How to find great employees is one of the key questions every company is concerned about. Having a good and cohesive team is one of the key factors that can set you apart from your competitors and help you achieve a competitive advantage.
First and foremost, it’s crucial to recognize that the perfect candidate must not only be a person-job fit but also for your company culture (also known as person-organization fit).
Employees are the most important asset (and expense) any business has, and with advances in technology, there are many more tools available to find potential employees, but that doesn’t mean it’s easier than ever.
Key takeaways:
- Utilizing job boards and crafting compelling job descriptions are essential first steps in finding employees.
- Social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, serve as effective channels for promoting job openings and engaging potential candidates.
- Asking the right questions during interviews helps assess candidates’ fit beyond their experience, focusing on their motivation and problem-solving abilities.
- Employee referral programs can tap into the networks of current employees, bringing in candidates likely aligned with the company’s culture and values.
Table of Contents
How to find great employees using job boards
Utilizing job boards is the initial and evident approach that every company should adopt to promote their job vacancies and communicate their hiring preferences.
Posting well-defined and compelling job descriptions on appropriate job boards is crucial to enhance the likelihood of attracting suitable candidates and making a hire.
Numerous recruitment platforms also facilitate integration with these job boards, similar to the connectivity provided by LinkedIn.
Some of the most popular job boards include:
- LinkedIn: Although recognized primarily as a social media platform, LinkedIn hosts an extensive job board widely utilized by recruitment agencies and HR professionals in white-collar industries.
- Indeed: Serving as a valuable platform for entry-level positions and middle-management roles, Indeed caters to specific sectors like manufacturing and transportation.
- Glassdoor: By gathering job listings from various origins, Glassdoor consolidates them onto its job board, offering a diverse range of employment opportunities.
To effectively identify suitable candidates through a job board, it is essential to employ a combination of effective advertising strategies and skillfully crafted job descriptions.
Additionally, integrating an applicant tracking system (ATS) with these platforms can enhance job board candidates’ tracking capabilities, ensuring more comprehensive oversight.
Targeting candidates via Social Media
Utilizing social media platforms is an effective method to discover potential candidates for job openings
Also, it’s a crucial method to promote your business and attract more future employees.
If your company possesses a strong culture and a substantial following on social media, it offers an immediate audience of individuals interested in your business activities.
Companies with a significant following often generate numerous applicants for a single position by simply announcing their job search on social media.
Here are some social media channels that can be advantageous for attracting applicants:
- LinkedIn: Apart from being a professional-oriented social media platform, LinkedIn also provides a convenient means to target managerial, technical, and professional-level positions. It offers an excellent opportunity to showcase your company culture creatively with dynamic posts and connect with suitable candidates.
- Instagram: If you aim to appeal to younger professionals, Instagram is a valuable platform for building a following. Highlighting the enjoyable and unique aspects of your company culture on Instagram can make working for your business look enticing, thereby attracting applicants more easily when you announce job openings.
- Twitter: Startups and niche businesses often successfully attract applicants through Twitter. By sharing updates about your business growth and development, you can engage an interested audience that becomes invested in your success. This makes it easier to generate applicants when the timing is right.
- Facebook: Facebook can be effective for locating applicants in specialized roles. Numerous groups on the platform facilitate networking and job postings within specific industries, markets, and job categories. Sharing your hiring needs in such groups can attract high-quality applicants, even if the quantity may not be as significant.
It is worth mentioning that Snapchat and TikTok are nowadays one of the essential social networks to captivate a younger audience of candidates.
Many tech companies are utilizing them to bring a particular type of profile and give a dynamic vibe to their company.
Although these should also be used depending on the culture that your company wants to transmit and the position that you are promoting.
Asking the right questions
Regardless of the channel you use for talent acquisition, you should prioritize finding exceptional people rather than focusing solely on their level of experience.
For this, it is important to establish questions not only related to their experiences and abilities but also to analyze their motivation through situational and behavioural questions in order to see how they handle problems or challenges.
Each question should be tailored to the respective role (and skill) you are looking for.
For example, if you are looking for someone in sales, you can ask what their most effective sales process is, or if they prefer lead generation over general sales.
Using employee referral programs to find good employees
Implementing an employee referral program: by encouraging employees to refer potential candidates for open positions, you will get the more selective type of candidates.
Employee referral programs are a great method for finding employees. By utilizing the networks of your current employees, you can tap into a pool of candidates who are more likely to be aligned with your company culture and your values.
These programs are usually supported by different incentive strategies, such as bonuses.
Other very effective strategies
Participating in job expos and engaging with educational institutions’ recruitment events: networking at university career fairs or campus job placement programs will give you wider exposure to a young pool of candidates and the possibility of having more internships.
Advertising your job openings across various employment platforms: this will help you find more talent out there and in most cases, close your open positions faster.
Tips for how to find great employees
The approach to finding exceptional employees largely depends on the specific roles you are hiring for and the desired company culture you aim to cultivate.
The definition of a great employee can vary significantly based on your objectives.
For instance, a rapidly growing startup may prioritize factors like long working hours or cost-cutting measures, while an established business may emphasize exceptional customer service and positive feedback.
Consider the following tips for best ways to find employees:
1. Clearly define your expectations
If you have a clear vision of what makes a great employee for your organization, openly communicate these expectations to potential candidates and incorporate them into your job descriptions.
Be diligent in identifying the qualities and skills you are seeking.
2. Tailor your hiring process
Recognize that every hiring process should be customized according to the specific requirements that the roles involve.
If you have a clear understanding of what you need, design a hiring process that effectively evaluates candidates based on those specific attributes.
This will save you a lot of time and will have an effective positive impact on the hiring process.
3. Utilize appropriate tools
When advertising job openings, choose platforms and channels that attract the kind of candidates you are seeking.
Avoid posting on generic job boards simply because it is a common practice. Instead, select platforms that target your desired talent pool, even if it means receiving fewer applications.
Remember, quality is more important than quantity!
4. Seek input from your team
Engage your team members in discussions about the qualities that make employees successful within your organization and analyze the market.
Their insights and feedback, based on their daily experiences, can play a crucial role in identifying the desired attributes and finding candidates who possess them.
5. Take proactive measures
Rather than waiting for suitable candidates to come to you, proactively and assertively search for the individuals you desire.
Refine your recruitment process until it yields the desired outcomes if the initial attempts do not produce the desired results.
Tip: Understand the differences between active and passive recruitment
Conclusion
Exploring alternative strategies in your recruitment process can be instrumental in attracting highly qualified candidates.
For instance, consider tactics such as leveraging enthusiastic brand advocates, seeking out non-traditional candidates, embracing expertise-as-a-service, recognizing the contributions of remote employees, or implementing an internship program to entice top-tier job seekers.
Remember that some specific situations or motivators can bring out individuals’ strengths and skills, allowing them to excel in their responsibilities.
It is worth noting that someone who may struggle or underperform in one job has the potential to thrive and become an exceptional employee in a different job setting.
Our recommendation is to describe the responsibilities of the position in a clear way and to target your ideal candidate through attractive channels.
Remember, utilizing the right platform will give you the right candidate.
Check our article on Top 15 Best Recruitment Strategies (With Examples) to learn more.
Book a call with us to see how we can assist you in how to find great employees for your business.
