Invest in Success: Recruitment for Small Companies

By Irina Nagy

Recruiting staff is a big step for most companies - but for smaller businesses it is a massive one and a financial outlay that is often neglected or falls under the general: “we don’t recruit enough to warrant giving it much thought” … But successful businesses grow and this can only be achieved if intelligent, efficient, high quality recruitment processes are in place. Unless a business sets out to start and remain small, companies should probably focus more on bringing in the people that are going to help it succeed further down the road.
 

In fact, small companies actually recruit more than they think… But for many of them attracting candidates can be a difficult and time consuming task. Many small businesses depend solely on recruitment agencies - because they feel that they do not have a strong enough brand to attract people through a direct strategy involving job boards, social media and networking – leading to high recruitment fees!

Even if small companies lack resources and time, it’s imperative that they understand value, demand quality recruitment and master handling the limited recruitment budget they have. Linked to this, it is essential for small companies to set up recruitment processes to help control the hiring budget and track where the company stands in relation to its hiring goals. The use of recruitment software provides structure, leads to more exposure for jobs and creates a wider platform for recruitment. Most software providers are focused on larger employers but there are some who have developed recruitment software especially for small to medium sized businesses. This could mean there is no need to make a large investment and the prospect of making an excellent return on investment quickly.  Developing a strategy which includes a recruitment portal integrating social media and referral networks will drive traffic to the company’s corporate website whilst reducing recruitment costs and improving efficiency.

Why not check these 5 quick tips to help your business attract and select the right people while saving precious time and money:

• Set up a recruitment plan
• Customize recruiting with a career page to build your employer brand
• Consider the type of candidates you’re trying to attract by using social media and applicant tracking systems
• Get into the passive market by creating internal and external referral schemes
• Organise your top candidates into talent pools

Whether you are a small or large company, getting your recruitment right is essential. Gaining any competitive edge in the race to hire the best people is imperative.

Please do share your experiences about recruitment in small companies below.