NEWS

Recruiting In The New Year: Start Planning Now

Recruitment Goals

Many employers think of the new year as a chance to reshape their workplace. Whether it’s hiring new staff, offering more flexible employment options or diversifying job roles, the new year is often the perfect time to tick off your recruitment goals. However, if you are thinking about putting on more staff next year, you need to start preparing now. The new year is a busy time in the recruitment world, and you want to be one step ahead of the competition to make sure you attract the very best candidates. With only eight weeks left until most businesses wind down for the Christmas period, now is the time to start planning ahead for the new year. Sit down with your staff, work out where the gaps are and set some recruitment goals.

Here are some tips to get you started.

Consider the Effects of COVID-19

COVID-19 has changed so much about the way we work and the way we recruit, so it’s important to keep the effects of the pandemic in mind when making your recruitment plans. With millions of employees rethinking their careers and questioning the role of work in their life, it’s important to consider how your business feels about employees working from home and other questions of flexibility, including working part-time. Ask yourself whether you’re willing to have your employees work some or all their hours from home, whether there is room for movement on the usual nine to five routine, and what your remote working capabilities are.

Aaron McEwan, from global research and advisory firm Gartner, advises employers to see this as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to “reconfigure work so that it’s actually designed for this new world that we find ourselves in”.

International and domestic borders will also be opening from December onwards, so there is likely to be a pool of candidates who are looking to relocate and actively job searching. Just make sure you are clear on your policy for remote interviews!

Get Creative

The first quarter of the year is prime time for recruitment. It’s when candidates are looking and businesses are hiring. This means to stand out from the crowd and attract the best new employees, you need to get creative. If your recruitment strategy is based on the traditional format of place job advert – accumulate CVs  – interview candidates – and your struggling to find the right people, it might be time for a rethink. Consider other options like:

  • Facebook Ads (target specific groups with your job ad)
  • Social Recruiting (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram – wherever your target group is likely to spend time)
  • Networking ( a local business network or professional association is often a great way to source excellent candidates)
  • Recruitment Video (video marketing is increasing in popularity and a quirky recruitment video is a good way to showcase your business and your brand)

Perfect Your Job Description

As technology evolves and markets change, so too do businesses and what they require from their employees. Spending time writing a detailed and accurate job description will save you time in the long run. It may be tempting to copy and paste from an old job description, but even if the role you are recruiting for is similar, it’s worth redefining it by creating a new list of duties, responsibilities and attributes. Defining the skill set needed for the role will help you both shortlist candidates and interview them. It will also ensure you attract the most qualified and suitable employees for your organisation. 

Get Professional Help 

Working with a local recruitment agency like On Line Recruitment is a hassle-free way to source new employees for your business. Our team stays on top of recruitment trends which means we know the best ways to find candidates who will fit your brief. Save money, frustration and time by letting us do the hard work for you. 

Looking to hire in the new year? Give us a call to discover how achieving your recruitment goals is within your grasp.