The job market today is saturated with candidates. Many apply to numerous jobs, hoping one will come through. With such an emphasis on quantity, how do you find quality candidates? These six steps will help you start recruiting the best person for the job:
1. Put Effort into Your Job Postings
No matter where you are posting a job opening—Facebook, Craigslist, your website, etc.—a few extra details about the position can go a long way. Clearly outline the job’s responsibilities and requirements. This will weed out vague or mass applicants. If you are recruiting for apartment jobs, list the exact skills and software needed. Include other requirements for a new leasing consultant. This helps you avoid unqualified inquiries.
2. Go Beyond Job Boards
Today’s job boards are overloaded with both recruiters and applicants. Sites like Monster or CareerBuilder attract a high volume of applications. They often create a focus on quantity rather than quality. Apartment job postings crowd these job boards, which makes yours harder to notice. Job boards can still attract strong candidates who are worth interviewing. However, you should not rely on them as your main hiring source.
3. Focus on Social Media
During the recruiting process, your company should be very vocal on its social media outlets. The main advantage of recruiting through social media is that you are tapping into a pool of people who are already passionate about your company. A job opening post on LinkedIn or Facebook will be seen by people who follow or are fans of your company. This motivates them to apply or spread the word to their own networks. While the pool of candidates from social media may be smaller than on job boards, the applicants you receive are more likely to be a good fit.
4. Follow up with Applicants
The job search process in the current market can be discouraging. Because of this, a follow-up email (even if it’s to say the position was given to someone else) will be a welcome communication to candidates. Simply ignoring applications is a good way to frustrate candidates who could become potential employees, promoters, or clients of your company.
5. Use Your Employee Network
Outside of electronic job boards and the social media world, old-fashioned word of mouth can still help you find the best person for a job. By asking employees for referrals, you are drawing on people who already know the inside of your company. Consider starting your recruiting process by asking around the office.
Recruiting is a process that evolves with time and technology, and by following these steps you will not only keep up with current recruiting trends but attract the most desirable candidates.