Are you struggling to fill positions? Do you feel like your competitors are snagging the top talent? Is turnover hurting your bottom line? It’s time to revamp your hiring strategies.
Begin by establishing your company as the star attraction.
• Embrace the power of social media. Connect to potential candidates through the image you portray on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. Post articles and blog content that is interesting, helpful, and promotes interaction. Maintaining an active online presence keeps your company name out in front of potential candidates.
• Create a desirable company culture. Be authentic with present employees, building camaraderie and respect. Employees talk – it doesn’t take long for a company’s reputation to be established for good or for bad. Positive word of mouth advertising reaps benefits when selling positions in the same way as when selling products.
• Offer the best. Top packages and benefits attract top employees. From sign-on bonuses to job perks, flexible hours, healthcare, and open vacation plans, there are multiple options being offered. Sure, staying a step ahead of your competitors may cost more initially, but it can save even more than it costs when you hire and retain top tier employees.
Know where to find the best employees
• Once again, go social. Both active and passive candidates use social media to seek out the job market. Use it likewise to establish your brand and post your open positions. Networking pays rich dividends.
• Listen to your present employees and professional colleagues. Referrals from trusted sources often connect the candidate to the company.
• Participate in career fairs – Virtual career fairs are great ways to tap into the talent pool without a lot of time and expense. Attending physical career fairs is also beneficial. Getting out of the office to interact with potential candidates face to face can be revitalizing and increase your access to the talent pool.
Maximize the interview – evaluate the whole person
• Browse their online presence before the interview. Use the picture you gain to create a couple of questions specific to them as an individual – especially if you question something. Check out the social media face of their references too – this will give you a clearer picture of the reliability of their references.
• Don’t be satisfied with a list of skills and experience. Ask for examples of how they applied their knowledge and abilities to a specific situation and what the bottom-line result was. How will their skills/experience make a difference in your company’s goals? Customize your questions for each position
• Decipher their personal attitudes and philosophies. Ask questions and watch for answers that reveal whether they actively engage in their work or consider it a means to an end. What are their core values and beliefs? Do they pursue ongoing education? Are they involved in the community?
• Eliminate hoops. Place value on both yours and the candidate’s time. Take sufficient time to make a wise decision is important, but if you drag out the process of create too many hoops, you may lose your top candidate to a company who knows where they are going and how to get there.
Connect with a staffing agency
• Choose the one that fits your company. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You need to be assured that they will accurately determine a candidate’s marketable experience and pertinent skills, abilities to lead – or follow as necessary, commitment to personal development, their social interaction and team skills, etc. Finding a strong agency with a solid reputation that you can trust will enhance your hiring strategy – they will find top candidates and narrow the list while you focus on what you do best.
• Consider your staffing agency your professional partner. Build a healthy productive relationship with them through regular and open communication. Provide accurate job descriptions. Be honest about your company’s present and future goals and needs. When you establish an ongoing relationship with one agency, they become an important arm in your company.
Taking the time to evaluate your hiring strategies and make changes reaps long-term benefits. Contact Springborn Staffing. We will help your company in the Portland or Bangor, Maine areas to build a best practice hiring strategy.
