With talent in high demand, recruiting success requires creativity to attract qualified applicants amid labor shortages. Follow these innovative tactics to stand out.
Optimize and Refresh Online Job Posts
Your online job posts make a vital first impression on candidates. Highlight the culture, values, purpose, flexibility, career growth opportunities, and employee experiences that set you apart. Ensure messaging speaks directly to the personas of your target hourly candidates. Address their priorities and professional aspirations versus general platitudes.
Update posts regularly with fresh headlines, content, and multimedia to grab the attention of repeat visitors. A/B test differences in tone, length, and keywords to optimize engagement. Promote open roles through targeted social media campaigns and retargeting ads reaching those who’ve visited listings. Dynamic, tailored job posts adapted continuously outperform stale, static descriptions.
Get Employees Involved as Brand Ambassadors
Activate employees’ networks through social sharing and formal referral programs. Train staff on organically sharing open positions within their social circles to bolster reach. Highlight examples and tips for effectively pitching their own positive experiences. Offer referral bonuses or prize drawings as incentives to get current staff actively connecting candidates. Repost authentic employee testimonials, videos, and stories showcasing your culture and values.
Feature these organically in the candidate journey rather than just slick marketing content. Employees’ genuine advocacy carries credibility and relationships unmatched by traditional recruitment advertising. Empower your workforce to become passionate brand ambassadors.
Target Passive Candidates Already Working
Reach employed candidates not actively job hunting but open to new opportunities. Purchase LinkedIn job post slots, allowing you to proactively contact passive prospects. Join niche industry forums and build community connections leading to referrals and talent networks in your domain. Attend related professional events to network and recruit in person.
Spotlight referral bonuses in forums and outreach to incentivize sharing open roles with currently employed friends and colleagues. Working candidates have up-to-date skills and experience – making them prized talent worth the extra effort to attract.
Develop Local Community Partnerships
Partnerships provide hands-on access to qualified potential hires in your community. Collaborate with local colleges, vocational schools, workforce development centers, professional associations, and community organizations.
Sponsor relevant events as a platform to engage talent directly. Offer flexible work experience programs like paid internships and apprenticeships, converting students and trainees into employees. Pursue opportunities to guest lecture, lead workshops, or mentor students to showcase your culture while building trust and credibility. Grassroots community outreach surfaces candidates aligned with your brand and hungry for hands-on experience.
Be Creative with Job Ad Placements
Think outside the box on where you place job ads and outreach. Consider advertising roles on streaming platforms like Twitch or YouTube, where your target demographic spends time. Use digital geofencing to target ads in high foot traffic physical areas like college campuses or after-school programs.
Post on niche interest online forums related to your roles – a pet store could share jobs on dog training or rescue sites. Purchase paid ads in endemic mobile apps, like a supermarket app for grocery cashiers. Partner with local Little League teams, houses of worship, or affinity groups meaningful to candidates. Unconventional yet strategic ad placements build awareness and drive relevant traffic.
Make Applying Easy and Instant
Simplify your application process for maximum conversion of interested candidates. Enable quick one-click apply options using just a LinkedIn profile URL or PDF resume upload. Allow text and video introductions for those hesitant about traditional resumes. Provide real-time chatbot or live support to assist candidates throughout the process – state when reviewers are online.
Offer flexible screening through virtual interviews or asynchronous video responses. Capture candidate info first before requiring profile building. Brand the process as fast and easy upfront. The more friction and steps involved, the more applicants you will lose. Meet candidates on their channel of choice, not just your careers page.
Conclusion
With strategic creativity and unconventional tactics, you can stand out amid labor shortages and attract top-notch talent despite the competitive hiring market. Modernize your employer brand marketing. Empower employees to share why they stay. Meet candidates where they are digitally and physically. Reduce applying friction through quick-hit outreach and instant apply options. By showcasing your differentiators creatively on candidates’ turf, you drive conversions and hiring success.
