New recruitment methods that can improve hiring
- vsavastin
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
To identify hidden talent, a company should focus more on new screening methods like video interviews and innovative recruitment strategies. Additionally, they should adopt diverse sourcing techniques instead of sticking to the traditional steps when engaging with potential employees, as this can make the recruitment process rather monotonous.
According to statistics, approximately 95% of recruiters utilize LinkedIn, and 50% continue to request a cover letter from each candidate, despite only about 25% of these being read. While traditional recruitment methods will likely remain in use for the foreseeable future, they might be integrated with new strategies, such as conducting video interviews with candidates, which could be extremely effective.
What are the different types of recruitment methods?
Recruitment methods can be divided into two categories, with each featuring several subcategories:
Internal Recruitment Methods
Hiring managers often employ the strategy of utilizing existing employees to fill open positions. Sometimes, the ideal candidate might be nearer than expected.
Promoting deserving candidates – the transition of an employee to a hierarchically higher position, which also helps avoid job stagnation.
Internal transfer – an employee may consider moving from part-time to full-time, or moving into another working area, another city, or country. Rather than leaving the firm, the employee may apply for a job in another department, or a hiring manager can approach an employee who plans to move to another country.
Referrals – the firm asks its employees to tell their relatives and friends about a vacant position.
In-house job ads – a company has an in-house jobs board so its employees are aware of new vacancies they can apply for.
Records – this involves studying the records of employees to find those who have the potential for further training or people with an appropriate background for the vacancy.
Job placement and bidding – HR managers announce job openings so that employees can apply for the same position if they are interested.
Informal approaches – the use of the grapevine or “informal” channels.
Inside moonlighting – this involves recruiting employees who are interested in a second job with the same company.
Internal Recruitment Methods: Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
The candidate is already familiar with the firm’s culture and environment.
Offering new positions to in-house employees is proof that they are appreciated.
It is time-efficient with little to no delays in hiring and training.
Disadvantages:
In-house politics – friendly relationships within a company can cause a hiring manager to overlook a major flaw in a candidate.
Lower chances of benefiting from new ideas – employees from outside the company can deliver outside-the-box thinking.
Limited choices – although the firm may have some experienced workers, they may not represent an ideal match for a specific position.
External Recruitment Methods
While internal recruiting has its advantages, there are many situations where hiring someone from outside the company might be the best choice for a specific position. In fact, most recruiters use external recruitment strategies.
These are the most used external recruitment techniques:
Media advertisements – companies use advertising to find staff.
Employment agencies – companies that connect employers with employees, filter out unqualified candidates, and identify those who are suitably qualified to meet a company's requirements.
Headhunters – companies hire experienced recruiters to find the talent that meets the job requirements.
Associations – job announcements are placed by associations to search for highly educated and trained people.
Employee databases – these are companies that offer a database of resumes from various applicants who are in search of a job.
Campus recruiting – a company sends its representative or a recruiting team to a campus to carry out interviews with potential candidates while providing them with the necessary data about the company.
Career events – universities and industry groups arrange job fairs where candidates with the required skills and talent can be met in person.
Online recruitment – using social media and company websites.
External Recruitment Methods: Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
Better conversion rate – external recruitment attracts a diverse range of candidates with varying skills and knowledge, significantly enhancing the likelihood of selecting the most suitable candidate.
Fresh perspective and new ideas – new employees can deliver outside-the-box thinking to the company.
Disadvantages:
The hiring process is costly and takes longer – advertising job openings on multiple platforms, crafting a compelling job description, maintaining timely communication, reviewing resumes, and conducting interviews are all time-intensive and costlier.
The risk of attracting irrelevant candidates since all will be unknown to the recruiter.
The risk involves hiring candidates who struggle to adapt to a new work environment and connect with their colleagues, which may necessitate finding a replacement and initiating a search for new candidates.
New Recruitment Methods
Modern recruiters should adapt the techniques and tools they use to the new realities of today’s society. Here are some suggestions:
Make use of less-used platforms
LinkedIn is one of the most popular tools for discovering ideal candidates, but other platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Instagram are also useful. For instance, Instagram allows searches using various hashtags, such as "#UX".
Upskill in-house employees
If a job vacancy is particularly challenging to fill, it is worth considering offering a skilled employee training to acquire the necessary skills for the role.
Organizing the effective use of various recruiting tools
Recruiters often use various recruitment techniques and tools, and without a clear strategy, this can lead to a disorganized process. It's crucial to identify a method for organizing these recruiting tools.
The modern competitive environment necessitates employing diverse recruitment strategies and thinking creatively to identify the ideal candidate for a specific role. This might involve internal transfers or referrals, utilizing employment agencies, or organizing career events. Companies and their hiring managers should swiftly determine the optimal approach and explore new methods as well. Is it preferable to recruit new employees with innovative ideas or to trust and develop existing staff who are already aligned with the company culture? Should a company opt for cost-effective, time-efficient search methods or those that foster strong personal connections? These are the questions every hiring manager should consider before evaluating a resume or conducting an interview.