Do you find it challenging to find the right talent in your organization?
Many people do. I usually hear comments like, “there just are no good people out there”. Or “Gee, the labor market is so tight.”
If that sounds like you, I have a secret. The people ARE out there. You just can’t find them because you are looking in the wrong place!
It is time to get creative about finding the talent you need.
Some companies get really creative. One high tech company inserted a special character in a popular video game to attract players who fit their ideal candidate profile. Can you imagine the brainstorming sessions to come up with that one?
You don’t have to be that creative. You just have to think outside of the box. The “box” in this case is the traditional job description posted on an online job board.
Here are three creative ways to find candidates in this social media era:
- Enlist your employees to help. Your employees have a vested interest in adding co-workers that they want to work with. So ask them!
This could include employee referral programs, lead generation programs, and posting jobs through your employees’ personal social media platforms.
- Use social media. Where does your ideal candidate hang out? You need to meet your ideal candidate where they hang out. What are their interests? What social media are they likely to use? Facebook? LinkedIn? Twitter?
Creative sourcing through social media requires that first you have a solid understanding of exactly what you want and the profile of your ideal candidate. Creative sourcing also requires that your company has a solid social media presence. Then you can search social media using keywords that describe your ideal candidate.
- Build relationships with your ideal candidates in advance of your need. One creative approach is to proactively find candidates before you need them. You can build a communications strategy built around your employment brand.
If you are not familiar with these terms or you have no employer presence on social media or maybe you don’t know what to do with those LinkedIn connections, then we can help.
At The Interview Doctor we developed a simple process for utilizing social media to find candidates that better meet your business needs. We get your employees involved, help you approach social media, particularly LinkedIn in a different way and put you in front of your ideal candidate profiles.