In today’s uncertain economy, a lot of companies are starting to think about how to make do with less – lower overhead, smaller capital expenditures, fewer employees. With that mindset, it is understandable that a company’s recruiting efforts may be nearly nonexistent. Yet that is inevitably when it happens – a critical employee resigns, leaving a huge void in the organization and an employer scrambling.
“Successful leaders will tell you that they have a contingency plan for every plausible business occurrence, yet ironically their organization fails to keep a log of potential job applicants in the event a key employee leaves,” said John Allen, President and COO, G&A Partners.
Regardless of the nature of your organization – whether you hire one or 100 new employees each year – recruiting should always be an area of focus and forethought. Recruiting activities do not have to be limited to that moment when a position needs to be filled – proactive recruiting efforts can be as simple as ensuring your company maintains a database of qualified candidates to draw upon when the need arises.
Large companies have recruiting departments focused entirely on executing campus recruiting and job fairs. For smaller companies; however, a successful recruiting campaign does not need to be such an orchestrated effort. Informal methods can be equally effective.
When applicants submit resumes, either electronically, by mail or in person, take a minute to prequalify the applicants. Review their resumes and, if they are a worthwhile prospect, talk to them directly to determine whether their skills and personality are a fit for your organization. Even if there is no open position, retain the resume with a few notes about what type of position the applicant may be qualified to fill.
Of course, the best-qualified job candidates are often not the ones who come knocking on your door. The brightest, most skilled candidates are often working somewhere else. So, how do employers tap those resources? Invest time in developing relationships with professional recruiters and university placement offices, and stay active in industry groups and associations. These relationships will be especially valuable when posting an open position.
Surf online job boards to search among resumes posted there. Even if a candidate is no longer active in the job market, he or she may still be interested in learning about your company, and although he may not pursue a position for himself, he may have colleagues or friends in the industry who would be interested.
Current employees are another excellent avenue for tapping into talent. Often your employees’ friends are among the very group you hope to draw from, whether that is a peer group or trade group. Consider establishing a referral program that rewards employees for identifying a job candidate that is hired by the company.
Ultimately though, all of the best recruiting strategies are for naught if your company has a reputation for being an undesirable employer. In a tight talent market (or any time you hope to attract the best job candidates), it is vital to your company’s recruiting efforts that it is perceived as a good place to work. Establish your company as an employer of choice by offering competitive pay, sound benefits, a flexible work environment and innovative perks.
Once you have a bank of qualified applicants to select from, how do you identify the candidate that fits the position and your organization best? That will be the topic for our next Spotlight. In the meantime, if you have questions or wish to discuss your company’s recruiting efforts, feel free to contact G&A Partners’ HR specialists at 713-784-1181.
