January 24, 2022
January 24, 2022
If we have learned one thing from the great resignation it’s that there's a scarcity of candidates out there are looking for work - including the supposed "passive candidates". They’re simply not on job boards or out interviewing on a weekly basis. That said: hiring is still happening. There are candidates out there looking, surveying the landscape, ready to take something better if it came along, if they happen to see exactly what they're looking for. In fact, job-hopping has become the new normal.
And you’re not going to find these candidates on job boards, so you’ve got to look for alternatives. Future-leaning sourcers and recruiters have long embraced practices that were viewed by their more conservative peers in human resources and more traditional-leaning recruiters as edgy. But times like these force change, and what was once cutting-edge becomes accepted practice. Recruiters are forced to get more and more creative to source job candidates. If you've hesitated to go beyond job boards in the past, here are some ideas you can start using right away.
Facebook boasts over 1.93 billion active daily users. That’s 71% of the social media traffic globally, and they have over 2.89 million monthly active users. If you're wondering whether your ideal candidate is on Facebook, they probably are. The key is targeting them, but you can do that with some simple social interactions:
Do the same on other social media platforms, especially if you're targeting younger job seekers. Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms are more hashtag reliant, so do your research and your content will appear on the feeds of people you're trying to reach.
YouTube is another social media platform, but it's much different from the others. While you can upload long-form content, and perhaps you should on your blog, it's not as effective for recruiting. Instead, short videos about company culture that offer social proof of your values (and why someone might want to work with you) will perform the best.
Be transparent and authentic with your video. Don’t show a video game room and a pool table if you don’t really have one. If the choice for working remotely is available, clearly show that. Transparent relates to everything. If you pay $30,000 a year for the opening you are advertising, don’t show someone driving a late model BMW or Tesla and living in a fancy house in the suburbs. Be realistic about what you can offer right now, not some imagined future after years of career growth.
LinkedIn is also a social media all its own. There are job boards and listings, but you can accomplish a lot with some good copywriting and a post or even a LinkedIn article. You can also run InMail campaigns that send messages to users who might be interested in your job opening.
A word of caution though: be careful with targeting. You can message the wrong people, those who are either not interested in your position or are interested but not qualified. LinkedIn offers great advice on this in their help section.
While LinkedIn is geared more toward job seekers directly, it’s really more of a professional social media site. Use it that way, and you could find your next candidate in the comments on your next post.
Your employees likely know people who do the same job they do, maybe even for your competitors or another similar company. Even if not, they may know people who know people. Offer them a referral bonus if the person they recommend gets hired and stays (usually past the 90-day mark) and even offer a sign-on bonus to the job candidate.
Many employers get their best candidates from these types of programs. Your employee knows your company culture, the pay, and the career structure, and they also know the person they send you. Essentially, those who work for you are doing some screening and matchmaking for you. It’s a win/win.
We’re not talking about job fairs here, but events and conferences for your industry even if they are virtual. Talk to people and get a feel for who they are and whether they're happy where they work now. Put a subtle “Now Hiring” sign on the corner of your vendor booth if you have one (or your Zoom background if you’re virtual). Hand out your business cards liberally.
If your company doesn’t usually include HR in these events, you’re likely missing opportunities to scout some of the best talent in the business. Change your thinking and use those conferences and conventions for more than just free cocktails and swag.
This is where you can get inventive depending on the job you are hiring for. Put a job opportunity in the header or code of your website if you are hiring developers. Hiring customer service or outreach people? One company found their matches on Tinder.
Post a TikTok video. Ask an influencer in your field to endorse your career opportunity. Guest on a podcast or write a post on someone else’s blog. Use a unique page or callout on your own website. Use QR codes on clever merchandise related to your brand and give it away.
It’s also not just about where you post, but what you post. Use humor and highlight the fun things about working for your company. If you’re going to attract and keep the best young talent, you’ll need to stand out from your competition.
After all, if what you have to offer is the same thing everyone else does, why would someone leave where they are to come work for you? You’ll have to answer that question through your recruiting message, not in the first interview.