Strong Strategies for Recruiting Top Talent
Employers spend a vast amount of time, energy, and money to find the right people for their teams. Like any sound investment, acquiring top talent requires having a solid plan in place before the need arises. Get a great pool of candidates together by employing these strategies prior to employing your next hire.
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Build a Better Ideal Employee & Profile Them
The creation of job descriptions should be a collaborative effort within your company. Put together a team that includes the hiring manager and those who would be peers of the ideal candidate – but not just anyone; select those who display the same preferred qualities as the person you want. Their mission is to deliver a description outlining the core duties and outputs of the job, and highlighting no more than 10 key responsibilities and characteristics to focus on during the screening process.
Now that you have a template for the ideal employee, figure out what interests and motivates them. What do they read? What sites do they engage with most? What industry magazines would they peruse? This helps you learn where – and how – to reach the kind of person you want on your team.
Build Buzz Among Employees
Your employees are the experts on your company’s environment. They know which of their personal and professional connections would be good fits. Spread the word that you’re searching for new recruits – announce job openings at meetings, share your growth plan, and tell them to be on the lookout for candidates. Encourage your team to network at industry events and trade shows, and then share with you the business cards they’ve collected. Add these people to a list.
Build Rapport with a Recruiter
While using a recruiter, headhunter, or placement firm can be expensive – up to 20-35 percent of the new recruit’s salary – they absorb a lot of the legwork. As much as possible, use a recruiter focused on your industry; it’s likely they already have a pool of screened candidates. As you work with them, they’ll get to know your needs and make suggestions. Be sure to ask for references.
Build a Base of Temp Talent
As with a recruiter, there are out-of-pocket expenses when you use a temp agency—but you’ll enjoy the flexibility to staff for a short-term position or to try out candidates. The agency does the searching, testing, and background checks; all you have to do is interview!
Build a Broader Network
Trade associations, industry affiliations, academic contacts – these are all great places to cast the candidate search net. Continue to engage your employees in the process by sending them to conferences and trade shows, and paying for their membership in industry network groups. Add these people to a list as well. Use a company newsletter or email updates to keep in touch.
Build Positive PR
Make no mistake – top talent will research you, so do your best to ensure that they discover good news when they come across your publicity.
Build a Relationship with Resume Submitters
You may not need them now, but you likely will eventually. Stay in contact with those who submit their resumes to you. Add them to a list of people who receive your updates or company newsletter.
Build a Rich Online Pitch
Does the “Careers” section of your site truly reflect your vision, values, or culture? Are resumes and applications easy to submit? Do candidates know about what you can offer them – benefits, perks, advancement? Do you communicate growth and stability? Just because they’re on your site and considering submitting their CV doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make the effort to sell them on how bright their future could be working for you.
Beyond your site, don’t ignore the wealth of online networking opportunities: LinkedIn, industry networking sites, major and niche job board sites, local professional association sites, and even your local newspaper’s classified section online.
Build a Reputation for Thoughtfulness
The submission and interview process (and beyond) is just as much about first impressions of your company as it is about the candidate. Prompt responses, attention to detail, follow-through on even simple promises, and clear communication are all ways to ensure your reputation as a considerate employer.
Knowing exactly who you want, spreading the word, developing strong relationships, and making good impressions are the fundamental tools and materials to construct a solid strategy for recruiting the talent who will keep your company moving forward. To help you make those connections and introducing you to a new pool of healthcare talent in Cincinnati, contact PsychPros. [/two_third_last]