How to Find Your Next Great Employee

How to Find Your Next Great Employee

A company thrives when it has skilled employees committed to the organization’s mission and goals. Every role you have is needed to drive this success and every hire counts! That’s why it’s so important to seek out high-potential candidates who not only meet your qualifications, but also mesh with your culture and established team to achieve your company’s goals.

How do you identify and attract high-potential candidates? These 8 tips are a great start!

1. Write a clear, compelling job description. Put yourself in a candidate’s shoes and think about what they would want to know about an available position. A few elements to consider: a description of your company that helps the job seeker understand your mission, vision, values and overall company culture; job title, summary and responsibilities; required or preferred qualifications and skills; salary range or hourly wage; benefits such as healthcare and a 401(k) plan or match; plus any additional details that really make you stand out as an employer of choice.

2. Post the job description anywhere you might reach potential candidates. You may want to start with LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or other social media platforms where you may already have a presence, but also consider free job posting sites such as ZipRecruiter, Monster and Glassdoor. Check to see if any niche job boards might be good channels as well. There are job boards specific to retail, sales, technology, etc. and professional networks and associations with job boards for members and affiliates. When your position is posted, encourage your employees to share the posts to broaden your reach.

3. Create an employee referral program. Current employees are often the best source of new talent, and their referred candidates are more likely to smoothly transition into your organization. Birds of a feather flock together, after all, so perhaps they know someone who would be a great fit within the organization. Share any new job openings with your entire team, and let them know what knowledge, skills and abilities you’re seeking in candidates.

While helping their friends, family and even networking contacts find careers is a great incentive to participate, you can also consider offering additional incentives like bonuses or prizes when their referred candidate joins the team. Think about what makes sense for your business and put clear rules around how an employee may earn a particular incentive — for example, they must refer their candidate in writing; then the candidate must be hired and remain with the company for three-six months before the referrer can claim their reward.

4. Leverage your network. Connect with professional associations, local rotaries and other professional organizations to let them know you’re hiring. They may be able to connect you with high-potential candidates in their networks looking for a new role. If your job openings tend to be in-office versus remote, get to know real estate agents who serve the same market(s) you do. They are always meeting individuals who are moving into town; some of them are bound to be looking for jobs.

5. Tap into professional and alumni organizations. Industry associations, chambers of commerce, alumni organizations and other groups can be exceptional referral sources. Join relevant organizations where feasible or build relationships by participating in online forums and events that provide opportunities for you to showcase your business as an industry leader.

6. Participate in job fairs and community events. Do your research to stay on top of upcoming local and virtual career fairs with the potential to connect you with job seekers. Job fairs give your representatives the opportunity to connect with candidates in-person versus simply receiving their resumes and can help promote your employer brand and create additional networking connections for future open positions. You can also cultivate meaningful relationships with local colleges and universities to be at the top of their list for career opportunities for graduating students.

Become involved in community events unrelated to job recruitment as well. Sponsor a little league team or buy a booth at a county fair. Get your team involved in food drives or charity runs. Create scholarship or internship programs. The more people get to know your brand, the more likely they will be to think of you when they, or friends or family members, are looking for a job.

7. Apply for recognition as a Great Place or Best Place to Work. This type of recognition surely gets the attention of job seekers, but being named among the best places to work doesn’t just happen. A company generally needs to apply and then provide information that enables the national, regional or local hosting organization to assess various aspects of the business in relation to other applicants. Areas of assessment may include compensation, benefits, work/life balance, stability, employee satisfaction, culture and more. Start by researching the various opportunities available in your location and industry, and then consider the time, resources and financial investments required to earn the title or certification.

8. Enlist the services of a recruiter. Some employers consider using a professional recruiting service to source their candidates. They may have a database of suitable candidates, and their services may include resume screening, preliminary interviews, offer negotiation and others. The level of position, importance to the organization and budgetary constraints are often considered when deciding to enlist the help of a third-party recruiter as these services do come with a fee. While some prefer to source on their own some business leaders find that hiring a recruiter is well worth the cost, because outsourcing this function can save a company time as well as administrative resources.

However, you choose to go about attracting candidates to your company, remember to always be straightforward, setting clear expectations so the candidate can make an honest assessment of whether the position might be a good fit. An efficient hiring process can help you save time and resources and get your new employee up and running quickly.

This article is for general information purposes only and is not intended to provide legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Any reliance on the information herein is solely and exclusively at your own risk and you are urged to do your own independent research. To the extent information herein references an outside resource or Internet site, Dollar Bank is not responsible for information, products or services obtained from outside sources and Dollar Bank will not be liable for any damages that may result from your access to outside resources. As always, please consult your own counsel, accountant, or other advisor regarding your specific situation.