Running a business is hard enough. Recruiting for it is even harder. Finding the right people to fit into a business can take a long time, so ensuring there is a process that streamlines the experience for applicants and employers alike is crucial.
Hiring new members of staff can be extremely time-consuming, something not all small business owners have time for, which is why hiring an executive search firm can help find the best candidates with minimal effort. However, there are some things employers can do to be more appealing to the right applicants.
Have a dedicated careers page
Start by having a dedicated careers page on your website. This might sound obvious to some, but not all businesses have one, and as a result, could be missing out on job seekers who are looking specifically at their website – some of the best possible candidates.
After noticing it online, these people will likely already know about the business and might head to the website to see if there are any vacancies. Every careers page should be a short summary of the company and what it offers its employees, as well as a list of vacancies, including job descriptions and a link to apply.
Many companies may not wish to have a careers page on their main menu so that it can be included in the footer at the bottom of the website, and most job seekers will still know where to find it.
For those who do not wish to have a careers page on their website, hiring an executive search firm could be a better option, as they will already have a bank of potential candidates that they can match with your business.
Simplify the application process
While it is important to be rigorous during the application process to determine who should be filtered through to the next stage, it’s also beneficial to simplify the application process so that potential candidates are not put off.
If there is a lot of work involved in the application stage, while this does mean that only applicants who really want to work for you will make an effort to fill it out, it could mean that they are distracted halfway through and never complete the form.
At the application stage, it is best to ask only the required information, such as a CV, cover letter and a few basic questions. This should give the employer a good idea of whether the candidate would be a good fit for the company so that they can decide whether to progress on to the next stage.
With this in mind, the business must consider the most valuable information it can gather at this early stage. Putting together a few questions that allude to the applicant’s alignment with the business’s values is an excellent way of telling whether they are a good fit both academically and culturally.
By the same token, if the application process is too easy, the quality of applicants might not be so high. For example, Linkedin has an ‘easy apply’ feature, where users can apply at the click of a button without researching the businesses or even reading the job description. A better alternative would be to add a link to apply in the description so that users can apply directly on the website.
Showcase your business culture online
In the current day, showcasing your culture online is a crucial stage in the hiring process, as there are so many options for job seekers, and a business must stand out online to encourage applications.
Social media
In the current age, every business should have social media, especially in the most appropriate form. For instance, the best place for B2B businesses is on Linkedin, where they can connect with other companies directly. Creative agencies or large businesses should have a strong Instagram presence, as well as TikTok, in some cases.
When an applicant is interested in a business, they will likely search through its social media channels to get an idea of its culture and what day-to-day life is like for employees.
News articles
Many job seekers will decide where they want to work based on what they read online, including articles relating to the industry they are in.
If the business has achieved something significant or a staff member has done something impressive, this is worth sending to the local papers to see if they will publish it online.
About us page
Every business should have an ‘about us’ page on their website, where they can tell their story, show their values, and even introduce some of their staff.
This is an excellent way for applicants to get to know the business and a great tool to use as a point of reference during interviews. Including nuggets of information about the company such as when it was founded, what the first product was and what inspired the founder. These are all potential answers to a question in an interview.
While these factors can contribute to finding the ideal candidate, an executive search firm could cut all this out and provide a list of suitable, committed candidates swiftly, if speed is of importance.
After following these steps, any business should be closer to finding the perfect candidate, but there’s no doubt that from start to finish, this process can be long and gruelling for both parties. That’s why keeping the application stage as simple as possible is often better than creating a long and detailed form. Whether it be through advertising a position online, on the website, or hiring an executive search firm to do all the legwork, hopefully, the perfect candidate is just around the corner.
