Top Recruiting Strategies

Recruitment strategies help you locate talented employees who go on to succeed once the hiring process is done. An organized approach to the hiring process begins with the planning stage. Review your open position to update areas of responsibility and desired background qualifications. Prepare a job summary, and share this information with colleagues and upper management to keep them informed during the process. Once the outline is ready, it is time to incorporate top hiring practices into the next phase of candidate identification. The time you spend on the initial organization sets the stage for the rest of the steps that follow.

Gather information about your company to provide candidates with a picture of specific opportunities that are available. Compose a welcoming advertisement for posting in trade magazines and local media, on the Internet and through any other source that is a good fit for your business. Do not forget to post the position internally to alert talented and qualified candidates within the company. Other employees may also know of associates who are just right for the position. If the vacancy is part of a very tight professional niche, do not hesitate to contact a placement specialist to conduct a search and pre-interview of distinguished candidates. Covering all of these avenues to publicize your job opening helps ensure the largest number of interviews with suitable applicants from diverse sources.

Review candidate resumes and identify a small pool of interviewees who range from slightly under-qualified applicants to more highly experienced professionals. This guarantees the widest possible selection for the next stage of interviewing. Individual meetings with candidates should occur at the location where the job is situated. Arrive prepared with behavioral interview questions that draw out an applicant's work style, communication ability and motivation. Subjects may range from recollections that highlight demonstrated work values to a candidate's vision of his or her future with your company. Include a battery of tests to measure specific skills required in the position and assess behavioral attitudes.

Study notes taken during the interview stage to gauge the potential of a candidate to perform on the job in a way that best propels your company. Consider which applicants best fit your business environment and are most likely to change the environment in beneficial ways. Sort out whether the position demands someone with a long work record in the field, or whether it is one that can suffice with a less experienced candidate. Evaluate core competencies demonstrated during the interview, and analyze the written assessments. These activities prepare you to make informed rankings between closely qualified applicants. Once you have the short list in hand, finalize the details of your offer, and then follow up with those top candidates.

As soon as your recruit is ready to come on board, follow through with groundwork that best positions everyone for the transitions to follow. Arrangements for relocation, hiring documents, office equipment, training and orientation are key components to managing a smooth changeover. The time you invest pays dividends by ensuring that your top candidate is on firm ground as soon as he or she arrives.