Contacting a recruiting agency or sites like hh.ru is a very common, but by no means the only option for finding new employees. Experience shows that the methods below are no less effective and also save time and money.
1. Application of the referral system
Nobody knows the specifics of your work as well as your employees. Use their contacts by paying bonuses for the recommendations provided. Do not forget that not only current employees, but also former employees (provided that you parted with them in an amicable way), as well as suppliers and partners, can participate in the referral program.
2. Using social media
We are talking primarily about professional networks like LinkedIn, but nothing prevents you from using everyone else, including Facebook and YouTube. There are at least four options for working with social media:
- placement of vacancies, primarily in their own group, as well as in groups of potential candidates;
- search for professionals through the same groups or using hashtags;
- stories of your employees about their work in personal accounts;
- viral spread of information about the recruitment of new employees.
3. Search in regions
The specialist you need may work on a nearby street, but he can just as well live in a small town in another area. One should not ignore the personnel reserves of the regions: the requirements for professionals there are lower, and the qualifications are often higher than in the capital. Not only local recruiting agencies, but also city forums and portals will help to find candidates.
4. Using professional forums
Internet forums may seem like a thing of the past, but in fact, these sites are still active and often gather a fairly significant audience. Posting information about vacancies on them causes a great response. It should be borne in mind that each forum member communicates with at least 2-3 colleagues who are not represented on this forum, and thus the real audience of your vacancy will be twice or three times more.
5. Contacts with specialized universities
If you adhere to the point of view that it is easier to train a new employee from scratch than to retrain him, then freshly baked graduates of specialized universities are exactly what you need. To choose the brightest of hundreds of students, it is worth keeping in touch with their teachers. It's a good idea to offer your company as a base for training or practical training, but the usual participation in job fairs organized by large universities can bring good results. However, sometimes one call to the dean or the head of the department is enough to acquire a promising employee.
6. Attracting specialists from other companies
While you were looking for the specialist you need, has he already got a job with your competitors? So lure him over to you! If you don't see anything wrong with aggressive headhunting, keep a close eye on the HR policies of other companies. When there is a change in leadership or reorganization, the time is right: the changes often cause discontent among long-standing employees, and they begin to wonder whether they should change their jobs. Another option that has proven itself well when looking for waiters, sellers, administrators, etc. is the use of a mystery shopper / customer who recognizes the best of the best and makes them "an offer you can't refuse."
7. Visiting exhibitions, forums, professional competitions
In many industries, exhibitions, professional forums, and various competitions are periodically held: all these events help to find truly valuable specialists. By the way, if the specifics of your activity allows, you should arrange your own professional competition, which can be held not only in real terms, but also online.
8. Advertising placement
This method is especially good for finding low-level employees, as well as when you need to hire a large number of people in a short time. You can place commercials and announcements on a wide variety of platforms - from TV shows to billboards. The efficiency of advertising increases the connection between the site and the future field of activity: for example, an advertisement for the search for drivers should be placed at gas stations, service stations, and the sides of a branded car.
9. Cooperation with public and creative organizations
Persons with similar interests tend to unite, and even if this or that association is of a purely creative or charitable nature, there may be specialists you need among its members. For example, if you are looking for an artist for a computer game, you are most likely to find him in the gaming community, and social workers should be looked for in community organizations that help the homeless.
10. Conducting open days
This method is often used by corporations and large companies, for which the open day is both an image event and a business advertisement, and a good way to lure potential employees into their territory. But even if your office consists of three rooms, and the number of employees does not exceed ten people, nothing will prevent you from holding an open day for hundreds of potential candidates: it is enough to transfer the event to the Network.
