When the time comes to post an ad for an open position within your company, there might be a moment of dread: What if we receive too many applicants and don’t have the time to carefully sort through them all?
Or, maybe, it’s the opposite: How can we be sure to get enough applicants to find a quality person that will really meet our needs?
It can be tricky to know how to go about getting a sufficient amount of resumes to have a number of good options when it comes to hiring someone new. Here are five ways you can make sure you get more applicants, and quality ones at that, when you’re looking to add to your team.
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Examine and re-write the job description.
Take a good look at how the job ad is written. Does it clearly and specifically identify the responsibilities of the position? Does it mention applicable skills and qualifications? Does it include any language that might exclude people, including anything that hints at age, race, gender, ability, etc.? You want to cast a wide and deep net when looking for good applicants. Make sure you have enough detail in the ad to accurately portray the job’s demands while keeping the field open.
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Try new places.
The old saying goes, if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten. The same is certainly true for job postings. If you continue to utilize the same websites, dashboards, listservs, and other tools for announcing your vacancies, you’ll continue to attract the same kinds of candidates. Try something new! If you haven’t previously worked with, say, a vocational or training school, this is a great time to start.
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Review your application process.
How long would you say it takes for someone to go from application to the first day? Odds are it’s too long. Work with your hiring manager to develop new ways to create a more efficient process, one that still allows for thorough reviews and pre-screenings but doesn’t take so long that people count themselves out or find other jobs in the meantime. Utilizing resume tools that can match job descriptions with the information housed in someone’s resume can help speed the process too.
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Don’t ignore incentives.
Many companies have adopted a kind of “rewards” program: If an employee brings in someone for an interview who later joins the company, oftentimes they’ll get a “finder’s fee” of sorts. This could come in the form of snacks or food, or it might be cold hard cash. If an employee knows they could earn some extra income for talking up their company for the chance to win money or other perks, watch the floodgates open!
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Repost as needed.
If the first day brought in 10 applicants, followed by 5 the second day and 1 the third, there’s a problem. Find ways to keep your job opening in front of people and in their minds. Try adding a graphic element or providing testimonials about how great your company is. Change up the color scheme from time to time to keep it looking eye-catching is another method to try. Like anything else, seeing a poster or billboard too many times means it can easily fall into the background and be overlooked. Reposting your job ad and maybe boosting it on social media to expand your reach can certainly help bring in more applicants.
The more you can keep your company’s name in the conversation and show off your culture, your workers’ longevity, and their happiness, the better it will be in the long run. Know your intended audience and speak to them! That will help bring in more candidates.
If you’re still looking for some advice, call Debbie’s Staffing today. We have decades of experience in helping companies find exactly the kind of worker they’re looking for, and we can help you too! Call Debbie’s Staffing, and let’s get started on your new hire adventure!
