9 Best Methods for Recruiting Employees for Your Small Business
No matter how small your business is, there will more than likely come a time when you’ll need to hire help. Whether it’s just one other person or a whole team of employees, you’re going to need a recruitment method. Here are nine of the best recruitment strategies to try when hiring.
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#1: Boomerang Employees
Boomerang employees are known as the employees who used to work for you that you may choose to hire again. Rehiring former employees is a very popular hiring option because employers are familiar with these former employees, including their work ethic and their abilities. Of course, it’s more beneficial to rehire the former employees who left on good terms (which can happen for a variety of reasons), rather than rehiring employees that you’ve had to let go for negative reasons.
#2: Career Sites
A career site is a page on your website where job-seekers can apply directly to your open job positions. Many people aren’t aware that career sites exist on websites, which would make you think that having one won’t be effective when hiring. The opposite is actually true because those who are aware of career sites are job-seekers who are serious about working for a particular company, so they’re seeking this particular page on a website. This is often used by government positions, but any business that has a website can create a career page.
#3: Employee Referrals
Another popular method for hiring is asking your current employees if they know of anyone who is looking for a job. Of course, you have to be careful with employee referrals, as some employees may just refer a friend who may not have any experience. Consider an employee referral program that rewards current employees for bringing in qualified individuals, rather than friends with no experience.
#4: Fairs and Events
Job fairs and other similar events can be a great way to find job-seekers to fill entry-level positions. They can also be held virtually or in person. Sites like LinkedIn (which operates as both a job board and social media platform) are a great place to announce when your company will be holding a job fair.
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#5: Job Search Sites
Indeed, Monster, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor are some of the most popular job search sites, and with good reason. Job search sites are great for finding entry-level, part-time, and seasonal employees. They’re also useful when you need highly-skilled and/or full-time employees, but they do require you to sift through tons of applicants in hopes of finding the best candidates.
#6: Printed Ads
Printed advertisements are one of the oldest forms of recruitment— and it’s still pretty effective today. Of course, digital methods of recruitment are going to reach more job-seekers faster, but small businesses that hang “help wanted” signs in their windows may still attract qualified candidates— especially if they’re located in a high-traffic area where their signs can be seen. Other examples of printed ads include billboards and newspaper listings.
#7: Recruitment Agencies
Hiring a recruitment agency will take all of the work out of searching for qualified applicants. Their job is to market your company as a workplace to job-seekers, the same way a marketing agency markets your company to consumers. This method brings the most qualified job-seekers to you, rather than you posting advertisements yourself, whether it’s through job boards or printed ads.
#8: Social Media
Social media is known mainly for connecting with friends and family. However, it’s becoming a popular way for businesses to advertise their products/services, and it’s also a way for businesses to advertise open job positions within their company. This method works best for eCommerce businesses (i.e., businesses that operate fully online) or hybrid businesses, but it can also be effective for businesses that operate fully in-person.
#9: Word of Mouth
Like printed ads, verbally spreading the word about open job positions has been in use for a long time. Just as consumers spread the word about your business to their family and friends, they (and your current employees) can also spread the word about open job positions. However, to see the most success from this method, you’ll want to make sure to establish a strong brand identity so that more people will take note of your company.
You can even use a combination of these different recruitment methods in order to better your chances of getting results. In fact, recruitment marketing uses career sites, social media, and many other strategies to help find the best talent.
