Top five tips for recruiting great employees

Finding top talent has always been challenging and in the current market, talent is in especially short supply. With ‘the great resignation’ hanging over our heads and the fear of losing people overseas, it’s getting even harder.

But all is not lost. Here are a few simple tools to adopt to ensure you’re staying competitive in the market.

1. Use social as your showreel 😉

Networking isn’t limited to LinkedIn anymore. More and more companies are taking to the likes of Instagram and even Tik Tok to promote their brand.

It’s instant, it’s affordable and it works. 

This could be as simple as a quick photo or ‘reel’ showing a snapshot of what it’s like to work at your company. Give your future employee  an insight into who you are and what it’s like working for you.

2. Phone a friend

Or better yet - ask your employees to. Employee referrals are a great way of sourcing new talent – and it’s a more cost-effective option than using a recruitment agency.

Your employees can be great brand ambassadors for your business. Ask them to share any opportunities you may have on their own social networks (LinkedIn/ Instagram). Make sure you reward your employees (i.e. a small bonus or a gift voucher) to encourage them to keep referring!

3. Be honest

Be upfront about who you are as a company, your culture and values and what the job entails, even if you’re working through change. Talking about your vision and what you’re doing to get there is a great way of getting someone excited about the opportunities ahead.

But if someone’s expectations don’t match the reality of the job … it’s likely you won’t retain them. Save yourself a future headache by being upfront from the outset.

4. Remember, they’re also choosing you

Some leaders I’ve recruited with take pride in asking the trickiest questions or intimidating a candidate to make them feel really nervous. It’s important to remember, it’s a two-way street. This isn’t just about you choosing someone, it’s also about them choosing you. This is particularly important when you’re operating in a talent-short market. 

Make people feel at ease when you meet with them, that way you’ll get the best out of them and be able to assess whether they’re the right fit for the job and your team. 

5. Flexibility wins the race

One of the silver linings of Covid is that that businesses have had to quickly adapt to flexible working practices. For employees, this has come with many benefits, including less time and money spent on commuting and more time with family. Many people report being much more productive working from home too. 

Make sure you’re open to considering an individual’s needs and requests when it comes to flexibility (even if it’s on a trial basis). This can be a deal breaker for many people so make sure you’re on board.

If you need help figuring out how to pull all of this together or want to talk more about your recruitment and retention of talent – reach out to us at ColourHR. We can provide advice tailored to your business and your situation. We’d love to help!