Recruitment Methods: A Guide to Finding Top Talent

Effective recruitment strategies can help your business attract, hire, and retain top talents.

As many industries are witnessing high unemployment rates, the competition to hire qualified employees is becoming more fierce. Moreover, emerging technologies and advancements necessitate business owners, HR managers, and recruiters to adopt effective recruitment strategies to source, evaluate, and select the best candidates for open roles.

Every SMB might need to create a different recruitment strategy to meet their hiring requirements, such as role, department, and budget. But how do you decide on the right recruitment method that can help you get the best talent?

In this article, we'll explore the latest internal and external recruitment methods for locating top talent, discover creative techniques for reaching passive candidates, and cover different ways to assess applicants.

Internal recruitment methods

Before you start looking for external candidates, you can consider your existing employees for any openings within the organization. This will reduce the time spent on pipeline building and increase the chances of finding qualified and dedicated candidates. Gartner research confirms that internal recruitment can help you build agility, boost retention, and save time and money.^[1]

Here are some internal recruitment methods:

Employee referral

Employee referrals are often the most used internal recruitment methods as employee referral programs simultaneously benefit the employee, the referred candidate, and the business. Employees working within the organization are familiar with the business’s values and goals. So, they are more likely to refer people who have the right skills for open job positions and can prove to be a good cultural fit.

Companies often reward the referring employee with a bonus when a candidate they referred gets hired. According to Aptitude Research, 62% of companies have decreased their average hiring time by using recruitment programs.^[2] Shelbye J Reese, Marketing Director of Deshazo LLC appreciates employee referrals for bringing in “the best candidates as these fields typically have a network of other skilled workers, and those employees can speak to the true experience of working for your company.^[3]"

Internal transfer

Providing internal mobility options to your employees gives them the opportunity for career advancement and growth while helping you retain top talent in the company. Internal transfers help build a culture of continuous learning and development, as employees can explore new challenges and expand their skill sets. This method can be particularly effective when filling positions that require specific knowledge of your company's operations or industry.

Here are some best practices for internal transfer:

• Create visibility into open positions: Maintain an online portal to simplify the job application and make it easily accessible to all employees. You can conduct workshops to increase employee awareness about the portal and explain how suitable candidates can apply for open positions.

• Help employees assess new opportunities: Provide self-assessment tools, career counseling, and feedback sessions to help employees assess opportunities based on their skills and career goals. Interactive workshops can also help them identify their strengths, interests, and areas of improvement.

• Establish internal consultants or mobility teams: Experts with in-depth industry knowledge can help match employees with the right roles. They can advise employees on their career options, facilitate the application process, and support their onboarding and integration.

Upskill Employees

Another internal recruitment method that can give great results is to provide your employees the chance to build the skills and knowledge necessary to take on new roles in the company. Upskilling employees can help you fill gaps within your organization and contribute to their professional growth.

You can start this process by conducting a skills gap analysis to identify areas where employees need training. Then, create targeted training programs that prioritize development in the identified areas. This will let employees know the career pathways they can take by taking advantage of dedicated training programs.

Promotions

Recognizing and promoting internal talent motivates employees and helps businesses retain high performers. When a position becomes available at a higher level within the organization, consider internal candidates who have demonstrated exceptional skills, performance, and potential in their current roles.

Promoting from within boosts employee morale and sends a strong message about opportunities for growth and advancement within your organization. It also encourages healthy competition and instills a sense of ambition among your employees as they see potential for career progression.

External recruitment methods

While internal recruitment methods often help find the best applicant to fill a role, you may have to search for candidates outside your organization to reach a more diverse talent pool and fill specialized or hard-to-fill roles. 

Here are some of the most common external recruitment methods used by employers:

Recruitment agencies

Hiring an experienced recruitment agency can help you seek qualified candidates, especially if you lack the internal resources or expertise to conduct extensive candidate searches. Recruitment agencies have established networks and expertise in specific industries, allowing them to identify and connect you with qualified candidates efficiently. They can handle various aspects of the recruitment process, including job posting, candidate screening, and initial interviews, to save your internal resources’ time and effort.

Campus recruiting

Working with colleges, universities, and other educational institutions is an effective way to tap into new talent. Campus recruitment programs enable companies to connect with students and recent graduates. Attending career fairs, hosting information sessions, and offering internships or co-op programs can help you expand your organization’s reach and attract promising young talent.

Social media

Online platforms, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, can help promote your brand, share job openings, network with potential candidates, and engage with talent communities. Create content that resonates with your desired talent demographic and leverage targeted advertising to attract and engage with qualified candidates who may not be actively searching for job opportunities.

