When adding to your team, it is essential to bring in people that will strengthen your company’s brand. Bringing in suitable candidates before you even start the interview process can save a lot of time for both you and the candidates.
Determine your ideal candidate
Who exactly are you looking to hire? Going by “whoever feels like a good fit” can only take you so far. Do you want the wisdom of someone who has been in the industry for 40 years? Do you want the fresh perspective of a new college graduate? Determine what kind of availability you need or their willingness to work in-person/remote. When you know what you are looking for, it will be much easier to attract the right people and narrow your candidate pool.
Write effective job descriptions
Bring the right people in by writing a compelling job description. Choose your words carefully. Lay out your expectations clearly. Certain descriptor words used in job descriptions can unintentionally signal to the candidate that you are looking for only a man or only a woman. Check out this article about removing gender bias in job descriptions. Candidates respond strongly to words that they think describe them. Avoid the cliché “self-starter” or “team player” language—everyone uses those. Using language like “motivated to see change” shows that more thought was put into the description than just a bunch of clichés in a row.
Go where your people are
Find out what platforms your target audience uses most to job search. Look in geographical areas where your target is often living. If you are looking for experienced engineers and the closest large city has a considerable engineering industry, target your ads to that city. If you know your target population is more likely to respond to print ads than online Facebook advertisements, invest in the print ads. Are you looking for recent grads? Attend college or high school job fairs and get some face-to-face interaction with your candidates.
Putting in the work on the front end of the candidate search will save you time in the long run, and you will be more likely to attract your perfect fit! Need help with your candidate search? Check out how JSG can help you!
