Despite all of the talk about automation in the workforce as AI tools become more effective at taking over the world, businesses today still rely on people to accomplish many of the tasks needed to execute and deliver results towards the company’s goals and objectives.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US saw an increase of nearly 200,000 jobs in November 2023 as the unemployment rate crept down to 3.7%1. The need for employees won’t disappear anytime soon but are employers doing enough to find and attract quality, high-level talent to their organizations?

It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many employers have yet to evolve from the outdated methods of posting a job and hoping the right candidate catches the bait. If you want to stand out in the vast pool of open job postings, here are a few steps you can take to help your company stand out.

Fish in the right pond

Many recruiting departments can get overwhelmed with the sheer volume of job openings to fill, especially in large, national organizations competing for talent across a wide geographic and economic area. It’s natural to play the volume game and increase your chances of finding the ideal candidate quicker by casting wider nets, but with that comes an increased workload for your recruiting and hiring teams in the absence of strong systems for screening and scheduling interviews to find that needle in the haystack.

To increase your chances of finding ideal candidates from the beginning, start by understanding where the ideal candidate is searching for work. Strengthen local relationships with colleges and university career placement departments when looking for entry-level, college graduates seeking their start and building their careers. Leverage existing sponsorships in industry organizations to find candidates already in the industry, and increase your visibility as a top employer by participating in social media and professional networking via sites like LinkedIn. 

It’s rare to hear of a world-record saltwater fish being caught in a freshwater lake, so ensure you’re fishing in the right pond!

Review Job Descriptions

Attracting top candidates shouldn’t be much different than attracting top customers or prospects to your portfolio. To reduce confusion on your website, your marketing message must be clear and concise for the products and services you offer. The same goes for a job description.

Job descriptions must be current and accurately capture the duties and expectations of the role while providing a glimpse into the culture of the company. We recently helped a client with a 10X increase in QUALIFIED job applicants to industry specific roles by reviewing and updating the existing job descriptions that had been in use for more than 10 years and helping them more accurately portray the jobs and expectations in their current state.

If the job requires technical expertise on equipment or procedures in the field, requiring the applicant to be knowledgeable on an outdated system used to track employee’s time is less relevant and likely deter applicants from applying thinking they don’t meet the qualifications.

Hiring the perfect candidate for the job is tough. Increasing your chances of success starts with knowing exactly what you expect of a candidate for success, and using the job description to share some of the exciting aspects about your company. 

Refine the Onboarding Process

As a new hire, nothing incites the feeling that you may have made a mistake in accepting a job more than experiencing a disorganized onboarding process starting with the response of the company and actions taken immediately following your acceptance. 

Employers must spend time refining this process well in advance of new hires joining the team to ensure that all parties are aware of the role they play in providing a successful onboarding for new members of the team.