Hint: It’s closer than you think!
Article contributed by Allison Ebner
Ghosting…No Show, No Calls…Dismal resumes…
We hear you. It’s rough out there right now. As we approach post-pandemic life in our organizations, leadership teams are creating workforce plans to meet the demands of their customers. Besides backfilling some positions where you may have experienced layoffs and furloughs, you’re also tackling challenges like revamping job descriptions in order to secure the talent you need for current and future success. So is there one magic bullet that will guarantee that you find the right candidate, right now? I wish there was, I really do! But we know that it takes a sustained campaign over time that includes a mix of the following things:
- Exciting, energetic job postings that identify WHY a candidate should come to work for you
- A compensation and benefits plan that is equitable or better than your competition
- A company culture and employee experience that you can brag about
- A social media presence to reach your ideal candidate market
- Creative and new ways to put your hiring message out there. Think virtual or drive-through job fairs, radio advertising, open houses (in or outdoors), apprenticeship programs, sign-on bonuses and hiring incentives etc.
But you have an often untapped ‘secret weapon’ sitting right under your roof that can help you win the war for talent: Your current employees. More specifically, your most engaged and attentive staff that you can always count on to speak positively about their experience working for you. These are your Brand Ambassadors and they are a powerful group to plug into your workforce development plans. You know who they are! They love coming to work every day with a smile. They willingly take on new projects and offer to mentor and support new employees. So HOW do you tap into this powerful network of people and engage them in your strategy to recruit new staff? Here are few ideas:
- Implement an employee referral program. And make it good! Great people usually refer other GREAT people! Give them an incentive to put the word out about your job opening to their circle of friends.
- Prepare your social media campaign and include your brand ambassadors in the implementation. Ask them to share your posting on their social media sites. Also, find out where they like to hang out in the social universe and make sure your posting is there!
- Record some video messages that feature your Brand Ambassadors talking about why they like working at your organization. Let their personalities shine through! And include these videos on the home page of your website. Consider sharing these videos with interviewees before the interview. Get them excited about your opportunity.
- Invite your Brand Ambassadors to participate in the interview and onboarding process. You can ask them to share one or two key pieces of information about the organization that would entice a candidate to choose your opportunity over another one.
- One more idea! Don’t discount those boomerang employees. They may have left for another opportunity in the past but stay in touch with them and welcome them to come back, provided they were a good worker of course! The grass isn’t always greener on the other side – And they might be worried that you won’t consider them again.
In a job market that belongs to the job seeker, employers need to keep an open mind and explore ALL options to attract and retain their top talent! And remember, all candidates that engage with your hiring process could be future customers. Clear communication, fast response to interviews and respectful communication are key to winning the war for talent today.