3 Tips for Developing a Recruiting Plan
As a hiring manager or HR professional, how much thought do you put into where and how you recruit? For instance, if you post job ads on both Craigslist and Monster, do you know why you choose these specific sites, and do you track the quality of the hires you make on each site? A recruiting plan is necessary to make several things happen: a smooth and effective recruiting process, high-quality and compatible applicant pools, and cultural fit. A recruiting plan is about much more than posting job ads and assuming good things will happen. Below you’ll find three tips for developing a solid recruiting plan.
1. Look at the Big and Small Pictures
Identify your potential hiring needs for the next year as well as the next few years. Look at internal talent who could fit these needs, and determine what could help improve their eligibility; training programs could be one option. Assess how you will approach external hiring, such as through social network outreach, employee referrals and trips to college campuses. It is best to be proactive and make potential employees aware of your company via several routes. Do not play catch up by waiting to spread awareness until a job opens up.
2. Know What the Business Has to Offer
You need an employee value proposition to sell your company to potential job hires. Be able to communicate why people enjoy working for the business. Outline benefits and rewards on the company website, in job descriptions, and on social media. Refrain from simply assuming what the benefits are. Instead, chat with employees, look at surveys, and develop ways to collect important data.
3. Befriend Metrics
Keep track of where you make your best hires. For example, your most productive and engaged employees may tend to come from employee referrals or from a staffing agency. By tracking data, you know where to prioritize and focus your efforts. One way to begin doing this is to have a space on each application for candidates to indicate how they found out about the job opening.