One of the first things we're always asked as an interview intelligence software provider is for creative ways to recruit employees. And while there are plenty of new platforms, job boards, coding boot camps, sales companies, and many other places - the #1 answer is not what you'd think. Here's what I mean. The best recruitment strategy for a company is actually to become the place where everyone wants to work.

Look at Tesla, Apple, Google, Amazon, and many others. All of these companies have become household names because they are consistently producing the most interesting innovations, building the best products, hiring the best talent, providing the best benefits, and offering interesting and challenging job opportunities.

They become a magnet for top talent by pushing the boundaries of what's possible, striving for excellence, and keeping their employees engaged. To do this, companies need to make sure they're offering an attractive salary, competitive benefits, and a stimulating work environment that encourages growth and development. It also helps if your company has a strong culture of collaboration, respect, diversity, and inclusion. An outstanding workplace should promote learning and creativity on all levels from the boardroom to the breakroom.

Here are some recruitment ideas for organizations that want to become the talent magnets of tomorrow:

1. Utilize social media for recruitment. In today's world, almost everyone is active on some form of social media. Whether it's LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook - create a company page and leverage the power of these networks to find talented individuals who share the same values and have the skills you're looking for.

2. Think Local, Grow Global. Focus your recruiting efforts on local communities in order to create a strong foundation for growth. Not only does this help build relationships with the community, but it also helps open up new opportunities and markets for potential talent.

3. Focus On Your Employee Brand. This is one of the best recruitment strategies that no one talks about. If you have terrible Glassdoor reviews, outdated recruitment materials, or a negative reputation among current and former employees - it will be very hard to attract new talent. Take the time to update your employee brand, create positive experiences for current and future employees, and get on social media to showcase what makes working at your company great.

4. Aim for Moonshots. Aiming for the moon attracts passionate, driven candidates who are ready to take risks and be part of something bigger. When you offer challenging projects with the potential to make a major impact, you attract ambitious individuals who can help push your organization to the next level.

5. Use the best Ai tools to create excellent candidate experiences (CX) and identify the best candidates for your team. Platforms like Pillar's interview intelligence software will give you an edge. You can quickly identify the best candidates by listening closely to their answers and using sophisticated algorithms.

By following these strategies, companies will not only find excellent new hires but also create an environment that attracts top talent on a much larger scale. Employers should always remember – becoming the place where everyone wants to work is the best recruitment strategy of all.

Recruitment Strategies Examples

So back to those innovative ways to attract talent. Here are some tried and true recruitment strategies examples to help get started:

1. Host Virtual Events. Companies like Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Roche, and Microsoft all use this strategy to attract top-tier talent from some of the best business, tech, engineering, medicine, and biotech schools. Such events give potential employees a chance to learn more about the company, network with current team members, and see what the work culture is like.

2. Job Boards, Fellowships, and Local Networks. Many companies leverage job boards, community networks, and fellowships to find the right candidates for their open roles. Microsoft’s Women in Tech program, for example, connects women with mentors and offers job opportunities through a network of recruiters and other professionals.

3. Referral Programs. It’s no secret that the best employees are often found through referrals. Create a referral program and incentivize current employees to refer their friends and their network, and then compensate them well for their referrals.

4. Targeted Social Media. We mentioned this in the previous section but it's worth repeating. 

Many companies are posting roles on Instagram, TikTok, and other social platforms. Obviously, LinkedIn is the standard, but having a presence on social media and using it to communicate with potential candidates is a great way to find motivated people who are engaged with your brand.

Recruitment strategies examples vary by industry, and range from innovative to traditional, but the key is to find the right balance for your company. By focusing on employee engagement, leveraging technologies like interview intelligence, and offering amazing recruitment experiences, companies can become the talent magnets of tomorrow.

External Recruitment Methods

Attracting talent isn’t easy. And, it's definitely not just about posting an ad and waiting for the perfect candidate to apply. It's a process -- and it starts with creating the right creative recruitment methods to find the people you need. Before we get into a few additional external recruitment methods, let's talk about the difference between an internal and an external recruitment process.

Internal recruitment methods focus on existing staff members and emphasize the development of their skills in order to fill open positions within the company. External recruitment methods focus on attracting new talent from outside the company and typically involve direct outreach to potential candidates.

This article has covered mostly external recruitment methods to this point, and the reason for this is that, with workforce shortages, many internal teams are already overwhelmed and underwater. So, here are a few additional external recruitment methods to consider:

1. Career Site Optimization. With all the competition out there for talent, it’s important to ensure your career page is optimized for the best candidate experience. It should be easy to navigate, visually appealing, and have all the necessary information about the company, its mission, and its opportunities.

2. Cold Calling/Emailing. Cold calling or emailing potential candidates can be a great way to reach out and connect with them. While this is time-consuming, it can also be effective if you have a targeted list and are able to quickly explain why someone should be interested in the opportunity you’re offering.

3. Hiring a recruiting agency. A recruiting agency can be a great option for companies that don’t have the time or resources to do all the heavy lifting involved in talent acquisition. A recruiting agency will have the right tools and resources to find the talent you need, as well as the expertise to help you navigate the recruitment process.

4. Hiring HR interns. For companies that don’t want to invest in a full-time recruiter, hiring HR interns can be a great way to increase the bandwidth of their internal HR team. Interns can provide extra support for the recruitment process, from posting jobs to interviewing candidates and more.

These are just some of the external recruitment methods companies can use to find the best candidates for their open roles. Using a blended approach of traditional and modern methods can help you make sure your company is at the top of the list for potential candidates. If done correctly, companies can create an amazing candidate experience that will set them apart from the competition and help them find the right people for the job.

Recruitment Strategy Plan

An effective recruitment strategy plan should include a detailed description of the company’s culture and values, an assessment of the current state of talent acquisition, and a roadmap for the future. It should also include objectives, goals, timelines, resources needed to meet those goals, and metrics to track success. A recruitment plan should be both realistic and measurable, and it should also take into account the changing needs of a company.

The following recruitment strategy examples outline the steps and components of an effective recruitment plan:

1. Assess current recruitment methods. This is where you take a look at your current recruitment methods and assess their effectiveness. This step also includes identifying any gaps or improvements you need to make in order to improve the recruitment process.

2. Analyze data. This step involves gathering and analyzing data to gain insights into the current recruitment process. The goal here is to gather as much information as possible and to identify any potential problems or areas of improvement.

3. Set objectives and goals. This step involves setting measurable goals and objectives for the recruitment process, such as reducing time-to-hire or increasing the number of qualified applicants.

4. Develop a plan and activate the tools. After setting objectives and goals, the next step is to develop an actionable plan with specific tasks and timelines. This includes establishing roles and responsibilities for each team member, as well as budgeting for the recruitment process, and getting the platforms you need in place to make a great hiring decision.

5. Implement the plan. After developing an actionable plan, the next step is to implement it. This involves executing the plan and making sure it’s being followed according to the timeline. It also involves monitoring progress and metrics closely, in order to make any necessary changes and adjust the plan as needed.

6. Measure results and make adjustments. The last step of a recruitment strategy plan is measuring the results and making any necessary adjustments. This involves tracking metrics like time-to-hire and quality of hire, as well as revisiting goals and objectives to make sure they are still in alignment with the current recruitment landscape.

So, that's how to attract top talent to your company in a nutshell. By following these steps, companies can ensure that they are using the most effective recruitment methods to find the best candidates for their open positions. If you'd like to see how Pillar helps companies make better hiring decisions while also decreasing cost-to-hire and time-to-hire, book your demo today!