5 Ways to Engage Candidates More Effectively

Your recruiter has qualified the talent for one of your positions to a select number of leading candidates. In today’s competitive marketplace, you need to think creatively about how to keep these potential hires engaged and attracted to the idea of joining your organization.

The foundation of successful engagement is focus. Do thorough research and keep your messages personal and customized. Remain centered on your preferred candidate and their needs, interests and vision. How can you eliminate the pain points in their current situation and convince them without a doubt that they need to make a move?

Use the latest technology.

Tablet sales continue to skyrocket and mobile Internet use is expected to surpass desktop use in the very near future. Today’s candidates expect to be engaged with videos, real-time notifications and prompt follow-up. Provide them with:

• Instant updates via mobile technology.
• Immediate feedback.
• Recruitment videos and interactive content.

Take an integrated approach to mobile-friendly solutions. Internet-connected mobile devices are “always on” personal devices. Any opportunity to utilize them in your candidate engagement strategy is beneficial. Consider:

• Customer relationship management (CRM) links via instant messaging.
• Permission-based short message services (SMS).
• Incorporation of Quick Response (QR) codes into your recruitment materials.

Videos can be highly effective, as they provide a peek at your corporate culture and feature aspects of a position that are not conveyed by a verbal or written job description.

Put social media to work for you.

Recent research shows that more than 90 percent of recruiters use social media to engage job candidates, with excellent results.

• Utilize forums such as Reddit. The key to successful participation is trustworthiness. Read the rules of engagement before jumping into a forum. Participate in an authentic manner.
• Join relevant groups on Facebook and other platforms. Contribute meaningful content and provide images that spark dialogue and add value.
• Maximize your personal online profiles. Candidates will look at them. You want their reaction to be highly positive as they consider their next career step.

Optimize your career website.

Your updated and user-friendly career website continues to be of key importance as you move towards sealing the deal with a candidate.

• Use as much personalization and customization as possible.
• Keep information fresh and up to date. Impress candidates by staying on the cutting edge of this and all communications.
• Include testimonials from employees in jobs similar to the one on the table. Your current high performers are your best recruitment ambassadors.

Get to know each candidate on a personal level.

Research your targeted talent and their current work and lifestyle picture. Find their existing pain points and define ways that working for you can make them go away.

• Know the company they work for now. Use this information to differentiate your organization. For instance, can you offer them a bigger job with a wider scope or a chance to work on an industry-changing new product? Candidates want to join companies that are successful and growing.
• Know their career history. This will help you craft stronger, more specific engagement messages. For example, if you need them to relocate, proactively research cost-of-living differences. You are wasting your time if your compensation package and relocation offerings fail to measure up.
• Leverage shared connections. This helps cement the employer/candidate relationship and can provide additional insight into a person’s motivation and interests.

Communicate effectively.

Paint a picture that shows candidates where your company can take them. Find out their preferred means of communication so you can ensure productive dialogue.

• Personalize every message. Sixty percent of software developers in a recent survey said personalized content would prompt their response.
• Highlight specific examples of the work they would do for you. Increase their interest by describing actual projects and the impact results will have on the customer, the company and the market. In the same survey, more than half of respondents said product details were the most important aspect of a new job.

Consider partnering with the executive recruitment specialists at BrainWorks as you source, recruit, engage and retain top talent for your organization. Contact us today to discuss a customized strategy that will work for you.