Recruiting graduates this year is not business as usual. Advorto has created the 15-minute guide to recruiting graduates in a recession to help recruitment teams get the most out of their efforts in this shaky economic climate. Part 1 of this series talked about using technology, how to deal with an avalanche of applications, tightening up for killer questions, qualifying pre-screened, and making the most of screening. Part 2 covered using mobile applications, knowing which sources really work, advertising, tracking, social media such as Facebook and Twitter and bringing some functions in-house.
(If you don't want to wait for the instalments, you can download the entire guide now.)
Is everything integrated?Are you making the most of your systems and integrating when you can? For example, if you are using online tests, are they fully integrated with your online application and tracking system, so you don’t have to manage the information in two places.
On-line chat. All this automation can be impersonal. One way to augment it is to offer a time where you staff is available to answer questions from potential candidates. You can set up a chat facility and have a recruiter there waiting to engage and answer questions.
Referrals. In times like these, referrals can pay off. There are so many reasons referrals are a good option. The quality of the candidate is higher. There is a lower cost associated with referrals (no high agency fees and a known quantity.)
Beef up your online presence. Your web site is the first place a potential employee will go for information. Your best candidates come though this channel, so its creation and maintenance deserve your utmost attention. At the very least your career site needs to include an up-to-date listing of open positions and information about your company and its products. A fully developed site can include bells and whistles such as an online profiler, interactivity and streaming audio content.
Social networks such as Talent Cloud, recruitment blogs, and micro blogging (Twitter) are also low cost ways to reach your audience. Do some of your employees have their own blogs? Encourage them to help you recruit.
Make sure you download our “15-minute guide to online recruiting” for more affordable ideas on how to become an expert at online recruiting.
Continue to grow your graduate talent pool.One of your most cost- effective sources should be your own database of graduate talent – people that have been recommended and interviewed and you rate, but did not have a suitable post. An eRecruitment System can help you to do this seamlessly – make sure you take advantage.
Summary: Be creative and be flexible. Be prepared to work harder than ever and to keep learning.
Use this time to regroup and rethink how you recruit graduates. It’s not often you get the opportunity to reflect on how you do your job. If you use your time wisely and are creative you will come out of the recession with a more efficient graduate recruiting function.
This post is an excerpt of the whitepaper "The 15-Minute Guide To Recruiting Graduates In A Recession".
Photo credit: clever cupcakes
-Susannah
