We were recently contacted by an HR Director of a fast growing engineering firm based out of Boston. The request was a bit unusual. Typically, we are engaged to find a specific kind of talent the company has a hiring need for, but this request was different. Here, the company wanted to hire us as consultants, to review their recruiting process and practices, and teach them how to better and more effectively attract talent. They didn’t want us to simply hand them pre-qualified candidates, as we typically do, but more importantly, teach them how we got to these people in the first place.
It was a unique opportunity for us. A challenge we had never taken on before. We’ve spent years refining and perfecting our own recruiting practices. We strongly believe in the peer review process, often examining our own work for flaws and ways we can improve. But we’ve never been tasked with doing so for a client. So where to begin? And what if anything stood out to us that this client could do better?
- Write Good Job Descriptions – A job description is more than a list of responsibilities. It is the first impression a job seeker has of your firm. A job description should not only include skills, tasks, expectations and role requirements, but also give the applicant the salary range, company benefits offered, as well as a feel for your company culture. DAVRON’s experience shows salary to be the most important aspect of a job posting and if an applicant ultimately chooses to apply, followed by if information is given regarding the benefits package.
- Make It Easy To Apply – Job seekers are often presented with many options when looking at openings. The easier it is to apply, the higher your chances of them doing so. One click apply buttons is now standard for the candidate experience. Although screening questionnaires may serve to qualify candidates, it may also have the effect of driving them away. Questions such as; How did you hear about us? What is your expected salary? Do you have experience in this skill or that industry? Do you have a valid driver’s license or are you legally authorized to work in the U.S.? All may seem like great questions to ask, however our experience shows it will drastically reduce the application rate. Many of these questions can be answered by simply looking at the candidate’s resume. As for the rest, ask which of these questions are critical to ask up front and which are better served during an interview.
- Develop an Employer Brand That Reflects Your Business and Culture – Do you promote from within and offer growth opportunities? State so. Do you have a mentorship program or do you offer training? Employees look for that. Do you have an employee recognition program? If so, how does it work? Paint a picture for your prospective employee of what it’s like to work for you in both the short and long term. You’ll find you will attract a higher caliber of candidates truly looking to advance their career with a good employer.
- Be Clear and Communicate Your Company Vision and Culture – People want to work for an organization that they identify with. Not everyone will click with your mission and values, and that’s okay. If you are a 30 person company with a goal of growing to 300, state so. Create a clear vision for the growth ahead and the advancement opportunities everyone will get as you grow. It may turn off the job seeker looking to work for a small boutique firm, but that’s OK. Your opportunity may not be right for this applicant in the long run. That’s why you want to clearly communicate these from the start, so you can build an organization filled with people that truly support your purpose and vision.
- Humanize your Website and Get on Social Media – You may feel like you’ve built your reputation by exceeding client expectations by being detailed and thorough, but if your entire website is dedicated to nothing but your product and service, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice when attracting new employees. Did you have a company BBQ to celebrate landing the biggest project in company history? Show that on your website and every other social media platform. Do you participate in charities? Do you have company outings? By showing those on your website and social media pages, you’re no longer just an engineering service provider. You’re showing a prospective job seeker your company culture. You’re showing you care for your employees as well as the community it serves.
If you follow these five simple steps, you will super charge the quality and quantity of your applicant pool.