Recruitment is the process of finding, screening, hiring and eventually onboarding qualified job candidates. The recruiting process can be relatively straightforward, but advances in technology, a tight labor market and a workforce pool that might span five generations can make the first step -- finding potential candidates -- particularly challenging. Recruitment is a key part of human resource (HR) management and supported by the hiring manager and others involved in the hiring process. Skilled recruitment efforts will make a company stand out and be more attractive to potential employees, a strategy that can directly impact a company's bottom line. Employees are the lifeblood of companies, so finding and attracting the best candidates possible is of utmost importance. A poor recruitment effort can result in unfilled jobs and a loss of revenue, while successful recruitment will bring in the right candidates on a timely basis, ensuring a business is able to continue to move forward. Also, in a competitive hiring market, employee retention can be tricky, but an effective recruitment strategy can minimize that risk by ensuring the right people are hired into the right roles. When recruiting is done well, your workforce is engaged, employees are in the most suitable position for them to succeed, your organization thrives, you can attract better candidates, you have good ratings on sites such as Glassdoor, you can reduce turnover, you can build a talent pipeline and more. To ensure an organization's recruitment activities are well thought out, effective and efficient, an organization may develop a recruitment strategy. The recruitment strategy may cover items such as the size of the organization, the overall economy, the competition for similar candidates, the attractiveness of the organization, labor laws and other legal considerations. Generally, the hiring process is similar across organizations; however, the number of steps in the process and its associated tasks may vary. For example, one organization may ask candidates to do a pre-hire assessment, whereas the next does not. The following are typical steps in a hiring process:
When looking to fill open roles, employers have two options: Look internally, or hire from the outside. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Internal candidates need little to no onboarding as they are familiar with the company and you are familiar with their past performance. However, moving an existing employee into a new role leaves the old role to fill. On the other hand, external candidates can bring fresh eyes, enthusiasm and skills to a company, but it is vital to ensure new employees will be a good fit in the company culture. Although some companies still rely on a "We're Hiring" sign on the door, many companies tackle recruitment the way they do marketing -- with a multi-tiered approach. Recruitment marketing can include everything from promotion on social media to billboard ads, public relations (PR) campaigns and even bonuses to current employees for successful candidate referrals. Here are recruiting techniques to help your talent acquisition team attract qualified candidates:
As recruiting has become more competitive, many vendors have developed recruiting software, such as recruitment management systems (RMSes) and ATSes, to automate the recruiting process. These systems enable the talent acquisition team to simplify the application process, improve the candidate experience and employ the systems for interview scheduling, among many other benefits. Some organizations are turning to artificial intelligence-powered screening tools to help more quickly identify potential candidates, assess strengths and weaknesses, and come up with questions that can speed the decision-making process. Some organizations with a large number of high-turnover positions have begun processing applications via mobile texting, providing applicants with a much simpler method to apply for open positions. To showcase the employer brand and attract top-rated candidates, organizations are tailoring their recruitment activities. For example, recruiting for an entry-level position may include posting the position on your website and a job board, such as Indeed. When recruiting for an executive position, you will likely use additional methods, such as hiring an outside recruiter or identifying passive candidates who have the skill set you require. Large employers can also use other strategies, such as brand advertising, which showcases a company's perks and benefits and promotes the culture and work styles. They might also highlight a strong Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is a popular measure of customer loyalty. To attract certain groups of employees, such as millennials, a company may stress the social value or importance of the work being done. Recruiting can be a challenging task, especially when you're trying to find qualified candidates for positions that are in high demand. Here are some tips on how to effectively attract new candidates:
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