How do I find candidates open to work?

Finding the right candidates to hire for open positions can be a challenging task for any company. With so many potential applicants to sift through, it’s key to have an effective recruitment strategy to identify and attract qualified candidates who are actively looking for new job opportunities. Using the right sourcing techniques and recruitment tools can help make the hiring process more efficient.

Post Open Positions on Online Job Boards

One of the most common ways to find available job seekers is to post open positions on major online job boards and your company’s career page. Popular sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, Monster, and Glassdoor allow you to create and customize postings to reach a wide range of active and passive candidates. You can target desired locations, industries, experience levels, and skill sets. Job boards cast a wide net and allow you to get your openings in front of many relevant candidates open to new roles. Make sure to highlight the key qualifications, responsibilities, benefits, and company culture information job seekers care about.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management’s 2019 Recruiting Trends report, 88% of organizations use job boards during recruitment. The broad reach and ease of posting open roles makes online job boards one of the top channels for finding available applicants.

Tips for Maximizing Job Board Postings

• Use accurate, keyword-rich titles and descriptions – This helps the posting appear in relevant candidate searches
• Highlight company culture and perks – Give job seekers a reason to get excited about working for your company
• List salary range or pay rate – Attract qualified candidates by being transparent upfront
• Describe required and preferred qualifications – Screen applicants by clearly outlining must-have skills
• Explain the application process – Set expectations on what the hiring process entails

Leverage Employee Referrals

Another effective way to find candidates open to new opportunities is through employee referral programs. Your current team members likely have connections and networks full of qualified candidates you won’t find in your normal recruitment channels. According to CareerBuilder research, employee referrals result in the highest quality hires. Referred candidates tend to have higher retention rates, perform better, and have a better cultural fit.

Encourage employees to pass along open positions to their own networks through social media, professional contacts, community groups, and more. Consider offering referral bonuses or other rewards to further motivate your team to tap into their networks. Make sure employees have access to up-to-date details, selling points, and application instructions for roles you need to fill.

Tips for Getting Employee Referrals

• Promote open positions on company intranet or newsletter
• Explain the referral program during onboarding training
• Send position descriptions directly to employees
• Offer rewards like gift cards, cash bonuses, or additional PTO
• Recognize top employee referrers

Search Resume Databases

Resume databases are collections of candidate resumes and profiles you can filter and search to find qualified, interested applicants that may not be actively job seeking. Large sites like Indeed, Monster, CareerBuilder, and Dice maintain searchable databases of tens of millions of resumes. You can also use LinkedIn Recruiter to tap into their network of over 660+ million members. Search for specific skills, titles, employers, locations, and other criteria to quickly generate a list of potential candidates to contact.

Another option is to purchase lists of resumes from third-party recruitment and staffing firms to expand your candidate pool. Resume database searches allow you to take a more targeted approach to finding candidates who likely match your hiring needs, even if they aren’t currently looking.

Tips for Searching Resume Databases

• Use accurate keywords – Improve results with niche skills and job titles specific to the role
• Search multiple databases – Each source will contain unique resumes
• Review carefully – Many resumes may be outdated or irrelevant
• Move fast – Good candidates get scooped up quickly
• Respect privacy – Only contact candidates who have opted in to sharing their information

Leverage Social Media to Source Candidates

Social platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook have become go-to sourcing tools for recruiters. You can search profiles, join industry groups, and post content to engage with relevant talent. LinkedIn Reports that more than 55% of job seekers use social media in their job search. The ability to communicate, network, and tap into connections makes social recruiting extremely valuable for finding candidates.

Make sure your company and culture are attractively presented on your own social channels. This gives potential applicants a positive view of your employer brand. Follow relevant hashtags and keywords to discover candidates who may not be actively looking. Tools like LinkedIn Recruiter and Twitter Advanced Search make discovering prospects easy.

Tips for Social Media Recruiting

• Complete and optimize company page profiles
• Join industry groups and build connections
• Share open positions on social channels
• Develop targeted search queries to find prospects
• Engage with candidates by commenting and liking posts

Attend Industry Events and Conferences

Industry networking events, trade shows, conferences, and seminars provide access to many professionals in your field. Attending relevant events gives you the opportunity to connect face-to-face with potential candidates. Come prepared with business cards, job descriptions, and an elevator pitch about open roles and your company’s culture.

Look for events that align with the types of candidates you aim to hire. A software developer conference will put you in front of tech talent, while a healthcare industry trade show connects you with medical professionals. Talk to attendees to gauge interest and fit. Collect contact info to follow up with later about applying.

Tips for Recruiting at Events

• Identify relevant events aligned with hiring needs
• Have branded collateral and materials ready
• Send follow-up notes after making connections
• Capture contact info for future job openings
• Build ongoing event relationships year-round

Advertise in Targeted Places

Placing recruitment ads allows you to reach your ideal audience wherever they are spending time online and offline. Digital options include Google AdWords, social platforms, industry sites, and job search engine sponsorships. For a local physical presence, post help wanted signs at your place of business, nearby colleges, community hubs, and more.

Tailor language and images in your ads to the specific candidates you want to attract. Ad advertising gives you complete control to get your job opportunities in front of the right people. Use your website, jobs page, or a LinkedIn post as the destination link to convert ad viewers into applicants.

Tips for Advertising Open Positions

• Test different platforms to see what performs best
• Target ads geographically and by user interests/traits
• A/B test ad creative – images, text, colors, etc.
• Use compelling and urgent calls-to-action
• Provide an easy way for viewers to apply

Partner With Campus Recruiting Programs

Colleges and universities offer a pipeline of graduates and young talent to recruit each year. Develop connections with campus career centers and talent acquisition teams to get your openings and company brand in front of soon-to-graduate students. Attend career fairs, host on-campus info sessions, speak on panels, and sponsor academic projects.

Early talent programs like college internships and new grad opportunities also allow you to build relationships with prospects well before graduation. Give students a preview of your workplace and make a case for why they should join your team full-time post-graduation.

Tips for Campus Recruiting

• Offer internships, co-ops, sponsorships to build awareness
• Host on-campus recruiting and info sessions
• Promote entry-level job training programs
• Highlight culture and perks important to students
• Leverage referrals from current early talent

Conclusion

Utilizing a variety of candidate sourcing strategies gives you the best chance of connecting with qualified, interested applicants in today’s competitive hiring landscape. Job boards cast a wide net with high visibility postings. Employee referrals tap into trusted personal networks. Resume databases enable you to search for specific skill sets and profiles. Social media expands your reach and enables direct interaction with prospects.

Industry events, targeted advertising, and campus recruiting open additional pipelines of candidates enthusiastic about new opportunities. Taking a multi-channel approach improves the diversity and quality of applicants you attract. Monitor the source of your top hires to double down on the strategies delivering the strongest results. With the right mix of tools and creativity, you can build an ongoing funnel of strong candidates open to taking the next step in their careers.