Thank you so much for joining me for this second week of the Hiring Toolkit for your business. Last week we looked into defining the job and writing the job description. This week we look into recruiting and how you attract the ideal candidate.
How do you find your new employee? This week we learn about the difference between a job description and a job ad. We look into tried and true ways of advertising for option positions, and how you can reach out and find the right person for your open position.
The Job Ad
The mistake that I see most often with job ads is that they are a list of job requirements. It is important to include some job requirements in a job ad, but a job ad has some distinct differences from a job description.
Firstly and most importantly, it calls out to your ideal employee. A job ad should entice your ideal employee to work for you. It does this by describing the job in a way that someone would love to do it.
Secondly, a job ad sets your company apart from all the other companies that person could work for. There are a lot of places your ideal employee could be working. What is it about working for you that makes you the right fit for them? What is the style of work? Fast paced? Casual? Detail oriented? Show them why you are the best company for them to spend their time with.
Thirdly, a job ad typically includes minimum qualifications so that a possible candidate will know whether or not they qualify for the job and should even spend time on submitting an application. When candidates are scanning through job ads, typically they want to make sure they will be able to do the job.
Last, if you are an equal opportunity employer, it is wonderful to include a statement at the end of the job ad. Here are a few resources on writing your equal opportunity employer statement:
Keep in mind: The process of developing an Equal Opportunity statement must be based in the actual practices of the organization. It is best to enlist the assistance of your staff, especially minority staff and those who care about this work in developing the practices that will make you an equal opportunity employer. This isn't a process where the owner or CEO writes a statement and gives it to the organization. This is a process that is iterative and incorporates the lived experiences of staff.
Sourcing Candidates
There are so many ways to source candidates for positions. It is best to start relationships with people who you want to work for you before you have an opening. This way you develop a pipeline so that when you have an opening you already have qualified candidates ready to go. When want to promote an open position, consider the following (in order from least expensive to most expensive):
Former Employees: Invite former employees to come and work for you again. Former employees will already have some familiarity with the position and your company. Only rehire a former employee who was a good fit previously.
Company Website: Publish a page on your website with your current and future openings. This way people who visit your website know what jobs you have available.
Email Network & Community Connections: Include open positions in your newsletter, or send a special email to your contacts letting them know about your open position. Your email network may know of someone who would be interested in the position you have available.
In Shop Promotion: If you have a physical location and this is appropriate for the work environment, post a flyer in your shop so that any guests or clients can see the jobs you have available. Clients and customers make some of the best employees! They are already familiar with your brand and the jobs in your company.
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, etc. You company can do this through your feed or can post job ads on these platforms. Consider what types of social media your ideal candidate will use and post there.
Referral: Offer bonuses for your employees who refer candidates who are hired on as employees. Typically companies will give a bonus to both employees after they have both worked for the company for a specified period of time. For example, a $100 bonus for the referrer and a $50 bonus for the new employee after 3 months.
Job Posting Websites: These are the most expensive tools for recruitment. Consider where your ideal candidate will be searching for jobs to determine where to host job ads. Keep track of the ads that you post and the effectivenessCraigslist, Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, local colleges, local high schools
Usually if I am reaching out to people to notify them about a position, I will start out by posting the position either on the company website or a job posting website. Then when I reach out to promote the position I will direct applicants to the job post or company website so they can learn more about the position and apply. Most job posting websites will collect and email resumes, cover letters, etc to you. If you are hiring for many positions I recommend using a candidate tracking system like Lever. These systems will integrate with your website so that candidates can apply directly there. If you do not need a candidate tracking system, you can just explain on your website where the candidate can email their resume, cover letter, etc.
Learn More
In this series we will focus on the four main pieces of the hiring process: defining the job, recruiting, interviewing and onboarding new employees. The better we are at each of these steps the less likely it is we will bring someone into our company that just isn't the right fit. As always our goal is to create systems that are fair for all built on best practices.
​
Each Monday, starting July 13, I will release the toolkit for the week, sending it to those of you who sign up to receive this information and posting the information on this website.
July 27: Interviewing
August 3: Onboarding
I welcome your comments on this work. If you would like me to clarify anything or would like to participate in a conversation about this work, please consider commenting or reaching out to me directly.
If you're interested in getting HR updates and learning about how to work with me, sign up for my newsletter, here.