To overcome high corporate turnover rates and attract top talent, recruiters must continually be on the lookout. Tips and advice for constantly fueling your pool of talent.
Exploiting unsolicited applications
Today, the traditional ‘resume database’ is not enough. Even in the absence of vacancies, it is important to constantly meet potential candidates. “Once a person passes our door to give us their CV, take the time to do an interview with them. That first contact must be made. When a position opens, you have fresh applications and are ready to quickly respond,” says Vicky Gélinas, human resources advisor at Lambert Ressources humaines.
This first interview is to check the candidate’s aspirations, measure their real interest in the company and, above all, to create a personal connection with them. “Personalized monitoring is essential for a good candidate to lean our way and for them to want to continue with us down the road,” says Gélinas.
Proactive recruiters are more likely to find talent with the skills, creativity and sense of innovation needed to propel their business. They can then hold on to these candidates by creating a custom position for them or giving them an advance on a vacancy.
Develop your network of contacts
Friends, employees or business relations are well placed to identify good people, especially if they are familiar with the company. By meeting these contenders, they can in turn guide us to other interesting candidates. “If you know you will need engineers, you can regularly invite engineers to play golf, create a bond and ask them for references,” suggests Gélinas.
It is also recommended to stay abreast of networking events, such as conferences and other business gatherings. One can gather valuable information on various talents and what they’re doing and take the opportunity to expand your pool of contacts. Finally, social media, especially LinkedIn, are extremely powerful in targeting suitable candidates and requesting a meeting.
See and be seen
Recruiting the best candidates also requires meeting candidates. “If you seek specific professionals, you can develop collaborations with schools to promote your company, establish scholarship programs or organize academic competitions,” states Gélinas.
In the same vein, recruiters may attend job fairs, network with organizations looking for a job and sponsor events that affect potential candidates.
Such investments can be useful in the immediate future, but also contribute to project a positive and lasting image of the company, which may influence the decision of a candidate down the road.
Take care of your reputation
The first step towards successful recruitment, however, is to make your company attractive and to position yourself as an employer of choice. If a company has a bad reputation and presents itself poorly, it might get you no results, even if you are investing a lot of energy in recruitment.
To attract good candidates, beautiful branding, competitive working conditions and a pleasant atmosphere will always be your best assets.