Applicant tracking systems

An applicant tracking system (ATS) can help streamline and automate various parts of the recruitment process. It manages job postings, tracks candidate applications, and streamlines communication with applicants. It will also enable you to efficiently screen and rank candidates based on predefined criteria, ensuring a more organized and efficient selection process. ATS systems also have analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing you to learn more about your recruitment efforts and use that data to make better hiring decisions.

Virtual reality recruiting

Virtual reality (VR) recruiting is an innovative approach that allows candidates to experience simulated work environments and provides a glimpse into your organization's culture, values, and day-to-day operations. VR recruiting can be particularly effective when hiring for positions requiring specific technical skills or assessing a candidate's ability to handle challenging situations. By immersing candidates in virtual simulations, you can assess their abilities and cultural fit accurately.

Talent pool database

Leveraging talent pool databases, such as online job boards and professional social networking platforms, gives you access to a vast database of potential candidates actively seeking job opportunities. These platforms allow you to search for candidates based on various criteria, such as skills, experience, and location. They provide the opportunity to proactively reach out to candidates who match your requirements, creating a pipeline of potential hires for current or future openings.

Artificial intelligence systems

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are revolutionizing the recruitment process by automating repetitive tasks, analyzing resumes, and assisting in candidate screening. AI-powered recruitment solutions can quickly sift through large volumes of resumes, identify top candidates, and even conduct initial interviews using chatbot technology. These systems can save significant time, enabling recruiters to focus on building relationships with candidates and conducting more in-depth assessments.

Recruitment methods to evaluate candidates

Besides utilizing the traditional interview screening and resume selection process for recruitment, you should revise your recruitment strategy and include the latest technology to assess the applicant’s abilities and potential. 

Using new evaluation methods, when designed and implemented to minimize bias and promote inclusivity, can also help you find non-traditional candidates, according to Gartner's "5 Best Practices for Recruiting a More Diverse Workforce."^[4]

Online personality surveys

Online personality assessments offer a nuanced approach to evaluating candidates by providing insights into their soft skills, communication styles, and problem-solving approaches. Incorporating personality surveys into your hiring process can help uncover hidden talents and provide a more holistic understanding of each candidate’s abilities.

Group activities

Group activities offer a dynamic way to gauge how candidates collaborate, communicate, and solve problems in a team setting. Incorporating group activities into your evaluation process provides a more active representation of a candidate's capability while encouraging individuals to showcase their collaborative skills.

Gamification

Gamification engages candidates by incorporating gaming elements and mechanics into the recruitment process. By using interactive challenges, simulations, or virtual scenarios, organizations can evaluate their candidates' cognitive abilities, problem-solving skills, and decision-making capabilities entertainingly.

Choosing the right recruitment methods for your business

When working on your talent acquisition strategy, it's important to select the recruiting methods that best fit your unique business needs and goals. Here are some best practices for choosing recruitment methods for your business.

• Understand your needs first: Consider the specific skills, attributes, and qualities a candidate should have to succeed within your organization.

• Assess industry trends: Stay abreast of the latest trends in your industry and align your recruitment methods with these trends to position your business as forward-thinking and attractive to top talent.

• Consider candidate experience: While you are evaluating candidates, they are also evaluating your organization. Consider how each recruitment method impacts the candidate's journey and ensure you create a positive experience for potential employees.

• Balance internal and external approaches: Striking a good balance between internal and external recruitment methods ensures you tap into the potential within your organization while also bringing in fresh perspectives.

• Leverage technology wisely: Evaluate applicant tracking systems, artificial intelligence solutions, and other tools to streamline your workflow, enhance decision-making, and contribute to a more effective recruitment process.

• Evaluate cost-effectiveness: Consider the long-term value of each recruitment method, weighing the benefits against the cost to ensure a sustainable and resource-efficient approach.

• Craft a tailored strategy: There's no one-size-fits-all solution in recruitment. Your mission is to create a recruitment approach that identifies top talent and aligns with your organizational goals.

Next steps

In a dynamic and talent-driven business landscape, uncovering and hiring top-tier individuals isn’t just a task but a strategic necessity. Embracing a comprehensive recruitment strategy that encompasses both internal and external methods will allow organizations to cultivate a high-performing workforce that is agile, diverse, and equipped to drive success.

While devising your recruitment strategy, you should prioritize internal talent, expand your reach externally, and adopt interactive and inclusive evaluation methods.