When it comes to doing things differently in recruitment, businesses are only limited by their imagination. Even small businesses who feel they are constrained by a limited budget can find alternative ways of getting noticed by the best candidates, even those who aren’t actively looking.
Here are some of the most common issues faced when recruiting, together with some innovative solutions you may not have considered.
No budget for recruitment advertising
Who says you have to pay to advertise your vacancies? It shouldn’t cost much to add a careers page to your website and adding a “we are recruiting – ask me for details” section on your email signature is completely free!
Not attracting the right people
What about asking your staff? Chances are they know someone who’s perfect for the job but if you don’t encourage (and incentivise) them, it’s unlikely they will put their friend forward. Consider a staff referral scheme which rewards them if they put forward someone who then joins the team. Don’t forget to ask your staff what reward they might want – cash may not be a motivating factor!
Always advertising for contractors
If you employ contractors on a regular basis, consider keeping a database or a talent pool. Make sure the best contractors are right at the top of the list. Oh, and make sure they know about it too!
Want good people but don’t want a mountain of CVs to wade through
How about using an application form instead? That way, you control the information the applicants give you and you get it all in one standard format. You can even ask the candidates to sign the form to say that all the information they have provided is true. You need to bear in mind that there are certain questions you can’t ask in an application form but it’s certainly a viable alternative to piles and piles of CVs!
Don’t even want to see application forms
So, you prefer to meet people face to face to find out what they’re like? Why not follow the example set by Cambridge-based Red Gate Software recently? For four weeks, they’ve thrown caution to the winds and asking people to forgo their CVs and covering letters. They’ve been inviting people who are interested in working with them to a free lunch (via a voucher downloadable from their website). Along with the lunch comes a chat about working for Red Gate and if you impress them, the chance for a more formal interview. How’s that for innovative?
Management too busy to interview
Perhaps you and your Managers are too busy during the day to interview and you risk losing good candidates because the interview is in 2 weeks time. What about evening interviews? You could organise a number of short (no more than 30 minutes) interviews to take place in one evening. Intense and tiring? Of course! But you just might find “the one”!
There’s no “I” in team
Let’s face it, you can’t please everyone. You can, however, make your team feel more involved in your hiring decisions by holding a recruitment open day. Prospective employees come along to be shown around your office and get the chance to chat to the people who are already working for you. That way, your staff can give their opinions and you benefit from other viewpoints when making that all important choice about who to employ.
As you can see, there’s really no need to follow the crowd and do the same old thing every time you want to recruit someone to join your team. After all, the way you attract attention has everything to do with the kind of people you attract so be brave, be bold and let everyone see the kind of company you really are!
