a year (46% to be exact), because they already have a friend at work. So how can you increase the likelihood for this proven (low-cost!) method of hiring? Make it a little easier on your employees by:

1. Try a little flattery. Send out an email that reminds them of their first day with the company and ask if there’s anyone who might welcome a job offer. Let your employees know they are superstars and that’s why you're asking for their help to expand the team.
2. Make sure they understand the process. Many employees don’t refer their friends or family because they don’t know what will happen next. While 63% of employers currently follow a documented employee referral process, the remaining companies accept referrals in a less formal way. Give a quick explanation about what happens when they give a referral. How long until you contact the person? What if they’re not a fit? Will the referral be held against me if they aren’t hired?
3. Give them some face time. If you’re in the same location as your employees, ask them into your office for a cup of coffee and walk them through the process. Designate one day of the month or week “referral day” and have a box of donuts or sweets on your desk for everyone who comes in to give you a referral.
4. Encourage their honesty. You want employee ambassadors, not employee liars. Explain to your colleagues they can be honest about what’s great about the hiring process and the company...and what’s not so great. Not only will this cement your brand in the mind of your staff, it will set appropriate expectations of the prospects and over time, give your execs a peek into what really needs changing.
5. Be specific. We often think about family and friends when talking about or planning out referral programs, but we’re far more likely to be successful if we’re specific about where employees can and should look. Their hometown community or online social circles (Employees have an average of 1,090 social connectionsand have about 5x more reach than corporate accounts), their kids’ schools or their former workplace are all specific places that might jog your employees’ memories when it comes to identifying a solid referral.

Reconsider Runner-Ups

You hear this all the time at conferences or in blog posts. Source from your own ATS, but are you really doing it? Your business, like most, has spent the last few years with an abundance of workers from which to choose, but as the market tightens, 47% of companies report few or no qualified applicants for the positions they are trying to fill. It can be incredibly efficient to start sourcing right in your applicant tracking system or candidate relationship management platform. Some tips:

1. Start with existing candidates. In the past circumstances or qualifications may have rejected a candidate who would be perfect for a new role or the same role at this point in time. In fact, if you think right now, we’re sure you can come up with a couple of candidates who didn't make the final cut. If so, dig those folks up and take a fresh look at their resume. While only 36% of the workforce is actively looking for a new opportunity at any given time, but an incredible 90% is willing to talk and learn more. Connect with them on LinkedIn to see just what they’re doing now. If they were willing to leave a job before, they’ll be willing again.

About Jeanette Maister:

Global talent acquisition technology leader with extensive experience in global talent acquisition, applicant tracking systems & recruiting technology, recruiting metrics and process. Deep insight into all aspects of campus recruiting strategy. Recognized for driving growth and helping clients transform their recruiting efforts.