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How do you cut through a noisy job marketplace and draw the best candidates to your business? Here are five tips to successfully build your team.
1. Know what you want
It’s not always just about skills and qualifications, but also fit and other qualities. If you run a window-washing service, your top candidate might be “fast and fearless”; if you're looking for a customer service representative, a “good listener and quick thinker” may be more of what you need.
2. Search the right places
If you’re seeking a recent graduate you’ll want to contact local universities or colleges. LinkedIn can be a great source for a wide range of professionals. Depending on who you’re looking for, you may need to try different channels.
3. Set yourself apart
When it comes to writing a posting, rather than give a laundry list of duties (the old, “the successful candidate will...”) try to paint a picture of what working in your business will be like. How does a typical day go for someone in that role? What will they start doing and where could they end up six months from now?
4. Let your employees be your ambassadors
No job board will sell your company like your employees can. Candidates referred by your own staff are more likely to be better employees and stay longer than random applicants.
5. Tailor your pitch to the person
When you’re ready to talk to a candidate, be sure to listen for what they’re looking for career-wise. Top performers don’t just want a job—they usually have career goals of their own and want to know how you can help them achieve their objectives.
Plus, don’t be afraid to promote what your company has to offer, but at the same time be honest. There’s no point promising something you can’t provide, because they’ll find out sooner or later and may choose to move on when they do.