Tips For Hiring Managers: How To Attract The Right Talent

I’ve covered recruitment tips before, and there is already an abundance of other online resources giving interview advice for candidates. But there is actually very little out there for recruiters themselves. I’m currently recruiting for several roles across our team and wanted to share some of my personal tips for hiring managers. So if you’re currently looking to grow your team or will be looking to recruit in the future, then read on…

Write A Really Good Job Spec

The number one mistake a hiring manager can make is to not get the job specification right! All the candidates that apply, come in, based on that single job description you write. So it’s key to get this right from the get go. Firstly, make sure you understand the actual role. Do you know what that person will be doing day in, day out? If not, now is a good time to get to know that. It’s key to ensure you are writing the job spec for the employee in mind. Most hiring managers will write up the job spec listing requirements they think they need in a new employee.

“Looking for an ambitious team player, eager to drive forward the content strategy to impact the overall business’ performance.”

Sounds a lot better than; ‘You will be the owner of our content strategy…’

Don’t just talk about they will be doing. Talk about what you want them to achieve as part of the role. This is a key way to ensure you can attract the type of talent that wants to grow in the role, rather than someone who just wants to clock in and out. Be careful not to go ‘too fluffy’ though as this can also put off candidates. The job description needs to be engaging as well as concise and clear.

Talk About The Perks Too

But half the battle is getting the right type of candidates to apply in the first place. Make sure you also talk about the great benefits you have to offer any new employees. Nowadays, even employers are being judged on what they have to offer. This isn’t just about salary and holidays, think about how else you provide to your team that isn’t about money.

Work perks could include:

• Regular social events
• Free food, drink and of course; coffee!
• Flexible working (early/late starts)
• Location and office space
• Training
• Discounts
• Birthday treats (half day off for birthday? Birthday cake?)

Know The Person You Want AND Need For The Role

Similar to my first tip, you should also be aware of exactly who you need for the role. A vacancy is a great opportunity to ensure you recruit someone that can bring something different to the role. It’s an opportunity for a fresh start and to re-think the requirements of the role based on what the business needs now.

Perhaps you want the next employee to be more skilled in a certain area that the previous person wasn’t capable of? This is a great way to build a stronger team without causing any internal conflict by recruiting new people. Make sure you always review the core skills of candidates applying. Whilst they may be advanced in other areas, you might find that they struggle in the key requirements for the role.

Ask Your Current Employees For Recommendations

Another one of my tips for hiring managers, is to look to your current team for recommendations. People often network, so your employees are likely to know someone working in a relevant role or industry. And it’s always a great way to attract new talent when current employees are trying to get them on board.

Using LinkedIn or other job boards is a great way to share vacancies with current employees. You can share the link and ask your team(s) to share on their on profiles to encourage their network to apply. Not only may it help in the recruitment, but it will also be free social media engagement for you too!

Have A ‘Test’ Day

Still not ready to commit? Well why don’t you offer a ‘test’ day for any potential candidates. This would be a great opportunity to introduce that person to the rest of the team as well as give them a feel for what a typical day in the office is really like.

Just be weary that this day is a test for both parties. It’s not just to test if they are a right fit for you, but also if they really want to join the company. Hiring is a tiresome process, make sure you get the right person in that won’t be tempted by any other offers they might get (not to mention counter offers from existing employers). What I mean to say is that; this shouldn’t be testing core skills, you should have covered that in the interview process. This is an opportunity to see if the candidate is a right fit for you, the team and the business.

Are you recruiting for any roles at the moment? Have any tips of your own to share with other hiring managers?