Do you struggle to attract quality candidates to apply for your open jobs? Is your recruiting team spending countless hours reviewing resumes that aren’t quite what you’re looking for?
Many companies fail to realize that hiring is akin to matchmaking, and they post jobs aiming to lure in as many applicants as possible. This puts pressure on recruiters to sift through hundreds of resumes and forces interviewers to spend hours meeting with more candidates than necessary before extending an offer.
It's okay to repel applicants.
The reality is that not everyone is going to be the right fit for your organization. The key to attracting the right people is accepting that you should also be repelling the unsuited. Companies should aim to attract highly qualified candidates whose work culture preferences and values align with your organization’s.
This concept may feel uncomfortable, especially if your goal has always been focused on quantity. However, when you modify your strategy and hone in on attracting quality candidates, you will find the right hire faster. This not only creates an efficient process for your talent team, but also saves the interviewers time. Meeting fewer people enables them to make a quick decision.
When promoting your open jobs, here are five strategies to consider.
1. Employee Value Proposition
Start with your employee value proposition (EVP), not qualifications and requirements. More than ever, job seekers want to know what’s in it for them. When you tell them upfront what perks they’ll get from working with your company, you’re accomplishing two things: 1) attracting quality candidates whose values match your company culture, and 2) selflessly prioritizing their needs over yours. This will make them feel valued the second they read the job post.
2. Transparency & Conciseness
Be transparent and concise in the job description. Under the roles and responsibilities section, limit the bullet points to 6-10. Most people apply to jobs based on the title or the first few bullets. Assume they’ll only scan the post for the basics, and grab their attention by listing the main duties at the top.
3. Creativity
Get creative. Be playful or fun in your description if that’s part of your culture. It will give candidates a good sense of what it will be like to work there. They should be able to imagine themselves in the role and working for the company. If the vibe you give off isn’t a fit, it’s better for both parties to know upfront.
4. Ideal Candidate Persona
Employers tend to think they should attract all candidates, then weed out the unfit. Much like marketing, it’s better to target your ideal applicant by creating a candidate persona, then build your job posts around that. For example, rater8 is a remote company and has been since its inception in 2015. Our job descriptions make this clear to deter people who prefer onsite and hybrid work environments from applying. If your company has a ping pong table or a beer tap in the break room, say so! The same goes for any benefits that may appeal to a job seeker, whether you permit jeans in the office or offer tuition reimbursement. When you share those details, you will attract quality candidates who value that culture or seek such perks.
5. Brand Ambassadors
Enlist your team! Get everyone on board. After all, your current employees are your biggest assets. Who better to help promote an open job? Ask the whole company to share the job post on their LinkedIn feed and use a company-specific hashtag to create buzz and expand your reach. We believe #lifeisgr8 at rater8, and with all hands on deck to support our recruiting efforts, our ideal candidates may be inclined to learn more. rater8 takes it a step further and pays referral bonuses to all of our employees who refer new hires. Such incentives encourage people to recognize that they’re a part of an organization that values their contributions beyond their responsibilities.
It's okay to boast.
As we transition into post-pandemic hiring, it’s important to keep your talent acquisition process relevant. Leading with your EVP will pique the interest of your ideal candidates and give you an advantage over the competition. Job seekers know what they want, and the last thing you want is quality candidates passing over your job post.
