How wide is your hiring net? The unemployment rate is low, which is great for employees but can be hard for businesses, and your current recruiting strategy might not be innovative enough to find good talent. If you want to find great employees to hire, it’s time to take a deeper dive and embrace creative recruiting. Here are four unexpected places to find good talent.
1. Grab a Coffee
Ready to break the mold? Good talent may not be applying for your job opening because they don’t have the experience your job description asks for. An otherwise ideal candidate who would fit the role and your organization could be choosing not to apply or is getting overlooked because they lack a certain educational level or non-essential skills. If you’re finding it difficult to recruit new employees, you might look at relaxing some requirements.
Cafes, diners, and restaurants can be great places to find qualified candidates that you might not have previously considered. Servers, baristas, bartenders, and retail workers are all great potential hires for customer-facing positions. Strike up a conversation and see how well they connect.
Relaxing requirements and searching more broadly can also apply to looking beyond the people you traditionally hire. You may discover that your ideal applicant has an unconventional background. Consider offering interviews to those who made a great impression with their service skills and venture into territory that you might have previously considered off-limits.
2. Post on Social Media
Could finding good talent be as easy as posting a tweet? It might be. There are online communities created for practically every type of employee you’re looking to hire. While some, like Reddit and Quora, separate interests and expertise fairly well, there are dozens of online communities you can find to join. If, for example, you’re looking to hire a developer, try searching for the terms “developer forum.” Make sure that you are matching your ideal candidate with the right online community. Once you see where your ideal candidates are spending their time online, post your job opening on social media, and wait for the replies.
3. Handpick Your Dream Hires
It’s likely that your dream hires are not actively looking for employment, which means you are going to have to reach out to them. Flattery can go a long way, so take the time to reach out in a very personal manner. Research their social media presence as well as their past work before you reach out. Not only will you catch their attention, but you will be demonstrating how you are willing to go out of your way to recruit them.
Not sure where to find these dream hires? Think about whose work you admire or enjoy following. Do you frequently find yourself liking the same person’s industry shares? Is there a newsletter you subscribe to that always feels like it’s written specifically for you? Build a relationship with the people who you are already following and admire.
4. Attend Events That Are Not Job Fairs
Looking to hire an accountant in Dallas? Attend an accounting focus group event in that area to look for potential candidates. Industry meet-up groups are a great way to find employees for your company. Search for forums for trade shows, community events, local association meetings, and other group events that are likely to be attended by people qualified for your open positions. These individuals might not be actively looking for jobs, but could be open to new opportunities. By attending these events, you get the chance to learn about talent in a non-interview setting and promote your company as well.
You don’t have to simply attend events either. Think about hosting a networking event, a simple meet-and-greet night, where your company has an opportunity to shine. Serve appetizers and refreshments, and be prepared to give a short presentation about a topic related to your industry. A networking event that you host drops the formality of an interview while still giving you an opportunity to meet with potential employees in person.
You never know when or where you will run into good talent. The key is to not get caught in the same traditional hiring tactics you have always used. Always keep your business card and a pen handy and be ready to start up a dialogue with potential employees wherever you find them.
At Safeguard, we can help you give potential employees a great first impression with everything from professional business cards, forms and envelopes to branded swag that brings out your company culture. We know that the right business essentials can build your brand and strengthen your business. Contact us to get started with your personal Safeguard advisor today.