Why Your Company Should Use Proactive Recruiting Techniques
If you want to recruit top talent, active recruiting is a great technique to use. Active recruiting, or “proactive recruiting,” involves reaching out to potential employees before they apply for jobs on job boards or on your website. This technique is much more effective than passive recruitment because it gives you the chance to find people interested in specific roles so they’re more likely to apply for them—and more likely to accept an offer if one is made.
What is proactive recruiting?
There are several routes to take when you’re looking to hire new employees. The most common is “reactive” recruiting, which is waiting for candidates to come to you. Proactive recruiting is what happens when you reach out to qualified candidates first. You target people who have the right skills and experience for the positions and actively recruit them by marketing your company and offering incentives for candidates to apply.
However, it’s not just about sending out generic messages asking people if they’re interested in your company. Active recruiting requires you to think of specific candidates who could be a good fit for your open roles and then reach out to them personally. This includes taking the time and effort necessary to tailor each message according to your target audience’s needs, interests, and values—and then following up with those messages consistently until you find someone who is excited about what you have to offer.
Proactive recruiting can put your company ahead of the competition.
Proactive recruiting is one of the most effective and efficient ways to find new talent. As a company manager or HR director, you may not have time to sift through endless resumes from people who aren’t qualified for the job.
When you find people who are a great fit for your company and build relationships with them, you put yourself ahead of the competition and make it easier for your hiring managers to hire top talent. This helps you get ahead of other companies who may not be as proactive about their recruiting processes.
The more personal you can make it, the better.
It is important to remember is that, more than anything else, active recruiting is about building relationships. Here are some ideas for making searching for candidates more personal:
1. Use their first name.
If you’re looking for someone specific, use their first name when describing them and their skills. This will help them feel like individuals instead of just another applicant in a pile of resumes.
2. Ask questions about interests or hobbies.
If you know someone who works at your company or one similar to yours, ask them what their coworkers do outside of work and include those interests in your job description. Your potential hires will appreciate being asked about themselves and may be more interested in applying if they see how much they have in common with your company culture (or even just with another employee).
3. Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes.
Ask yourself if what you want to say would resonate with the person you are contacting. Then, utilize your personal experience and knowledge to write down things that you could say about your company or organization, including what makes it unique. What are its most important goals? What does it do that’s different from other companies like yours?
Remember: active recruiting is a process. It takes time and effort, and there will be highs and lows along the way. Staying focused on building relationships with people who are a good fit for your company will help you find the right people for your open positions—and make hiring easier for everyone in your company!
Have staffing needs? Let The Reserves Network help recruit qualified employees for your business.
