It’s no secret that businesses that want the best talent in 2012 will have to assess the points they missed in 2011 to make this a reality. This will give them the opportunity to adjust their own recruitment methods and adopt new ideas that will definitely attract only the best.

 

In retrospect, 2011 was the year of the social media storm and clever applications being rolled out into most industries. There were some signs of new tools being used in recruitment, and it is expected that these will increase to better allow HR managers and recruiters to manage real-time information around their talent-management goals. Companies that integrate these upcoming changes into their business operations will succeed in finding, recruiting and possibly retaining the most talented individuals in any industry. Other tips to take into consideration include:

Job Posting on online job boards has been very popular in the past and will continue to be popular this year. Recruiters that are looking for an outstanding talent pool can find them on these platforms without hurling through the burden of posting adverts in newspapers- a traditional route that is dead—well…almost. 

Many job boards will update their own platform to better accompany the technological changes that have most people fidgeting with their iPhones, iPads, and other flashy gadgets. These users are potential employees worth reaching through reputable online mediums. 

It is well worth remembering that it is rare that one job board alone will fill all your jobs, all the time, so any recruiter or hiring company would be well advised to post a job and promote their vacancies across various respected job sites, to effectively reach the target candidate pool and best candidates.

Competition will soar this year given the gloom that still hangs over the financial markets. Many companies will try to get the best talent to ensure they survive and for the many prospering fast growth companies attracting the best talent is a must to ensure momentum is kept up. 

As a recruiter, it’s a prudent move to study what your competitors are doing and try to beat their offers. Employee loyalty is almost nil in some industries and many people are willing to switch their jobs if they can get better offers somewhere else. You will need to evaluate how your competitors are hiring, who they are interested in and where they are looking to beat them at their game of finding the best candidates.  

One mistake some recruiters make is not taking employee referrals seriously. There are many traits and skills that are often hidden from managers that only employees that work directly with each other can see. As such, taking advantage of employee referrals in your organisation can boost your own productivity whilst finding the best talent. 

Tip # 4- Use Social Media 

If you have been resisting social media, then it is time to concede. Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and Google are at the pinnacle of reaching the masses with real-time information, so using them to recruit is a step in the right direction. There will also be less popular websites, these should also be studied since some internet users are more than willing to “try out” new solutions to see features, benefits, etc. 

It may take a few years before the thrill around apps abates, so 2012 will be a good year to use them. Investing in apps that allow people to accompany company news, vacancy adverts, etc., is advantageous in two aspects: you get to advertise and attract talented people to your company. When “outsiders” are able to have a more personal experience with your company through apps, it increases the chances of finding what, and who you want, when you want. 

Tip #6- Improve Retention 

Many companies fail at employee retention, because their focus is often the recruiting aspect. In other words, the recruitment process ends when they hire. However, this will have to change in 2012 and onwards if companies intend to keep only the best talent. It will be necessary to study your candidates very closely to fully understand what they want in their professional lives and how your company can fulfil it. Professional ascension is not the only area to study, since more people desire a better quality life that has space for social activities. 

There is nothing more detrimental to an employer’s brand than an employee that believes the company is nothing more than a circus. With websites such as Glassdoor.com, Twitter, Facebook, and the swirling sensationalism in many media outlets, it is becoming all too easy to destroy a business empire in just a few seconds! The manner in which you are perceived as an employer will determine the type of people that want to work for you. If you want only the best in 2012, then strive to be the best also!

Be it intentionally or unintentionally, but some HR managers often forget proper business etiquette during the recruitment process. They fail to honour their promises to candidates and treat them as if they were desperate unemployed souls. This condescending approach creates a horrible impression in candidates’ minds and when they are ranting and raging about it, unsavoury details run the risk of going public. 

You should treat them as potential clients, because they will discuss their impressions of your company to others---and it would be a great loss if their listeners are top notch professionals. 

Tip #9- Review Rejected Candidates 

Sometimes it is difficult to choose between two talented professionals, and as such, at the end of the day only one gets the job. However, what happens to the rejected candidate? Oftentimes, recruiters simply forget about this applicant and restart their recruiting process with the aim of finding “top talent”. What they fail to see is that they already interviewed and assessed the applications from many talented professionals, so going through this process again is counterproductive. If a talented professional was rejected, do not forget the application—if you do, you are throwing away the chance of getting only the best to work for you.  Keep your candidate database cleansed and current.

The traditional question drilling process in interviews is becoming rather out-dated. Thousands of applicants already know what most recruiters will ask them and have scripts with the perfect answers. In addition to this, there are many missing details in CVs which means that you can never truly use both to determine potential employees. With this in mind, it is important to alter the recruitment process and step aside from the traditional question and answer routine that many have adopted for so long. Video conferencing, Skype interviewing and tests are just some ways to innovate recruitment.