By Kayla Matthews
The search for the best talent can be tricky. You need to balance your company’s needs with unique job applications to draw in as many options as possible. Finding resources can be difficult, too. Luckily, the following places will help you conquer it all.
1. Job Boards
Job boards like LinkedIn, Monster, Glassdoor and Indeed are some of the most popular places to find employees. You can start your search with these options and informative job descriptions for each position.
2. Professional Organizations
If your company is a partner of any professional organization or other company, you can reach out and ask to advertise on their platforms.
3. Social Media
You should try to use all social media platforms possible — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube — to create different kinds of content. For example, you can send quick updates about jobs through Twitter, but longer, video content with YouTube. Social media advertising can turn a passive candidate into an active one for any position.
4. Email and Newsletters
If your business uses email and newsletters to connect with customers, clients or the surrounding community, you can send out information about your job search.
5. Employee Referral Program
With an employee referral program, you can ask your employees or coworkers to look for potential talent. If you end up hiring the person they recommend, they then receive a reward from the program.
6. Job Fair
A job fair is a great place to meet new people that are already looking for opportunities. Remember, job fairs can be in-person or virtual — keep your eyes open for both options.
7. Promotions
Sometimes you don’t need to look for new talent because you already have someone for the job. If a current employee doesn’t mind switching their role, they might be able to fulfill the opening.
8. Specific Job Boards
While the bigger job boards are popular for finding employees, they can flood your inbox with spam applications. Niche or industry-specific job boards can help you reach out to talent that’s looking in lesser-known places.
9. Write to Impress
Your job applications and descriptions need to be transparent, accessible and easy to follow. You can hire a writer to help your descriptions stand out and draw in more talent.
10. Networking Events
You’ll likely attend different events for business. Whether it’s a fundraiser or meeting, you can network during these events to find new employees. The people you meet are already in similar industries, so they may have some helpful insight.
11. Company Website
Your company website is crucial to the application process. Many job-seekers go directly to company websites to apply. You’ll need to make sure your website is user-friendly and accessible with pages for open positions and applications.
12. Streamline the Process
Sometimes, job applications can be clunky. If they carry on for too long, people may lose interest. If you shorten the process to get the basic information you need, you can follow up later with the most qualified candidates.
13. Advertisements
You can advertise online on different websites, from corporate websites to job boards. Indeed allows you to sponsor your listings, for instance, if you want to stand out.
14. New Technology
Within the tech industry, there are exports of $1.5 billion every year. Tech is so expansive that it can now help you find new talent through artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and machine learning. These machines can also sort through applications and weed out ones that don’t meet your standards.
15. Colleges and Universities
Colleges and universities are where emerging students are ready to find jobs. You can talk to professors or advertise on their job boards to draw in the fresh generation of talent.
16. Talent Pool
A good candidate sometimes slips through the cracks if you have to hire someone else. However, you can keep their information and call them back when another position opens up. That way, you already have the connection and you know they qualify.
17. Old Fashioned Way
Most things are digital these days, but you can still take notes from the older methods. You can advertise in newspapers and on bulletins in places like supermarkets or cafes.
18. Recruitment Firm
If you’re not having any luck or simply need more help, you can work with a recruitment firm. These firms specialize in finding talent through every platform possible.
19. Loosen Restrictions
To get more applications, you can loosen restrictions. Not every job should require a degree, so you can adjust to fit experience in some instances.
20. Customers and Clients
You can talk with your customers or clients about potential hires. They are part of your network. Ask them for help!
Finding the Best Talent
When you use these resources, you are putting yourself in the right spot to find qualified employees. Once you implement them, you can focus on picking from all the qualified candidates.
About the Author: Kayla Matthews writes about communication and workplace productivity on her blog, Productivity Theory. Her work has also appeared on Talent Culture, MakeUseOf, The Muse and Fast Company.
Photo by Evgeni Tcherkasski on Unsplash
