Online job boards and newspaper classifieds suffered declines in advertising for help, making it essential that small businesses find new ways to reach the people they want to recruit.
Sites like CareerBuilder and Monster have their place, but perhaps not so prominently as they once did. Likewise, newspaper readership continues to fade, as people simply do not need to wait for a once-daily paper delivery or purchase to catch up on a small sliver of all the news available.
Without greater readership at either of those recruiting options, small businesses need to think a little more creatively about reaching new hires. A recent report by Classified Intelligence said hiring types consider recruits coming through online job sites to be of lesser quality than what they want.
That makes it important to adapt one's approach to finding suitable employees. Based on the CI report, we have four suggestions for locating the next great worker.
1. Recruitment starts in the office: Research by CI found job sites and everything else takes a backseat to employee referrals. Ask the people who know your business who they would suggest as a job candidate.
2. Networking extends your reach: Whether through a business network like LinkedIn or a social network like Facebook, participants on these sites may know someone who knows someone else who would make a good candidate for a position.
3. Search marketing - it's not just for sales: Through targeted search engine marketing, you can attract customers. Why not try to appeal to a potential employee by being on the screen when he or she searches for something in your niche?
4. Social media may reach a recruit: Quirky little videos and blog posts that gain attention from a virally-driven stream of visitors could bring a new staffer along for a visit. While you have their attention, why not let them know they could be working for the outfit that just attracted their notice?
Stretching to find good candidates may be an extra benefit from the work you do today to promote and extend the small business. If you have other suggestions, why not drop them in the comments below?
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Comments
Social Networking and Social Media as a search tool for recruits
David - Great article. I enjoyed it. I must agree that Social Media, and probably more so, Social Networking can be much more effective for finding quality recruits provided your network to begin with is quality. People like to work with people they like and your online social network of likeable contacts are great resources to refer similarily likeable people.
I think it is important to "connect" to as many of these quality social sites as possible from a "recruit me" standpoint as you never know which one will be the "next" facebook.
Recently I polled my "Facebook" friends asking if they knew anyone seeking employment as a ..... A referral from these friends is of much more valuable to me than a fancy, annoy. resume from Monster.
I talked about a terrific list of potential social sites on our "Spicy Page" group. ( join us! ) its called http://www.go2web20.net ....I think you will enjoy it.
Jon
Four Different Places To Recruit Staffers
I read articles like yours with tremendous interest because we struggle with methods to find good recruits. The daily newspaper inPhoenix
We tried Monster.com,Jo
Monster.com,Jo
Thank you for the article.
RE: Four Different Places To Recruit Staffers
Great article!
Don't forget online newspaper classifieds, where people can advertise locally for a tiny fraction of the cost of a print newspaper ad. I happen to own such a site :)
http://www.50statesclassifieds.com
Other Useful Sites
Thanks for the article. I know of a few useful sites that might help finding staff easier.
Elance is one of them, you can post jobs you need done and people can bid on them, You could also indicate that there is the opportunity of working permanently at your company if he job goes well.
Craigslist is another place you can post a job opening. I've seen lots of companies doing this and I'm sure they get a good number of people inquiring about the job.
Google Adword can be a good resource just as you kind of method with the search idea. Post some ads that you have job opening are sure to attract some attention and drive a few inquiries your way.
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