Creative Ways to Find Employees Post-Pandemic

By Ashley Sinclair

Let’s face it. You cannot drive down a road without noticing a “Now Hiring” sign. If someone wants to work, there is not much stopping them on the recruiting side. A sign in your business can be effective, but only if the right person sees it. To stand out in this employee’s market, you need to get creative.

Hiring is one of the most difficult challenges facing businesses today. It is simply not enough to tell people you are hiring and what the position pays. For candidates to want to come work for you, you need to show them the incentive. What makes your business better than others? Why will they enjoy working for you? What is the growth possibility at your business? Use the following creative approaches to find candidates and show them why your business is best.

Join the Chamber

Joining the Chamber will allow you to meet new people, which is only the beginning. Of course, you can share the type of employee you are looking for and the Chamber will point you in the right direction. But don’t just stop there. Instead, get involved, volunteer, participate, post to their job board, and make your own introductions to uncover who is looking for what. Your local Chambers audience is business-minded and working people. Make connections, be of service, and people will want to help you in return.

Host an Event

Plan an event at your office that does not revolve around employment. For example, if you work at a boutique, host an open house with discounts and door prizes. You can also partner with your local Chamber to host a social event at your business. While people are enjoying the event, getting to know your staff and seeing the environment you create, let them know of positions you currently have open. This approach allows you to lead with the culture of your business, which might be your biggest seller for the job opening.

Turn to Social Media

Modifying your job posts to resonate with each platforms audience can help attract a variety of candidates. For example, consider tapping into platforms you have not thought of before. If you are looking for millennial talent, posting on Instagram stories or Snapchat could be a great way to appeal to a younger candidate. Due to its sheer size, employers should spend a lot of time on Facebook. It holds many opportunities to advertise jobs on careers pages, invite candidates to live career fairs and info sessions, and the ability to make this experience branded is superb. LinkedIn is specifically designed for professional networking, so this is a great place for attracting candidates. Even if you are posting to traditional job boards, make sure to include a post on LinkedIn also. Twitter allows employers to build candidate communities and branded career pages. Consider using hashtags to post new jobs by industry and include a link to your career website. Last on the list is YouTube. Many don’t think about YouTube when it comes to recruiting. This platform allows you to post videos to share insight and information right from the business. Creating videos about job searching, interview tips, and current employee testimonies can build your brand and reputation.

Empower Your Employees

The employees you currently have are your best resource, not only with the value they bring, but they can offer you great leads on candidates. Employee referrals tend to provide more qualified candidates because they are personally vetted by your current staff. As a bonus, you are less likely to be let down by someone who already has a connection to your business.

In summary, the most beneficial thing you can do when searching for employees is to be creative. Do not shy away from trying new tactics, experimenting with your methods, and leaning on unconventional resources. You will see that there are new approaches that can produce better results than the tried-and-true techniques.

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