staffing recruiting ideas outside the box

Recruiting ideas that are outside the box are the difference maker in today’s job seeker market. Instead of implementing the same recruitment ideas as every other business, get outside of the box to attract top talent, give overworked HR departments a helping hand, and grow your staffing business.

48 million people quit their jobs in 2021 and just under 4.3 million people quit in January 2022. With so many opportunities out there, it’s an ideal time for staffing agencies to use outside the box recruiting ideas to stand out. In fact, it’s essential. People looking for new jobs right now can be picky and take their time. The question is, what can you do to get them to make a move?

Grow your staffing agency faster with recruiting ideas outside the box

1. Employee bounties

As with any type of marketing, word of mouth offers one of the best outside-the-box recruiting ideas. After all, who would know better what it takes to succeed in a company than its current employees? Work in tandem with human resources to incentivize candidate referrals from within your client’s employee base. Get current employees to list off the best reasons to work at the company or what they like most about the job. Assuming the last employee left under good terms, get their take on what it takes to succeed in the role. Package all of that into your online advertising and job listings to help candidates self select more easily or opt out if the job wouldn’t be a good fit for them.

2. Create an authentic day-in-the-life-of video for candidates

Money is no longer a barrier to making quality videos to market a business. Create a video showing potential candidates what a day in the life of an employee working in the position might have as a recruiting idea outside the box.

Showcase perks like break rooms, any amenities (e.g., cafeteria, fitness centers, and so on), introduce the boss and co-workers, and recreate or simulate the work the employee would be doing on any given day. Use visual effects like speeding up and slow-mos to generate visual interest and add an element of excitement and humor. Add peppy background music from services like Envato Elements to set the mood.

Once you have a video like this it can be leveraged on several platforms (your website, YouTube, social media platforms, and so on), giving you even more bang for your buck. You can even play it at job fairs or share it with local business groups, such as your Chamber of Commerce.

Did you know? 88% of consumers say authenticity is a key factor in determining brand affinity and 66% say transparency is one of the most attractive qualities. Why would it be any different for job seekers, and what could be more authentic than a day-in-the-life-of simulation video?

3. Recruit passive candidates

If that many million have left their jobs already, how many more would do so for the right opportunity? Reach out to passive candidates through proactive recruitment tactics, such as searching LinkedIn for candidates with specific job titles, endorsements, skills, or certifications.

4. Eliminate all the barriers to hiring

Often what stands between getting a candidate onboarded or letting them get away are barriers that get in the way. For example, job applicants will often lose interest if your hiring process takes too long or involves too many steps and hurdles. Likewise, if you’re asking candidates to tackle complex or intimidating tasks to be considered, such as providing their answers by recorded video, many qualified and talented prospects won’t even bother.

When considering what might be a barrier to hiring, review:

  • The application – how long is it and is it easy to complete? Is it easy to submit? If your tech for application submission glitches out, is there an easy alternative for them to send their information to you?
  • Whether everything is accessible, e.g., do you need to create options for those needing accommodations?
  • Interviews – are you requiring in-person interviews, or can they be done virtually, eliminating the need to drive or travel somewhere and increasing scheduling opportunities? Are there too many interviews? Is your interview panel too big, potentially intimidating already-nervous job applicants?
  • Are there any steps that can be eliminated, such as unnecessary tests?

5. Hold a virtual job fair

Job fairs are great because they bring a lot of candidates into the same space as a lot of job opportunities. There’s also a social element that generates additional excitement and engagement. While you can hold in-person recruitment events or attend local job fairs (and you should) you can also hold a virtual job fair using a video conferencing service like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

For example, you can welcome everyone in the main room and then send candidates to breakout rooms based on their interests. In breakout rooms, either a member of your team or your client can be on hand to answer job seekers’ questions and get the job applications flowing.

6. Start social media groups

For local business recruiting, temp staffing agencies can start or join Facebook groups where sharing job openings is a regular part of the interaction. Not only does this provide another opportunity for attracting candidates through word-of-mouth referrals, but it also opens up an ongoing channel for posting new job listings and interacting with potential applicants.

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