Top 10 Recruitment Strategies for Hiring Great Employees

With hiring managers receiving upto hundreds of applications for one single position from in-person applicants and online job boards, it falls upon organizations to source the best candidates. Talent acquisition allows companies to pick a candidate through a strategized method doused in the notion of building a high-functioning, productive team.

However, to vet a top-tier candidate, one must select a systematic approach to acquiring employees that may benefit the organization in the long run. A study by Gartner indicated that the structural recruitment method increases 24% the chances of hiring the right candidate ultimately boosting job satisfaction and retention. 

However, with 77%However, with 77% of employers reporting that they find it difficult to acquire skillful candidates that fit their description to the T, this situation has asked for the inclusion of an analytically sound approach towards recruitment and, finally, retention. 

While the solution to this varies depending on the company or the industry, optimizing your recruitment strategy accordingly is the first thing you must do. Here are 10 strategies to help you hire the best talent in 2024.

What is recruitment strategy?

A recruitment strategy is designed to help you identify your recruitment goals and recruit talented candidates accordingly. It enables you to take a proactive approach to the hiring process to effectively meet the company's needs by recruiting the ideal candidates.

The plan must comply with the organization's objectives, from posting vacancies on public platforms to determining the criteria for shortlisting final candidates. When executed perfectly, organizations can hire the right talent that meets their needs and build a more engaged workforce that feels valued and appreciated.

How to set recruitment goals?

Since a recruitment strategy plan is entirely based on what the company wishes to achieve, establishing recruitment goals is the first step to curating the perfect plan. Whether you want to increase diversity in your workforce or reduce the time spent on hiring, you must be clear on what you wish to achieve through this plan.

Use SMART goals

SMART objectives help to develop a customized and effective recruitment strategy plan is by defining SMART objectives. By making your recruitment goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, you can determine the direction you want your recruitment efforts to go.

• Specific: Set specific goals regarding what you want to achieve through your recruitment efforts. If you are confused, then one of the best specific recruitment strategies examples is that instead of simply setting your goals to be "hiring more employees," you can be specific in terms of the positions you are looking to fill, the number of employees, the mandatory qualifications, as well as their relevant experience in the field.
• Measurable: Setting quantitative, measurable goals can help you identify whether your efforts have succeeded or need to make further adjustments. An example of this can be that you wish to increase diversity in your company by 10% following this recruitment drive. So, during or post the recruitment process, you can calculate the diversity to see whether you have met your goals.
• Achievable: This element of SMART alludes to setting realistic, easily achievable goals. In your recruitment process, you need to consider factors such as the availability of resources, timeline, and budget and determine the goals accordingly. Unrealistic goals will only result in time and budget loss without actual gains.
• Relevant: The goals you set must align with your company's beliefs. For instance, if your company has been creating its branding around being a culture-centric and inclusive organization, the recruitment should be directed accordingly. This is also crucial to attract talent since recruitment conditions that clash with your company's value may need to be clarified for potential hires.
• Time-bound: Lastly, determining deadlines for your recruitment goals can also help motivate you to meet those deadlines while also helping you measure its success. For instance, instead of simply setting your goals as "fill all open positions," you can set a deadline by setting the goal as "fill all open positions by the next quarter."

Key factors to consider while recruiting employees

More goes into recruiting the right talent than just posting the openings on job boards and interviewing candidates. Before the process starts and even after the process ends, you need to consider many behind-the-scenes factors to ensure the recruitment has succeeded.

1. Finalize employment contract

Before beginning the recruitment process, the first thing you need to do is finalize the employment contract. This contract should include everything about the position, such as the roles and responsibilities of the employee, compensation, benefits, working hours, and termination clauses.

While it helps to define the conditions surrounding the role, it can also help prevent any disputes since all your clauses and conditions associated with the position are formally documented.

2. Recruit the right people

Another key factor you need to consider when recruiting employees is that you choose the right people. This means recruiting candidates with the right qualifications, necessary skills, and required experience. For this, you need to specify these requirements in the job description to let the candidates know what you are looking for.

3. Begin with introductory notes

Once you have selected suitable candidates, beginning the onboarding process with the help of clearly defined introductory notes is ideal. These notes can cover crucial aspects of your company, such as the culture, employee policies or procedures, and what is expected of them. This can help you prepare the recruits before starting their official tasks.

4. Control costs early

The recruitment process can be costly, and you may run out of the assigned budget if the planning needs to be done better. So, it is crucial to control the costs early in the process.

