It is a given that recruiters and employers almost invariably want to use a campaign to help them attract the highest caliber talent to fill a post. That said when it comes to recruiting for hard-to-fill positions that entail highly technical or specialized work, finding the best person for the job can sometimes be easier said than done.
This problem is also exasperated by the fact that a lot of these types of positions are relatively new. As market conditions continue to shift toward a more information-based economy, there are exponentially more unconventional types of positions available out there then there way even ten short years ago. In some particular geographic locations, these types of specialized skill sets can be especially hard to come across. This also means that when it comes to recruitment, a fresh approach will need to be adopted to nail down the right type of employee for the job.
Essentially, by adopting a highly specialized strategy and an innovative approach to recruiting, it is still perfectly possible for employers to land the type of employee that they really need to take on those hard-to-fill positions. It is all about tailoring a campaign that is simultaneously broadly reaching and highly-targeted. This will help entice the right type of candidates from a bigger pool of potential workers.
So what are some top-notch recruitment tips to tailor a campaign that will target the best candidates for even traditionally hard-to-fill positions? Read on to find out.
Consider Posting Immigration Ads to Fill the Position
Immigration labor advertising, in particular, can be a particularly helpful tool for employers who are not able to find the right type of candidate on a local basis to mobilize to their advantage in these types of conditions. In general, the key to nailing this type of campaign is to make use of those traditional methods that work while successfully mobilizing modern technology to the best of their advantage to extend their reach well beyond traditional geographic boundaries.
While many employers are wary of posting immigration ads for fear that they will be rejected should they need to sponsor a foreign national employee for a green card, choosing to work with a company that specializes in the permanent labor certification posting process can make a huge difference in terms of obtaining an overall successful outcome in these types of circumstances.
Build Up a Strong Social Media Presence
Most types of companies will have some form of social media presence, and if they don’t, it is time to get on board and do it fast. However, even expanding out to different platforms can make a huge difference in terms of targeting a wider audience.
In addition, different platforms tend to appeal more to different subsets or groups, and this can be a particularly useful fact that an employer can use to their advantage when trying to find somebody to work a highly technical or specialized position. While Facebook is great for reaching a broad audience and is a general must in terms of social media basics, joining and engaging with more specialized and targeted groups can give employers access to the specialized skill pools that they really need to reach.
Meanwhile, platforms like Twitter and Instagram are great for reaching out to a young, more millennial audience who tend to have more specialized tech skills and natural savvy than older generations. LinkedIn is specifically created to help businesses streamline their recruitment process, and once again can allow employers access to the types of highly targeted subgroups that they need to reach in a way that is not limited by physical location.
It is not enough to simply get on social media though. The number of platforms mobilized doesn’t really factor in as much as how they are used. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to present the brand image is a positive light and leave a great impression of what it is like to work for the company.
Remember to take the time to actively engage with the audience. It will not only help employers get a better idea of what potential candidates are looking for in a workplace but also helps to solidify potentially fruitful relationships in the future.
Make Sure the Job Description is as Enticing as It is Accurate
If there is one thing that employers should never do, it is to falsely represent what the job itself entails. This is a recipe for wasted resources, as new employees are likely to leave just as soon as they come in, forcing recruiters to start back at square one and continue pumping endless time, energy and resources into a hiring and onboarding process that is not crafted to keep the employees it brings on board.
Rather than try to beef up the benefits of a hard-to fill-position on paper, it is a much more honest and fruitful strategy to focus on creating a job description that highlights all the real advantages that come with the job in a way that puts all the perks front and center.
Of course, if the position is hard to fill, offering a salary or benefits that are a cut above the competition is one of the smartest ways to entice and lock down the best workers in the field, and the job post should let anybody who is interested in applying know that this is the case.
Providing opportunities for advancement within the company can also be a great way to lock down the type of employees who will stick in it for the long haul. While the idea of having to fill the position again in the future might seem like a bummer, keep in mind that somebody who boasts a specialized skill set is likely to have friends and colleagues in the same field, and will be happy to refer them if they are content in their own position.
The Takeaway
Whether you rely on immigration advertising or recruiting domestically, a successful campaign that will attract the best candidates for a hard-to-fill position is all about taking a fresh approach to time tested tactics that have been proven to work.
