Recruitment 101: How to Find the Right Candidate

Recruitment 101: How to Find the Right Candidate

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If you own and operate a small business, I think you’ll agree with me when I say:
 
Recruiting new employees can be difficult, and especially time consuming!
 
You’re not alone—according to the National Federation of Independent Business, 85% of small businesses found no applicants for their vacancies, while another study, by Braun Research on behalf of Monster Worldwide, found that 62% of business owners made the wrong hire and 89% recognize that hiring the wrong person is a risk to the company.

So how can you recruit qualified candidates effectively?
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To answer this question, we will detail the challenges small businesses face in recruiting, as well as the best strategies for defining job titles, writing job descriptions, and promoting the position to attract top talent.
 
Recruiting the right employee is time consuming. How can you do that while also trying to run a business? Therefore, it comes as no surprise that 72% of small business owners feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.
 
To top it off, many small business owners feel that their biggest hiring challenge is finding a well-qualified candidate. In this environment, finding the right candidate takes even more time that many small businesses don’t have.
 
So, you might look into employment agencies, hoping they can take this conundrum out of your hands with their expertise and powerful analytic tools.
 
There’s just one problem…
 
When as many as 41% of small businesses experience cash flow issues, and most traditional employment agencies charge a large percentage (e.g. 18%-25%) of an employee’s salary; how can a small business owner afford the expense?
 
River City Recruiting & HR offers a reasonably priced flat-fee recruitment model, which accommodates businesses with limited resources and has quantifiable data for the best fit.
 
Here are some of the methods that we use in our recruiting strategies that can save you time and money:
 
1.  Optimizing the job title
When defining the role of your vacancy, an article written by Indeed for the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of Alberta (CPHR) blog recommends short job titles that reflect the central aspect of the job. Don't use industry jargon, quirky titles, or anything that interferes with the clarity of your position's tasks and requirements.
 
You can significantly improve the visibility of your ads by researching what titles candidates use during their job search. This free tool can help identify the most popular terms.
 
               
2.  Crafting an enticing job description
According to the CPHR, a good job description contains three main aspects:

1. Responsibilities: Details about goals and day-to-day tasks.
2. Requirements: Desired experience, qualifications, and certifications.
3. Rewards: The unique benefits your business has that can draw employees.

And while you're writing these components, use brevity:

Research conducted by Indeed shows that job descriptions containing 700 to 2000 characters receive 30% more applications.
 
Lastly, the Alberta Government’s Recruiting Guide suggests adapting your key messages and writing style to your target audience. As a result, you’ll have an advantage over your competitors that are using bland and static writing.
 
 
3.  Promote the position effectively
The Recruiting Guide also details numerous strategies that promote open positions:

A.  Employee Referrals: Reward existing staff for recruiting new employees.
How to succeed:

1. Give the employees a choice of rewards.
2. Create an employee referral form.
3. Integrate your referral program into your culture.

 
B.  Internet Recruiting: Job ads on your website, job boards, industry association websites, and networking sites.
How to succeed:

1. Make a mobile-friendly website.
2. Promote on Facebook and LinkedIn.
3. Use good-quality keywords.
4. Find the best job sites for your industry, such as government job boards, Workopolis, and Monster.

 
C.  Networking: Booths at job fairs, trade shows, and conferences.
How to succeed:

1. Choose venues that match your industry.
2. Prepare for on-the-spot interviews.
3. Show the unique strengths that make you better than the competition.

 
Recruiting can be a headache for many small business owners, demanding time that is already spoken for. While recruiters can remedy this particular challenge, traditional agencies aren't a cost-effective option for many small businesses.

However, through optimizing job titles, writing a compelling job description, and promoting the position effectively, you can manage these obstacles.
 
Understanding all of your recruitment options can be tricky, so we’re happy to help! If you have any questions or would like a complimentary consultation, please contact us today at:

780 246 3600

Info@RiverCityHR.ca