It seems that funds are as tight as ever, and companies and households alike are conscious they need to be efficient and not waste time, money or energy.

Anyone who has ever worked in the People Management arena or on a talent recruiting team will be more than aware that finding that ideal candidate consumes plenty of all the above.

• So what’s the best way to go about recruiting in today’s climate?
• Should you save travelling time and expenses and invest in online job boards or invite candidates to come to you?
• Or is it worth going that extra mile to visit a student campus to attract young, up and coming talent?

Job boards – the budget option

Short of sticking a post-it note on a random bulletin board and waiting for serendipity to strike, job boards are ideal if you really have not got a budget to play with. There are plenty of low-cost (and even free) job boards which vary in scope, from the national level, through regional and local sites and on to very niche, industry-specific boards. Popular national job boards maximise reach at the expense of focus; quality candidates are more likely to be prowling the industry-specific sites for a job or careeer.

But for all their ease and convenience, job boards invariably lack the depth that can be portrayed in a face-to-face situation. If this is your dilemma, you can still save on transport costs and lost work time by organising an Open House day.

Open house – roll out the welcome mat

The key to a successful Open House day is to prepare meticulously. This begins with the job description itself and senior management should get fully involved in proofing the invitation if they are to “get the right people on the bus, in the right seats,” as I have heard so many times eloquently put.

Key figures from the company, perhaps the founder, should be present on the day to help introduce prospective candidates to the company culture and historical context. It is wise to ask candidates to bring two copies of their resume, one for use during interviews and the other for storing away for future reference.

All candidates should be given equal treatment and managers coached into letting those who are unsuccessful down gently. Remember; your organisation is in control of the process so if you need to invite promising candidates back for a second interview, that’s fine. And if there’s a surplus of talent, the stored cvs may be akin to gold dust when your company next recruits.

Job/Campus fairs – meet the talent

If you have got the time and resource to travel, or if the local university or college is nearby, there is no better pool of young, motivated and switched-on talent than the campus career fair. Companies such as Microsoft, Facebook and Wells Fargo all visit campus fairs to source new employees and network with the next generation.

Campus fairs, like Open House days, provide an opportunity for companies to promote themselves as a brand, and the more successful they are at appealing to the sensibilities of students, the more likely they are to source a decent employee or two.

Job fairs in the community can also have a beneficial effect on talent acquisition, although demographics need to be looked at carefully before committing to attend.

From agencies to online ads: more options for talent hunters

Other strategies used by recruiters include placing advertisements in relevant trade publications and/or national newspapers; advertising vacancies via radio stations, or booking TV air time.

Those looking for socially connected employees may find their future employees by advertising – or simply sharing job alerts – on social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn or via google ads.

© New To HR