Recruiting the Best Talent: Fresh Strategies to Implement in 2022

Talent comes in many forms and looks different in every person. Sometimes, talent is obvious but hard to put a finger on or place. That is pretty exciting, honestly. Getting to watch someone grow into their strengths and find success is one of the joys of working with talented people.

An important function of your job as an HR professional is being able to find and recruit talented people. Let’s face it, though: Most of the people who apply for jobs at your company won’t be superstars and that’s okay.

That is also why it is extremely important for you to figure out what you want in a candidate. Ask yourself things such as, “What qualities does my dream candidate have? What kinds of job experiences does my organization need or value most?” Answering these questions will help give you a better idea of what kinds of applicants you want to see on your job listing.

But what are the best, most effective ways to go about doing this? If your recruiting process has not yielded the high-caliber candidates you want, then it may be time to implement new strategies. Luckily, we have put together a guide that will walk you through that!

Devote even more time to recruiting

Great HR managers understand that job recruiting is essentially a full-time gig. It is not something you do for a few days and then abandon for months. It’s more fluid than that.

It is normal to sift through hundreds of unqualified or incompatible candidates before getting to even one viable applicant. This can be discouraging, but it’s important to remember that it’s part of the game. It also reinforces the idea that the best candidates are worth holding out and being patient for.

A company that takes its hiring process seriously is a company that cares about what kinds of employees it wants to have. That says a lot to prospective employees.

Set reasonable recruiting goals

Do not set yourself up for failure by expecting great results right off the bat. Building a recruitment strategy takes time, energy, and clearly defined recruitment metrics. An example of a recruitment metric would be the average number of job applicants you receive per open position. With these metrics in mind, you want to set recruiting goals that are reasonable and thought-through.

For example, if your average number of applicants per opening is 40, it would be unrealistic to shoot for 200 applicants. Obviously, this is something that your HR team can work up to, but it is not a great place to start. Set yourself up for success early and then adjust your goals and your metrics as you go!

Showcase employees on social media

Showcasing your employees on your company’s social media pages can be a great way to catch the eye of high-performing job seekers.

Not only does it show that you value the people who help make your company what it is, but it also helps celebrate their hard work and dedication to your brand. This may seem simple but it can go a long way.

Showcasing your employees on your company’s social media pages can be a great way to catch the eye of high-performing job seekers.

Cultivate a talent pool

Just because someone is not a good fit for a role at your company now does not mean they won’t be later. That is why building a talent pool can be an effective way to track interest in current and future positions and keep candidates in the loop about new and upcoming opportunities. It’s amazing how few companies actually implement this strategy. It really can change the game.

Passing on an applicant does not have to be an all or nothing thing. In fact, if you make it clear that you are interested in keeping someone notified about future opportunities, it can help keep them invested in working for you at some point.

Emphasize hiring people with disabilities

Most companies touting great opportunities for people with disabilities do not actually provide the understanding and support they promise. They will write up policies and include them on their websites and job listings, but they won’t back their words up with action.

Ultimately, it is up to you, the HR manager, to ensure that your recruitment process accounts for people with disabilities. If it doesn’t, it’s your job to improve it so that it does. People with disabilities are enormous assets to your brand, and can bring a level of expertise and knowledge that is overlooked because of their disabilities.

That’s where you can be different. Rather than write up empty promises to provide a safe and welcoming environment for people with disabilities, you can support your words with action and evidence that you have created an internal culture that welcomes and celebrates these people.

Utilize Quora

This particular strategy can make an enormous difference in your recruiting process. Quora is basically a forum-like website where anyone can ask questions about anything. It is essentially a hub for the curious, meaning that hopping in and using your expertise to answer questions and gather data can put a ton of fresh talent on your radar (and vice versa).

This is just one of many ways you can engage with prospective applicants. Hosting Reddit AMAs about your job offerings could also yield some good results.

Offer free training to people who respond to openings quickly

This one is somewhat unconventional but has pretty high potential. Offering free training to the first 10, 15, or 20 people who respond to your job posting or send in an application can be a great way for your prospective hire to get a better feel for what it’s like to work for you. It can also give you a glimpse into how that particular person learns. First impressions are important.

Rewarding enthusiastic applicants with this level of value can also build trust reasonably quickly. Granted, it may not mesh with your current goals or strategies but it is still worth considering. That is something you will have to evaluate with your team.

Write better job descriptions

You may read this strategy and think, “Our job descriptions are fine! They outline what the position entails and tell the applicant everything they need to know!” But have you actually gone back and read your job descriptions? More often than not, job descriptions are more often about what the applicant is required to do rather than what they will get out of it.

You need both. Get into the nitty-gritty of not just what they will do at your company, but what kinds of benefits your company offers. People are always asking themselves, “Well, what’s in it for me?” Help them out!

Get into the nitty-gritty of not just what they will do at your company, but what kinds of benefits your company offers.

Many top-tier candidates know their worth and expect something that is worthy of their skills. They will be looking at your job listings with that question in the back of their mind. Don’t let them rely on guesswork! Give them as much information as possible without making it too long.

Do not be afraid to hire internally

This one is actually overlooked fairly often. Many companies look outside of their current pool of employees for new talent. But here’s the thing: staying open to filling positions internally can be a huge benefit.

Sometimes, the best candidate is already at your company. Maybe they are in the wrong position. Perhaps they want a chance to climb the ladder and prove themselves in a more demanding role. Do not dismiss the option to hire internally because it could close doors you really want to remain open.

Emphasize what makes your organization stand out

At some point, you are going to have to endear your organization to a highly talented applicant. You have to convince them that you are their best option. More often than not, this happens unconsciously. They will read or hear something that helps them decide to work with you over one of your competitors.

Make it clear to your applicants that your company is doing things no one else in your industry is doing.

Here is where you come in: HR managers know their companies incredibly well. It is part of the gig. They are familiar with what separates them from their competitors and, just as importantly, they have assigned language to those differences.

Do not be shy about this! Make it clear to your applicants that your company is doing things no one else in your industry is doing. Include some data (as well as some specific accomplishments or facts) about what your organization is up to.

Go for it!

As these tips demonstrate, attracting top-tier talent is not easy. It’s not necessarily intuitive, either. It takes a ton of planning and strategizing, as well as a fair amount of trial and error.

Accepting that you are not going to hit a home run with your first job listing is important. You are going to spend a ton of time figuring out what is most effective. But that is completely OK! With some patience, tact, and an openness to new strategies, you can start getting applicants who could be enormous assets to your organization.