Remember those times when there was a dearth of jobs and qualified people were constantly worried about finding a job to support themselves and their family? Well, the tide has turned and now we are experiencing a strong job growth. While this is a good sign for the economy, it has given birth to another set of challenges for employers across the country in terms of recruiting candidates.
It is becoming increasingly harder for HR managers to hire suitable candidates to fill in the vacancies. Apart from taking advantage of the talent acquisition software and applicant tracking system (ATS), you can build a strong talent pipeline to make hiring easier and fruitful.
Here are 8 easy ways to build a talent pipeline.
#1. Build a fun and exciting company culture
It’s an old story where Jack only worked and did not play much, probably because his workplace was dull and serious. These days Jack can have fun within his workplace too as businesses across the globe are changing the way they operate. Having a fun company culture where you celebrate occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, etc., go on annual company vacations, make for a great place to work for.
Some companies now also offer flexible working hours or give out insane perks that employees of rival companies can just dream of. This is a lucrative way to attract talent. Use the digital platform to spread the word about how and why your company is a great place to work at. People looking for a new job or a change usually prefer those companies with a great workplace culture.
#2. Encourage employee referrals
Do not take employee referrals lightly. If there is someone who would know people that are a great fit for your company, it is your employees. Chances are that you will find your next best hire through a referral from your own employee. So, encourage your employees to refer their family, friends or acquaintances.
#3. Poach the best talent (politely if necessary)
Every once in while you will hear about one person who seems to be cut out for your company. But there’s a problem — they work for someone else. Even if such candidates are extremely happy at their current place of employment, you can attract them to your company but only if you want to and if you work hard for it. Your favorite sportsperson may be on one team today and the other tomorrow. Why? Because the other team worked hard to show the player why their team would be better for him/her compared to their current team.
Convince the candidates by showing them why they should join you and what your company has to offer them. If you think that stealing or poaching isn’t fair, well, as they say everything is fair in love and war. And the business-world is nothing less than a battlefield. So, poach those candidates by offering them what others can’t and you can boast of having the best talent in your company.
#4. Make recruiting a continuous process
There are vacancies in the company, you put out an ad, you interview some, hire the best and then get back to work until the next round of vacancies come up. If you do this, then you are going down the wrong road. Recruiting must be an ongoing and a continuous process instead of just limiting it to when there are vacancies. If you anticipate growth for your company or just want to develop backup plans for an unexpected turnover, then it is essential to cultivate a pipeline of qualified and interested candidates which can make hiring easier and faster.
#5. Look for potential leaders
If every candidate you have shortlisted through a resume sorting software is equally talented, go for the ones that show the potential to lead a team one day. Many may have the required experience and skills but not everyone has the ability and enthusiasm to lead a team. Look for employees who come equipped with a drive for leadership. Screening candidates based on their potential is a good way to create a flexible workforce, which will further allow you to promote from within.
#6. Use Social Media to Tap Passive Talent
Social media recruiting is the easiest way to access passive talent which is otherwise inaccessible but segregating individual profiles to see if they match your requirements can take hours of your time. Using an ATS to filter the relevant candidates and automating the communication process will save a ton of your time while making it easier for you to identify and engage passive talent that matches your open positions. An ATS also helps you leverage the extensive social networks of your current employees who can publicize your openings to passive candidates.
#7. Keep your Potential Employees Engaged from Start to Finish
Engagement can work wonders when it comes to hiring so make sure your prospects stay informed and feel involved at every stage of the sourcing funnel. An ATS helps you build your talent pipeline by maintaining consistent communication with team members and potential candidates through real-time notifications, instant reminders and timely text messages.
From sending application acknowledgements to timely interview reminders to keeping candidates informed about their progress during the sourcing lifecycle – an ATS sends personalized emails and messages to every single prospect to ensure that you never miss out on potential talent due to miscommunication.
#8. Diversify Your Recruitment Efforts with an ATS
One of the most important aspects of building a talent pipeline is expanding your recruitment reach. In order to enhance brand credibility and create a buzz, hiring managers need to leverage multiple job boards and social platforms. An ATS can automate all your job postings to speed up your sourcing efforts and facilitate a seamless flow of information with a centralized candidate management system.
If you are still struggling to fill vacancies with qualified candidates, using cloud-based recruitment software will save you a ton of time and effort while improving the quality of hires when building a talent pipeline. Build relationships with potential candidates and increase your conversions with an ATS.
