By Keith Gerson  –  Are you struggling to attract quality candidates and fill open roles? You’re not alone. In today’s tight labor market, businesses across industries are facing an uphill battle when it comes to recruitment and retention.

By using strategic and creative recruiting tactics, you can gain an edge over the competition in finding top talent. This guide covers 10 proven approaches to help you solve your hiring headaches once and for all.

From leveraging social media and employee referrals to hosting unforgettable hiring events and revamping your job descriptions, you’ll get an action plan for modernizing your recruitment efforts. You’ll also learn how to build a compelling employer brand, offer incentives that move the needle, and reduce turnover through impactful retention initiatives.

Let’s dive into the top 10 tactics:

  1. Build a Magnetic Employer Brand:What comes to mind when candidates think of your company? Your employer brand encompasses your reputation, values, and workplace culture. With today’s candidates prioritizing more than just pay, you need to showcase what makes your company unique and desirable. Use multiple channels to highlight your employer brand – your careers website, social media, Glassdoor, and more. Share photos and videos that give a glimpse into your culture. Encourage employees to get involved in reinforcing your brand messaging.
  2. Tap Into Social Media Recruiting: Speaking of social media, are you taking full advantage of platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to attract talent? Over 62% of companies are using social recruiting for hourly roles. Devise a social media strategy to both build your employer brand and actively source candidates. Use relevant hashtags, engage niche communities, and create compelling content that paints your company in the best light
  3. Maximize Job Boards & Applicant Tracking: While social media is an increasingly important channel, don’t overlook more traditional tactics. Leverage top job boards like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and LinkedIn to post openings. But go beyond just posting jobs. Implement an applicant tracking system to streamline processes like screening resumes, scheduling interviews, and managing communication with candidates. Many integrations can automate manual tasks.
  4. Get Creative with Incentives:With so many companies vying for talent, compelling incentives can help your openings stand out. Research shows that 77% of employers now offer perks like increased hourly pay, sign-on bonuses, tuition assistance, and more. Get creative with incentives that will resonate with your target candidates. Free food, room discounts, childcare benefits, and other unique perks could sway candidates in your favor
  5. Incentivize Employee Referrals: While Glassdoor, job postings, and social media are useful discovery channels for open roles, research shows that referred candidates are of higher quality. Referrals produce 25% more profit than those hired through other methods. Create a formalized employee referral program with attractive incentives to get your team involved in recruiting their networks. Offer cash rewards, paid time off, or donation matching to charity.
  6. Think Outside Traditional Channels: While you have to start with the standard channels, getting creative with recruitment sources can pay off. Consider “temp to hire” staffing agencies, local networking groups, area colleges, or even sourcing from entirely different industries.
  7. Host Unforgettable Hiring Events:Job fairs and hiring events have evolved to be much more engaging experiences. Host themed events with gamification, speed interviews, simulations, and prizes to show off your company culture while evaluating talent.
  8. Recast Job Descriptions: Don’t get stuck with a narrow talent pool due to strict job requirements. Consider recasting job descriptions to focus on transferrable skills rather than specific experience. Opening the aperture allows you to identify hidden talent.
  9. Prioritize Retention: While recruitment is critical, retention efforts are equally important to reduce costly turnover. Prioritize training, growth opportunities, employee recognition, and building a supportive workplace culture to keep top performers engaged and motivated.
  10. Track Recruiting Metrics: To optimize your recruiting strategy, you need to measure key performance indicators like time to hire, source of hires, offer acceptance rates, and cost per hire. With the right data, you can double down on your most effective tactics.

It is essential to take a multi-pronged approach to entice top talent. By building an exceptional employer brand, creatively promoting openings across channels, offering compelling incentives, and prioritizing retention, you can gain an edge over the competition.