Summer is over and everyone is now looking at the last few months of 2023. For any business to achieve anything we need the right people doing the right tasks so naturally we will see in September a rise in the number of vacancies and agencies looking to recruit.

Recruitment is tougher than it sounds and in order to do it effectively you need to give some thought to your hiring strategy. Having an effective recruitment strategy not only saves you time and money, but it also helps you find talented individuals who can bring real value to your business. 

Here, we outline the eight steps to develop an effective recruitment strategy.

Defining Recruitment Strategies

A recruitment strategy is an action plan for specifying job requirements, finding suitable candidates, and bringing the best person on board to your business. It involves both tactical and strategic planning, and ultimately defines how you source, attract, select and onboard new talent. Ultimately, your recruitment strategy should be tailored to the needs and objectives of your business.

There are multiple benefits to having an effective recruitment strategy. First, employers are able to streamline their recruitment process and bring the best candidates on board in a timely manner. Secondly, they can save time and money by clearly defining the needs of each role. Finally, an effective recruitment strategy helps you attract and retain top talent, enabling your business to stay competitive.

Step One: Analysing Your Needs

The first step in developing an effective recruitment strategy is assessing your current staffing needs. It is important to take stock of your current workforce by analysing who you already have along with their job roles and responsibilities. This is crucial as it helps you determine how many new hires you need, and whether or not you need to restructure certain roles within your business.

The next step is to establish clear goals for your recruitment efforts. This involves outlining the skills and qualifications that are required for each position, and crafting job descriptions that accurately reflect your organization’s needs (these need to be directed t what the potential candidate is looking for and not the typical "we are looking for blah,blah,blah). Defining clear goals helps you clarify the type of candidate you need and how qualified the individual needs to be for the position.

Step Two: Setting a Budget

Once you know what type of candidate you’re looking for, you can start to plan a budget for your recruitment efforts. This includes estimating the costs of advertising, interviewing, and onboarding employees. You should take into account the salary range of the role, as well as any other costs associated with recruitment such as expenses and travel costs.

It’s also important to understand what type of candidates you can realistically attract within your budget. Consider factors such as location, industry, and the current job market when coming up with an ideal salary range for a particular position. Ultimately, you want to be able to offer a competitive salary that reflects the skills and qualifications of the individual you are looking to recruit.

Step Three: Choosing Your Recruitment Channels

Deciding where to post your job openings is the next step in the recruitment process. This involves determining the right platforms for your recruitment needs, and understanding which channels are most suitable for your target audience. You can opt for traditional recruitment methods such as job boards and newspapers, or digital channels to reach a wider audience such as social media sites, job search engines, or niche websites dedicated to certain industries.

You should also consider utilising both passive and active recruitment methods. With passive recruitment, you can post job openings and wait for qualified candidates to come to you (in the current market you'll probably be waiting a while). With active recruitment, you can leverage your existing network to find potential candidates. 

Step Four: Crafting an Engaging Message

In order to attract the best candidates in the industry, it’s important to craft a compelling job description and attractive offer (and no free fruit, parking or dress down Fridays are not a benefit). This involves highlighting all key aspects of the role, such as duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and salary range (always add the salary, if you don't it will put potential candidates off applying). You should also make sure to include company values and any other benefits the employee will receive.

It is also important to focus on the values of the role and how it will make a difference. This will differentiate your job openings from the competition and help you stand out in the crowd. Remember to keep the language professional yet relatable, and to highlight the skills and experiences that are required for the job.

Step Five: Promoting Your Role

The success of your recruitment efforts often depends on how well you promote the role. This can be done by networking within your industry, and reaching out to potential candidates through professional associations, trade shows, alumni networks, and other related events. You can also attend job fairs or host meetups to introduce potential candidates to your organisation.

Social media can also be effective in promoting roles to a wider audience. Posting job openings on LinkedIn and other job websites is a great way to reach passive job seekers. You can also create videos, blog posts, or podcasts to share further details about the role, and promote your job openings through relevant platforms and groups.

Step Six: Sifting Through Applications

After you have advertised and promoted your job vacancy, it is time to review the applications you have received. To do this, you need to establish criteria for candidate evaluation in advance, such as the skills and qualifications required for the role. You can also create an assessment plan to evaluate the suitability of potential candidates.

Another tip is to have more than one person review each resume. This helps ensure that your recruitment process is fair and that only the best candidates are selected for the interview. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for additional documentation or references if needed to further verify the candidate’s qualifications.

Step Seven: Conducting Interviews

Once you have identified the most suitable applicants, you can start the interview process. Crafting the right questions beforehand is essential for this step. The questions should focus on the skills and qualifications required for the role, as well as the experience and strengths of each individual applicant. It’s also important to create an engaging environment during the interviews so that you can get to know the candidate better and vice versa.

In addition, it is beneficial to have more than one interviewer as this helps you get an all-round assessment of a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. Finally, don’t forget to ask the candidate for feedback after the interview. This helps you understand how the candidate perceives your organisation and the role.

If you find a candidate that ticks all the boxes do not prolong your process and make an offer as quickly as possible.

Step Eight: Making an Offer

At this stage, you will have identified the best candidate for the role. Next, you need to determine what type of offer to make. This involves understanding the competition in the job market, and what other agencies are offering for similar roles. You should also be aware that the salary range and benefits offered for a role may vary depending on the candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications (if you're unsure speak with other agency owners in your network or a specialist recruiter who works in your space).

It’s also important to consider the intangible benefits you can offer to the candidate, such as flexible working hours, the potential for career development, or the option to work remotely. Once you have decided on the right offer, the next step is to draft a contract and extend the job offer to the candidate as soon as possible.

Summarising the Process

As outlined above, there are many steps to developing an effective recruitment strategy. These include analysing your needs, setting a budget, choosing the right recruitment channels, crafting an engaging vacancy message, promoting the role, sifting through applications, conducting interviews, and making an offer.

It takes time and effort to develop an effective recruitment strategy. However, the right strategy will benefit your business by helping you find the best person for the job, in a timely and cost-effective manner. All in all, ensuring that you have the best team in place is an essential part of any successful business.

Need any further help and support in creating your hiring strategy? 

Here's what other clients think to working with us; https://www.evolutiontalentsolutions.co.uk/testimonials.html

Get in touch with the team on 0333 888 4048, we'd love to help.