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Back to the Recruitment Basics
February 1, 2012
It's easy to get lost in the long list of recruitment solutions on the market. Weighing the ROI of one solution against another can eat up time and energy—time and energy that you could (and should) be using to actually recruit. Even in doing so, the need to hire has still not been addressed.
When it comes to recruiting, there is no "one size fits all." So how do you choose the right solution?
You need to go back to the basics and ask the right questions. By asking the right questions, you uncover the recruiting solution that best suits and supports your hiring need.
- Where, besides in our industry, are our potential candidates currently working? Solution: Research, LinkedIn
- Can we tap our current network? Our employee's networks? Solution: Employee Referral Programs (ERP), LinkedIn
- What do we as a company have to offer to entice great talent from their current employer or actively pursuing other employers? Solution: Employer brand development; review and promote employee incentives, employee recognition programs
- Can candidates find our available opportunities? Are we present where they're searching? Solution: Career page updates, microsites, search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, job boards, job aggregators, print advertising
- Do we have internal candidates qualified and interested in the position(s)? Solution: Succession planning, employee training and development
- Are there any hurdles in the hiring process that turns off some of our best candidates? Solution: Website feasibility study, hiring process assessments, online candidate experience surveys
- Are our job descriptions clear on the requirements of the job and describe what it's really like? What's engaging and attractive? Are the descriptions and titles a reflection of industry standards? Solution: Research, copywriting
- Do our recruiters "sell" the position and our employer values? Solution: Employer brand, recruiter training and development
Asking these questions about your audience, message and your employer brand—and most importantly acting on the answers—will guarantee the best solution for the positions you need to fill. It will also help you hire the best candidate to be an asset to and for your company.
Tags: recruitment, recruitment solutions, ROI, hire, recruiting, one size fits all, solution, LinkedIn, research, candidates, hiring, ERP, employee referral program, employer brand, employee incentives, employee recognition, microsite, SEO, social media, job boards, job aggregators, print advertising, training and development, website feasibility, hiring process, candidate experience, copywriting, recruiter training
HR Communications and what to expect in 2012
January 1, 2012Happy New Year and Welcome to 2012!
Last year, we saw a powerful shift in the communications industry, particularly in human resources and recruitment. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn continued to grow and benefit the HR communications industry by reaching passive and active candidates. Job seekers, already active on these sites, were drawn to branded employer pages that advertised open positions and content broadcasted through blogs, microblogs and status updates.
Online recruitment videos became more affordable and unlocked the door to a company's corporate culture. No longer did a job seeker have to read about a potential employer. Video is the job seeker's invitation, allowing them to hear from employees directly, a trend we will see continue.
One of the biggest predictions for 2012 shouldn't be a surprise—the rise of mobile.
Record sales of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have pushed the need for more mobile capabilities to the forefront. It's not enough that your website is mobile enabled; a mobile application would provide active job seekers with an easier way of finding your open positions. An article by Dr. John Sullivan of ERE states "The capabilities afforded users of smartphones and tablet devices grows immensely day by day."
Looming baby boomer retirements continues to be a major focus for specific industries, particularly for public sectors including healthcare, manufacturing and education.
Focusing efforts toward talent management and succession planning will be critical to ensuring gaps left by planned retirements are filled. In addition, strategic plans for university recruitment and international recruitment will help support hiring needs of organizations where skills shortages are expected due to retirements.
External engagement and hiring isn't the only factor. Companies must implement and actively promote employee engagement, loyalty and retention programs. Assuming your employees will remain with your company is often an unwise prediction. Saavy employees understand their value and are often pursued by executive recruiters and through personal referrals. Show your employees their value through programs that meet their needs.
Being able to adapt to the ever-changing landscape in 2012 can become an integral part of your employer brand. We look forward to sharing the ride with you.
Tags: 2012, predictions, video, mobile, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, HR communications, university recruitment, international recruitment, skills shortages, baby boomer retirements, mobile devices, mobile capabilities, passive candidates, active candidates, job seekers, succession planning, talent management, external engagement, retention programs