“You can always train on the technical side”, states Hilarie Geary of Executive Connections during an interview with Business Advice Centre regarding top recruitment tips for small businesses. Since the recession, many changes have occurred in the recruiting process, the top one being that strong candidates have become a commodity. As a small recruitment firm with limited resources, sourcing top talent can sometimes be difficult, but knowing the warning signs and following some of these tips can help step up your game as the economy begins to improve.
- Sell and Showcase. In order to stand out from other recruiters you must present a stronger face on the market, putting yourself out on public domain. Invest time and resources in a strong campaign both on your site and on social media that will drive candidates to you, and also create a network for yourself that will cause people to respect your brand. Post in special interest groups on LinkedIn or Facebook, and share with local business organizations as well as professional bodies. Sell your flexibility as a small business to attract clients. Small recruitment firms are able to be lenient around working hours and locations, and provide both clients and candidates with personal attention that they could not receive from a larger agency.
- Hire for Behavior. By reference checking your candidates, you are not only able to verify where they have been or what they have accomplished, but what their behavior has been. Being able to find out how flexible they are and how they need to be managed can be the best knowledge for a candidate your client is going to have to transition. If they do not have the technical skills, those can always be learned, while behavior is impossible to train.
- Recruitment Plan. Always have an ongoing workforce plan, don’t panic recruit. You can do this by matching planned headcount to projected growth rates so you can drive your own business growth. Be analytical about which tools you have used and make sure you always have a way to track and measure what where you had success, so that you do not repeat failures.
- Analyze. Consider using additional tools such as psychometric and skills testing to offer more information regarding your candidates and strengthen your recruitment process. By analyzing each tool and campaign you are able to ditch those strategies that provide poor return on investment and therefore evolve your process to be as effective as possible.
- Make the Right Hire. By setting up processes such as a training guide that covers the new hire’s duties and expectations of them, you will establish a client respect leading to more business. If you are unsure of a candidate, perhaps a short term contract or a freelance arrangement would be a better fit for them.