There are plenty of options when it comes to recruitment strategies in your business. All of these strategies can be divided into two groups, internal or external. Understanding all your options in the recruitment process will ensure that you’re never scrambling to find applicants.
What are External Methods of Recruitment?
External methods in the recruitment process involve sources outside of your business or company. These methods source potential employees from job boards, social media platforms, job fairs and other networks.
Popular external methods are explained in more detail below:
- Company Websites
Your Company website careers page is a great tool to implement during your hiring process, it gives you a change to showcase your Company workspace and open positions. With career webpage management services like StaffingSoft your business get a fully customized and branded webpage.
The webpage offers ability to add pictures, videos and even pre-screening questionnaires that weed out weak applicants. All applicants are ranked to identify the best match.
- Job Boards
Another external form of recruitment marketing methods includes job boards. Job boards streamline your hiring process by publishing a detailed description of the job. This description specifies job title, job benefits, duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and preferred experience. Job boards provide an opportunity to catch the attention of both passive and active job seekers at the same time.
- Networking (Formal and Informal)
Networking is one of the best ways to find a new hire. There are formal networking events where people attend to expand their network, share interests and learn more about people in their community.
While there are job opportunities available at these events, it is important to note that it isn’t an active search or interview opportunity. These events are in place to expand reach and meet new people that otherwise may be overlooked.
- Job Fairs (Online and Virtual)
Job Fairs are formal opportunities to interview. Quite similar to networking, a Job Fair is an event where people seek new careers can meet potential employers. Most candidates are prepared with a resume; you can interview and hire on the spot. These events take place in a physical space or online socially.
- Social Media
Companies are all over social media and not just to get in touch with their customers. Social media is a creative way to keep customers up to date and “in the know” about company happenings. It’s also a fantastic strategy to use in recruitment. HR Executives use social media as a method of connecting with ideal candidates without any pressure.
Companies that command the attention of large audiences will have job seekers coming to them. Social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are all used as recruitment funnels if used correctly.
- Existing Candidate Pool
By using your existing talent pools, you can quickly reach out to all the passive candidates but it could be daunting task sifting through all the existing applications. Many employers delegate the task to an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). An ATS program organizes all your prospective employees in an easy to view and filter list.
Everyone knows “hiring” can be costly. Your Applicant Tracking System saves time and energy because there is less risk involved. Human Resource Managers can feel more confident in their hiring decision because the program relies on data.
- Staffing Agency
The last external strategy available in the recruitment process is to utilize a third-party staffing agency. Recruiting Agencies are efficient, provide accountability and save money. Most importantly, agencies provide an opportunity to form a potentially long-lasting partnership.
Human Resource Directors understand the recruitment process is a dark twisted tunnel with no end in sight. Third-Party Staffing Agencies are experienced professional teams. Third-Party Staffing Agencies live and breathe the hiring process. They are trained to move quickly so that companies don’t lose money or time.
There’s a sense of confidence when a new-hire is recruited from a staffing agency because if things don’t work out, there’s someone else to blame. The risk of a bad candidate or hire is improbable. Third-party staffing agencies rely on returning business and long-term relationships with businesses.
Agencies want to impress and strive to send over their best. An agency that is successful, will get to know their partners over time. Every time a company needs a position filled; the hiring process is that much easier.
And What about Internal Methods?
As you might have guessed internal methods of recruitment are easy to find inside your company or business. This includes taking contract workers and promoting them to full-time. In some cases, this means an employee from another branch will transfer in order to fill a position.
Internal methods often are more cost-efficient. The employee is already within reach or employed in some capacity. Each method has a strong argument for success. The more strategies that are used the better off your chances are that you will find the perfect candidate when you need them.
Let’s go over them briefly to provide an overview of how to use them:
- Promotions
One of the most popular internal strategies Human Resource Managers use are promotions. When a role becomes available, which employees are already available to take on a new role? Who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in their job? Who has taken on new responsibilities? Likely, someone who is already employed within the company can be trained quickly and fill the position effectively.
Hiring from within the company sets a strong precedent for company morale. Hiring within also saves money and time. For employees a promotion is validation. Promotions provide affirmation. This strategy also builds trust within the company. Promote a healthy company culture with this promotion strategy.
- Contract To Full-Time Employees
Promotions also extend to any freelance or contract workers the company previously outsourced tasks to. These are independent contractors who aren’t affiliated with the company. Regardless, contractors are familiar with company values and has an understanding of work flow.
This isn’t quite as time-consuming as hiring outside the company. A contract employee is one step above a hiring a stranger, and one step below hiring another employee who is already full-time.
- Former Employees to Part-Time or Contract
Some employees move on from their positions but are held in high regard. Some employees leave and are simply missed. These former employees might regret their decision over time. In any case, it has proven to be valuable to keep tabs on former employees. It is possible they are interested in returning.
Former employees have history with the company and can be easier to train than someone outside of the company. If a Human Resources Manager finds themselves in a pinch, this saves the company in a valuable way.
- Transfers
Transfers are another great way to utilize the employees your company already employs to fill unexpected job openings or any open role. Large companies typically have several branches sprawling across several states or countries. These companies can request someone to transfer to their specific branch. In which case, executives spend less time and money training a new employee hired externally.
This works just as well in the reverse. Employees who love their job, but may want a change of scenery can apply for a transfer in another state. Employees seeking for a new position within the company can apply for a role in another state. This is a promising strategy that promotes value within the company’s culture.
- Advertisements
Recruitment Advertising is nothing new in the hiring process but there are certainly more avenues to take. Advertising internally is generally more cost-efficient and more time efficient. Internal advertisements are most commonly used as a mass email notification sent to all personnel to inform your staff of a new opportunity.
Again, the most attractive reason to use this strategy is its simplicity. It is easier to train an employee already within your company instead of an outside hire. Managers are already familiar with potential candidate.
- Employee Referral
Last on this list of internal strategies used in the recruitment process are employee referrals. Employee referrals works both as an internal and external strategy. Employees are already close with the company and can be used to find other valuable employees that are outside of the company.
There is some risk because the hire is still outside of the company. However, an inside employee already understands the demands of the role and knows someone that could bring value. As long as the suggestion comes from an employee held in high regard, there should be minimal risk.
How Should I Decide Which Strategy To Use?
Human Resource Executives and Recruiters know how difficult it can be to fulfill a position that becomes empty unexpectedly. With these strategies in place, you will be prepared for worst-case scenarios. There isn’t a reason to scramble when there’s a fresh pool of candidates to pick from. Select a few strategies from each group to ensure your company staffing security.
