Nowadays, the job market is tough, not just for job seekers but for businesses looking for new employees to add to their ranks. The difficulty lies not just in looking for applicants but in finding the right one that will be a great addition to your team. Entrepreneurs and business owners might find it challenging to sift through those applying. So here are some tips to help you find and choose the right applicant for the job.
Make an Attractive Job Description
Serious job seekers will read your job description. How you lay out (or fail to do so) what kind of applicants you are looking for will significantly affect their decision to send their application. Your job description must be clear; include the job title, educational requirement, experience needed, expected responsibilities, and salary range.
Narrow Your Prospects Through Industry-Specific Sites
Different industries usually have their own way of looking for qualified (and certified) applicants for their positions. While it’s still perfectly fine to use general methods of hiring, it’s also a smart move to look into industry-specific sites for your needs. There might be a premium, and the average applicant’s going rate might be higher, but you are guaranteed skills, expertise, and experience.
Be Specific with The Title and Description
Along with a complete and detailed job description, you should also make sure you indicate what type of employee you are looking for. If you are looking for a writer, suggest what kind of writer you need. Does your business need a researcher who is good at technical writing or a good marketer and experienced at SEO writing?
Go on Social Media
Social media is a great way to find prospects, as the number of people who use social media platforms is amazingly high. There are many avenues for establishments to search for applicants through social media and dedicated platforms for hiring people based on work history and credentials. Linkedin is among the most popular ones.
Of course, you still need to put your job advertisement. Learning how to generate leads on Linkedin and other professional platforms will help you find the right applicant for your business.
Weed Out Careless Applicants
Just as you don’t want to haphazardly spam your job posts, you also wouldn’t want to receive applications from individuals who are just happy to land whatever job they could regardless of their lack of experience and skills. This can result in a failed interview and the end, a waste of time and resources.
To avoid this, you can include screening questions in your job postings to ensure your applicants read everything on your post. Not only will this prove their genuine interest, but also their meticulous eye and level of professionalism.
Don’t Look for Applicants Haphazardly
If your business is looking for exceptional talent with specific skills, you know that simply posting job ads on major job posting websites won’t yield the results you want.
Since many of these websites cater to a wide range of industries and professions, you need to narrow down your prospects. Find individuals who can genuinely contribute to your company’s success. Instead of posting a large number of job posts on several websites, curate them in such a way that your target applicants will see your posts more.
Make Sure to Have a Proper Interview
Needless to say, you can’t guarantee how committed they are or how skilled they are by looking at their resume. Conduct a proper interview and be direct with your questions. You want to measure their commitment level and whether they’re serious about it, and it’s best done through direct interviews. You can also ask tangentially related questions that you feel will give you a better insight into them.
Test Their Skills Through a Paid Trial Assignment
Especially if you require professionals with unique skills and understanding of the job you will hire them for, you will have to include a trial assignment for your applicants. Nobody wants to do tasks unpaid when they are looking for jobs, so make sure your trial assignment promises payment. Also, this will give your business a professional image in the eyes of job hunters.
Being able to look at both their experience and knowledge is the key to finding the right one. This should be on top of understanding them as a person. It might take a few goes, and you will make mistakes along the way. But being able to adjust to different people and meeting them halfway will help you significantly.