Not Your Typical Recruiting Strategy

Have you considered whether your recruiting approach reaches all prospective employees? Or that maybe your message is simply getting lost in the noise created by today's talent shortage?

If you feel like your company has tried everything and still isn't getting any interest from qualified applicants, it may be time to consider shaking things up a bit when it comes to your recruitment strategy.

3 "Not So Typical" Recruiting Strategies To Help Your Company Stand Out

Check out these suggestions for recruiting strategies that go beyond the typical "post and hope for the best" policy that some employers use to help your company appeal to and retain high-quality candidates.

1. Switch to mobile-friendly job postings and networking apps

Over 60 percent of job searches start from a mobile platform. While creating mobile job postings, utilize search engine optimization (SEO) to include keywords candidates will be searching for (and should already have in their resumes) in your job descriptions.

Tip: When working with a mobile job posting, have a “quick apply” option with two to three questions and a resume/cover letter upload option.

Bumble is widely known as a dating app, but last year Whitney Wolfe Herd, Bumble’s CEO, decided to steer the app towards professional networking. Unlike LinkedIn, Bumble Bizz is more about creating opportunities rather than job hunting. The Bumble Bizz app is ideal for small business owners since it focuses on individual connections. The app hides users’ ages to prevent ageism which is a bonus. Plus creating a Bumble Bizz account is FREE.

Tip: Although employers can recruit both men and women on Bumble Bizz, keep in mind that Bumble’s “women-first” philosophy still applies, so the best way to make use of this app for recruiting purposes would be to have a female leader/recruiter create the account.

Networking apps provide a unique alternative to resume databases because they allow you to learn more about a person than a piece of paper can tell. Another networking platform to look into is Shapr, which offers both a desktop and an app version of their product. While Bumble Bizz has users answer questions you might typically ask in an interview, such as “What is your secret work talent” and “How do you stay motivated,”. Shapr allows users to share their goals and specify what they are looking for, whether it be mentors, freelance gigs, or full-time opportunities.

2. Consider out-of-the-box touch points

Recruiters have started “sliding into DMs” with prospects on LinkedIn. If this strategy is appropriate for your business, consider reaching out on other forms of social media, as well. You could utilize Venmo (a mobile payment app) as a direct approach to send $0.01 to your ideal candidate. In the description, you could say “A penny for your thoughts,” and then follow up with a call. The applicant is more likely to remember a witty Venmo transaction rather than a standard email that probably got lost in their inbox.

Attending a career fair or a networking event soon? An indirect way to catch an applicant’s attention would be to purchase a Snapchat lens or filter to encourage users to learn more about your company. This can be customized to include where they can find your table or embedded with a link to your job posting. The cost of this can vary depending on the date, radius, and design, but if used strategically it will help establish your company’s brand recognition.

Have you considered using “chatbots” to supplement recruitment efforts? Even if you’re not sure what a chatbot is, odds are you’ve interacted with one for customer service purposes. These computer programs can conduct conversation through automated responses or textual methods and can be used to aid recruiters in the sourcing stage.

Tip: If you decide to implement chatbots for recruiting, keep in mind that technology lacks the instincts and gut reaction that a real recruiter would have, so make sure to provide a path for users to connect with a real human if they need additional help.

Virtual reality (VR) is another way to harness technology for your recruitment efforts, especially when it comes to showcasing your company culture since its something external candidates have a hard time picturing without being able to experience it.

One way to provide an inside look of your work environment would be to have a virtual reality tour of your office. Use this as a way to showcase that new breakroom and the nice gym downstairs. Another option would be to create a company culture sneak peek video (watch G&As here for inspiration).

3. Attend-or even host-networking happy hours

As we mentioned before, networking is essential when it comes to recruiting because it allows you to build a pipeline of potential candidates. Ask yourself: Are we in an area that attracts the type of person we want to hire? If you are looking to fill entry level positions, consider collaborating with an organization on a college campus near you. If you’re on the hunt for a new executive member, think about the persona you have in mind and go to a function you think they’ll be attending. Industry and area mixers are ideal for finding these types of candidates.

Encourage your employees to attend a nearby software summit to network and socialize. Then consider hosting a semi-private happy hour at a venue nearby or even at your office (if it’s within a reasonable distance). You could even have decision makers float around the room and conduct on-the-spot interviews.

Tip: If you are utilizing Bumble Bizz to coordinate and promote your happy hour on the app, they will provide Bumble Bizz décor for your event!

Do what works for your company

Finding the ideal candidate can be difficult for smaller companies and we hope the ideas above encourage you to think outside of the box with your recruiting strategies. G&A Partners combines advanced cloud-based technology with experienced recruitment specialists to deliver project-based and continuous recruitment services for companies of all sizes and across multiple industries.