You can do this by minimizing your time and effort on candidates matching only some criteria. You can also opt for cost-effective onboarding and training solutions to ensure the desired value is added without unnecessary spending.

5. Communicate well

Lastly, communication of every aspect throughout the process must be done clearly, from job postings to onboarding and even later. Transparency in the form of adequately following up with candidates, letting them know the progress of their application, and feedback is crucial.

Additionally, communication to ensure they feel settled in their roles is also crucial post-onboarding.

10 Best strategies for hiring great employees

Now that you know how to set your recruitment goals and the key factors you need to consider when recruiting, here are the top 10 recruitment strategies examples that can help you reach out to the talent your company needs.

1. Create compelling job descriptions

A job description is more than just listing out the roles and responsibilities involved in the role. It is the first glimpse that potential candidates will get into the company and the tasks they will be responsible for.

So, use vivid language and expressions that engage with the candidates rather than inform them. Also, focus on the technical aspects of the role but also include positive aspects relating to the company culture or the perks and benefits they will enjoy if selected.

2. Make interviews engaging

Interviews can be incredibly stressful for candidates. When nervous, even the most capable and qualified person is prone to making mistakes, which can result in you losing out on a great potential hire. So, make the interview as friendly and casual as you can.

Create a welcoming environment and do not focus only on job-related questions. Instead, create a balance between getting to know their professional and personal side.

3. Define your corporate brand

You need to keep in mind that as much as you need the talent to fit your expectations, applicants also have certain requirements that your corporate brand needs to live up to. So, define your corporate brand by discussing your mission, vision, and values.

Communicate it to your applicant pool by promoting your brand on the job descriptions and consistently through your social media. Also, highlight any achievement or award your company may have received to elevate your corporate branding.

4. Use social media

Social media helps in engaging with talented applicants. Use multiple social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, to not only invite applications for open positions but also to consistently build your brand in a way that seems appealing to applicants. Automation tools like Linked Helper can help streamline outreach efforts, make communication more efficient, and expand your recruitment reach. Moreover, reaching out to Instagram users, known for their visual and creative engagement, can be especially effective in showcasing your company culture and attracting top talent.

This will create trust among people that your corporate brand is one they can thrive in, compelling more talented personnel to apply for your open positions.

5. Start employee referral programs

Another strategy is to use your existing talent pool by asking employees to provide referrals. Employee referrals are great because they have a better chance of being in touch with their talented peers and will be able to tell their peers about their experience at the company first-hand. This will lead to greater trust in your company's values.

6. Hire with diversity

A diverse workforce is key to a company's growth in the contemporary corporate scenario. Not only are they more bound to bring diverse ideas to the table, but it also opens you up to considering more perspectives, which can ultimately help your company grow further.

One of the best ways to ensure diversity is through blind screening processes that allow candidates of all backgrounds and specifications to apply.

7. Target passive candidates

Recent research discovered that 70% of employees globally are passive candidates, and 87% are willing to move to other companies if presented with the right opportunity. This makes it more than likely that your ideal candidate is also a passive candidate!

If you notice a candidate who seems to be a perfect fit for a particular role, approach them directly by highlighting your company's culture and building a rapport before trying to scout them.

8. Optimize career pages

When aware of vacancies, the company careers page is usually the first place any candidate will go to. So, ensure your career page is well-optimized so your candidates get all the information they need to put in their applications.

In addition to using vivid language and a tone that speaks to their hearts, the page should also be optimized so candidates can apply with their phones if they do not have laptops.

9. Invest in recruitment tools

Recruitment tools are curated with the sole purpose of making the recruitment process easier for you. So, use them to stay on top of every candidate that has applied. From applicant tracking to interview scheduling and even online assessments, using recruitment tools can make the process more efficient and easier.

10. Host recruitment events

Job fairs and placement drives are a great way to interact with candidates personally and get to know them beyond their resumes and accomplishments. So, such recruitment events can be a great way to shortlist candidates, especially if your corporate branding is of a company that heavily emphasizes company culture.

Conclusion

Hiring suitable candidates is the key to any company's growth and success. And to accurately identify the right ones, a recruitment strategy plan is crucial. With the help of carefully planned strategies and clearly defined SMART goals, you can attract top talent that can help achieve your company's goals and objectives efficiently.

In this regard, by considering the factors involved and the suggested strategies, you can correctly direct your recruitment efforts.