A less than perfect economy (especially after a 15% US stock market decline in just 2 weeks !!) affects every type of business including recruiting.  Yet in every down economy there are always a number of companies in every industry who find a way to thrive.  With this in mind, I spent some time recently researching all the creative ways recruiters were finding, recruiting and retaining top talent in spite of the less than perfect economy. I found two types of advice:

Tips for Recruiting in 2011

• The market for mid-level and high-level talent is heating up. As many have said, finding candidates is easy, but finding qualified candidates is hard. Employers are skittish about letting top talent go when the future is so uncertain, and employees are reluctant to leave for the same reason. So be prepared for a long road when looking to fill mid-level and high-level positions.
• Be careful about relocation demands. Yes, you want employees – especially high-level employees – close to the office. But if a great candidate is willing to drive 40 miles to work, don’t sweat it. He or she probably can’t afford to sell their house in such a lousy real estate market, and email and other e-communication tools can usually make up for someone’s presence in the office.
• Review your brand presence. Does your company’s website and Facebook page convey its personality? Its values? Its mission? Is it, in a word, authentic? This is especially important for recruiting younger candidates.

 

Perennial Tips for Recruiting

• Write a clear and concise job description. This will keep out many unqualified and/or uninterested applicants, sparing you and them unnecessary hassle.
• Remember basic courtesy. You don’t owe every applicant a reply. But once you contact an applicant, you owe them timely updates on their status. Failure to do this will most certainly be noticed and communicated on the web.
• Remember that skills can often trump experience. It’s often easier to train a candidate with less experience to do things your way than it is to get an experienced candidate to think outside their old company’s box.
• Take your time. I ran across this piece of advice several times. Never rush the hiring process. Always interview more people than you think you should. Be willing to let a good candidate go if he or she is asking you to make a quick decision.
• Always be looking for your next employee. As a recruiter, we should always be networking and meeting new potential employees, even though we may not have a position open at the time.
• Get top-notch recruiting software. It will make your recruiting more efficient and effective and help give your company the professional look and feel that top candidates expect. (OK, that one was from me).