When you’re hiring, it’s common to turn to the same old places to find and recruit talent. While this approach has likely landed you some pretty amazing people in the past, it’s also beneficial to move outside of your comfort zone. By experimenting with different online, offline and in-person channels, you may discover that you can fill your talent roster faster and with even more qualified people.
Where to promote job openings
Knowing where to share information about open positions at your company isn’t always as cut and dry as it may seem. Since finding and recruiting candidates takes time, you need to be strategic about how many and which channels you use. Consider all avenues, but prioritize the sources that align with the behaviors and demographics of your “ideal” candidate. When putting together your recruitment strategy, consider online, offline and in-person options like the following:
- Inside your organization: If you can fill a position with qualified talent that you already have on staff, that’s typically a win-win solution. Filling holes in your employee roster is time-consuming and expensive. With a vacant position taking on average 42 hours and costing $4,000 to fill, it’s in your best interest to look internally first. Plus, by offering existing employees exciting opportunities to grow and move up in the company, you’re more likely to retain them for the long run.
- Social media networks: If you have a strong social media presence, consider posting information about job openings across your most active accounts, whether that’s LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or another network. However, don’t post for the sake of posting. If you don’t have many followers or haven’t posted anything in years, you may want to direct your efforts elsewhere. If you’re not giving these channels much attention, chances are that prospects aren’t either.
- Job search sites: Candidates today are drawn to job search sites that take care of the heavy lifting for them by automatically matching them with opportunities that align with their requirements. By taking advantage of job sites like Monster, Indeed, Google for Jobs, CareerBuilder, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, LinkUp, US.jobs and more, you can gain instant access to a global pool of interested prospects. Just be prepared to weed through a lot of resumes — some applicants won’t be a good fit, but plenty will.
- Niche job-search sites: Job search sites that cater to specific industries are popping up left and right. Ask others in your industry for recommendations or do a quick Google search and see what’s available in your vertical. Here are a few we’ve heard good things about: SalesJobs for sales, Cluster for manufacturing, Dice for tech, Idealist for nonprofit, OneWire for finance, GoodFoodJobs for foodservice, and TalentZoo for marketing. If you have any recommendations of your own, send them our way, and we’ll add them to the list!
- Email campaigns: If you use an email automation tool to communicate with contacts, consider sharing information about a job opening or asking for referrals. However, think about who will receive your emails, as you want to ensure it’s appropriate for the audience. Depending on the tool you use to send emails, you may even be able to segment who you want to receive (or not receive) your communications. This way you can tailor your message to a particular group of recipients, so you’re not spamming contacts.
- Your website: Post your openings on your website, as it’s always a good idea to use your site as the main “hub” for your job postings. This way, regardless of the outside channels you promote openings across, you’ll always drive candidates back to your site where they can easily explore more about your company.
- Third-party websites: In addition to leveraging your main website, promote your job opportunities through partner sites, such as an organization you’re involved with or a trusted vendor. Also consider other free or paid options like university job boards, school alumni sites, industry forums, professional association sites or online trade publications.
- Job fairs: Contrary to popular belief, job fairs are not dead. In fact, they are an excellent way to access a large pool of diverse candidates. While exhibiting at a job expo or even a university-hosted fair requires more time than digital alternatives, these events are a great way to meet face to face with prospects. By taking advantage of in-person meetings, you can better assess candidate fit, ask valuable questions typically reserved for interviews, and get a feel for the local talent pool available.
- Staffing agencies: If you don’t want to deal with finding and recruiting new talent, you can hire a staffing firm to help. However, be prepared to pay. Depending on the agency, they typically charge a flat fee or take a percentage of what the new hire will make. Executive or niche placements typically command higher fees than entry-level, so consider your need and how difficult it is to find qualified talent when considering an outsourcing option like this.
- Ads: If your recruitment efforts need a little boost, consider paying for advertisements. Again, focus on the media channels that your ideal candidates engage with. For example, if you’re on the hunt for a tech-savvy millennial, you should forgo newspaper or radio, and instead focus on digital ads, such as a sponsored Instagram or LinkedIn promotion.
- Referrals: Before you go to all ends of the earth to find your next best hire, turn to your trusted connections for referrals. If you respect someone as a professional, chances are they have other valuable and qualified people in their arsenal. Talk with current and past employees, vendors, partners, friends and other business connections about people they’d recommend. Plus, referrals are often a great way to unlock talent that’s not actively looking for a career change but is the perfect fit.
Need help?
When it comes to filling open positions at your company, you don’t have to do it alone. Our robust solution, Orbit Human Resources, can help by streamlining the talent acquisition process. From configurable online applications to resume parsing, automated communications and strategic insights, Orbit Human Resources takes on the heavy lifting so you can focus on finding the right people. To learn more about how we can help, check out our Orbit Human Resources overview sheet!
