In this blog post, we discover the different types of recruitment strategies to suit your business.
Recruitment is key for any business. The best staff will typically be more efficient and motivated, leading to better business. To find the right candidate, you need to tailor your recruitment methods to fit your needs.
Employers need to leverage the environment and appeal to candidates. By doing so, they’ll remain competitive and get the most talented people on their team.
Why should you use a recruitment strategy?
Recruitment is a fundamental part of HR and an important factor in the success of any organisation. It is a process that involves screening, interviewing, and selecting suitable candidates to fill vacant positions. Recruitment strategies vary from organisation to organisation and depending on the type of industry.
Different types of recruitment strategies
Recruitment strategies allow organisations to find suitable candidates for roles. Different organisations use different types of recruitment strategies which vary depending on their size and specific needs.
For example, a small business may want to use social media as a way to recruit employees. While an educational institution might want to advertise through their alumni network.
Below we will go over many of the different recruitment strategies;
1. Recruitment planning
The 180 model
Put simply, 180 recruiters will dedicate their time to candidate generation because it is an easier task than entry-level recruiters. Account managers, on the other hand, are tasked with business development and reaching out to candidates.
The 360 model
A 360 recruitment strategy is used to take on all aspects of recruitment. Recruitment consultants often assign the job to specialized sectors. However, by doing this they're not dedicating enough time & resources to one particular stage. 360 recruiters are usually with their clients from the start to the finish of the process.
2. Internal vs external recruitment
Internal recruitment
Recruiting internally is, by far, the most economical way of recruiting staff. It also provides a more satisfying work environment for employees. If they feel more committed to their company, they will be more invested in the company’s success. It can come about in the form of promotions or even a transfer horizontally across the business.
External recruitment
The most common strategy is external recruitment which entails hiring people from outside the company or firm. This strategy has many benefits such as:
- attracting more talent
- improving employee morale
- reducing staff turnover rates
- increasing productivity rates
3. Direct advertising
One of the most popular recruitment strategies is direct advertising. It is a strategy where you advertise the jobs on a website or newspaper.
The purpose of direct advertising is to attract as many people as possible to take an action. In this case, it’s filling out a job application. What’s good about this strategy is that it helps you find potential candidates who are actively looking for jobs. The downside is, there is no filtering and only helps you find people who are actively looking for jobs.
4. Refining your employer brand
Employer branding is the process of fine-tuning a brand that attracts and retains employees. Which goes beyond traditional employer advertising and marketing.
Employers should be strategic in how they communicate their brands across platforms. For example, posting content on LinkedIn can help attract passive candidates. Who otherwise, may not have been actively looking for a job.
Employers should also look to connect with professionals through innovative strategies. Things like interviewing job seekers at events, conferences, workshops, open houses or trade shows.
The recruitment process is often complex and not without challenges. Employers must be articulate in their messaging to ensure they are attracting the right talent that meets their needs.
5. Social media
There are various reasons why social media can be a good tool for recruitment. It provides a platform for people to share their experiences with others. It also helps in creating awareness about job openings in an organisation.
Employers can reach out to potential candidates through their social media channels, thereby reducing costs incurred on advertising. Candidates also stay connected with the company through social media channels. This creates transparency among both parties which leads to higher retention rates in organisations.
6. Employee referrals
Employee referrals are one of the best ways to recruit new employees. They are both cost-effective and efficient.
Referrals are predictive of success for a number of reasons. These include the following:
1) they have a close connection with the organisation
2) they have more insight into what makes the organisation special, and
3) they feel more passionate about the job because they know it will be meaningful for them.
Referrals are easier to qualify for positions. This is because the qualifications and ability is known beforehand, which saves time in the recruiting process.
7. Boomerang employees
Boomerang employees are when companies rehire past employees. This is ideal for companies who want to have stable and high-quality talent. -Without the hassle of a long and costly recruitment process.
8. Recruitment agencies
Recruitment is a difficult and complicated process that requires a lot of time and money. It is especially true for small businesses.
Therefore, many companies turn to recruitment agencies who specialise in the field of recruitment, to hire qualified candidates for their vacancies.
A recruitment agency can help you out in different ways. They can advertise your vacancy to the right candidates and they know how to find the perfect candidate for you. They also do all the background checks on your behalf, saving you precious time and money
9. Internship or apprenticeship
An internship or apprenticeship is an excellent way for a company to get to know potential employees. It also helps the company find out if the individual is a good fit for their company culture. While allowing the employer to see how well the applicant can work on their own and with others.
10. College / University recruiting
College recruiting is one strategy that organisations can use to get qualified candidates for vacant positions. This strategy takes advantage of the large number of students looking for internships, jobs, or even just experience.
11. Job boards
Job boards provide a variety of benefits and opportunities for both employers and candidates. One of the most popular and well-known job boards is Indeed.
Job boards give a diverse range of companies, vacancies, and candidates. There is also an increased profile for your company as a desirable employer.
However, companies that use job boards will have a high number of applications. (Which can slow down the recruitment process). With many of these candidates being unqualified for the role.
12. Applicant tracking system
Applicant tracking systems were created as a tool to help with the hiring process. They were designed with the goal of making it easier for companies to find relevant candidates and streamline the application process.
It can be used by the company to find the best matching candidates for their job openings. It also helps in scheduling interviews and other related tasks involved in the recruitment process.
An applicant tracking system is one of the most efficient forms of recruitment strategies. It not only saves time but also costs much less than advertising or attending trade fairs for hiring talent.
However, they can be a double-edged sword. There are many cons of using ATS as a recruitment strategy.
They have been criticized for their strict metrics and lack of personality. Which can often push away qualified applicants and create an unprofessional impression on those that do apply.
13. Conduct high-quality job interviews
High-quality recruitment strategies are crucial for every organisation. An important step of an effective recruitment strategy is conducting a high-quality job interview.
A high-quality job interview is a recruitment strategy that can be very beneficial for both the employer and the interviewee. It allows employers to get to know the applicant on a more personal level. While at the same time giving them an opportunity to show their personality.
Which recruitment strategy would suit your business?
Firstly, there isn’t a single job selection process that’s the only way to attract applicants. Most importantly, though, these options demonstrate that recruiters must be creative.
Hiring shouldn't be set in stone. Recruiters need to explore multiple manners of recruitment before finding the best person for the role.
Conclusion
Some companies have a set of best practices that they follow to assure a successful strategy. However, this is not always the case and the business environment changes fast. Therefore, innovation and adaptability are essential skills needed in order to be able to adapt quickly to changing environments.
There are many different types of recruitment methods available to you. You can use strategic and innovative methods to make your recruitment process stand out. As a result, being the employer of choice will make your company all the more desirable.
If you liked this post on the different types of recruitment strategies, check out another of ours here: What are the 7 functions of HR?