Recruiting is no easy task, even for the most skilled HR practitioners. The responsibility of an HR practitioner not only includes scouting a talent ideal for a role, but also someone fit for the company culture and who would stay for a long time. In the US, the annual voluntary turnover rate is 13% while the annual involuntary turnover rate is 6%. (SHRM, n.d.) The cost of replacing an individual employee can range from one-half to two times the employee's annual salary. The search gets even more complicated if the work is highly technical and the industry has a specific niche.

If you’re a manager or HR practitioner looking to update and improve your hiring process, this article will give you strategies and advice on how to recruit for your hard-to-fill positions.

Strategies for Recruiting Hard-to-Fill Positions

1. Start with a compelling job description

Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals. This may sound very basic but getting candidates’ attention for hard-to-fill roles begins with a compelling job description. While job particulars are essential, giving candidates compelling reasons to apply makes it easier to get them invested and click through to the job ad.

Utilize an attractive language that underlines the rewards and benefits of working at your company instead of a long and monotonous list of skills and experience requirements.

Additionally, communicate the company’s core values and mission while highlighting company perks and benefits like healthcare, paid vacations, career advancement opportunities, and exciting projects candidates will tackle.

2. Know what your ideal candidate likes

Finding prospects for hard-to-fill holes requires managers and recruiters to know what a candidate seeks in taking a position. Recruiting high-level talent relies on the professional’s needs and stating how they will be utilized.

Start by identifying the company goals and expectations; if candidates don’t feel they will not serve an integral part of the company, they will not be enticed to fill the position.

Additionally, most younger workers seek professional fulfillment. Providing them with a competitive salary, high-grade equipment, a clear career track, and compelling projects that will keep them engaged throughout their stay. This increases your chances of getting the most appropriate candidate through the talent acquisition funnel.

3. Be in the right sourcing channels

The recruitment process has significantly evolved from posting newspaper ads to digital media. You can capitalize on these sourcing channels by building a solid presence on social media, job posting platforms, and freelancing websites.

Being on the proper sourcing channels gives the company access to a larger pool of high-level professionals suited for hard-to-fill roles. It’s recommended to stay relevant on these platforms to attract and network with prospective candidates.

Ensure that you highlight the company’s strengths and monitor key metrics to help you analyze what’s working and what’s not to improve candidate management.

4. Incentivize employee referrals

Employee referrals are an effective tool to secure candidates for hard-to-fill roles, giving your hiring process a positive push. Most likely, your staff knows other people in the industry, whether former classmates, colleagues, or bosses.

Making employee referral campaigns a part of your recruitment process gives you another method to recruit talent and nurtures your professional relationship with employees. Partnering up with them for your hiring strategies allows you to scale up teams quickly and bring in more qualified leads.

5. Build a network of high-quality talents

Possessing a strong network is an integral part of Human resource management. A strong network of connections gives your company access to otherwise unreachable talent through other means.

HR specialists refer to this concept as “the hidden job market,” wherein a simple conversation can spark interest and lead someone to a full-time job with a company.

While job boards serve a great purpose, these platforms aren’t necessarily the best for acquiring quality talent. Consider connecting with industry-leading websites, trusted online forums, and technology events to build a high-quality network of talents.

6. Consider internal hiring

If the hiring process is not going as smoothly as recruiters want it to, it may be time to look elsewhere—and your existing employees may be the answer to your hiring difficulties.

When you consider internal hiring, ensure that you find an employee already familiar with the corporate culture and business processes. Additionally, upskilling and training employees to move up the ladder effectively prepares them to take on hard-to-fill roles.

7. Expand your area of search

Companies looking to secure high-quality talents for hard-to-fill roles in a competitive market may consider moving beyond conventional recruitment channels and expanding their search.

You can try offshore staffing to tap into a wide pool of global talents. And with the advances in telecommunications and cloud technology, collaborating with an offshore remote worker is certainly easier now than before.

8. Consider tapping recruitment services

Enlisting the help of a professional recruiter can expedite the hiring process without sacrificing talent quality. Recruitment services use their extensive network of professionals to aggressively search for specialists who meet your organization’s requirements.

Recruiting is Very Competitive

Finding the right talent is difficult,expensive and time consuming. The recruitment process is getting more difficult as the talent market gets more competitive. Exploring our advice mentioned above can help you start improving your candidate management and secure you the ideal talent to take on hard-to-fill roles.

If you need a reliable organization that offers recruiting services to aid you in your recruitment process, consider us at Patrice and Associates. Patrice and Associates is one of the Leading hospitality and executive search firms that has an extensive network of professionals in USA and Canada. We can help you secure candidates for your hard-to-fill roles. Contact us today to learn more. Your first consultation with us is Free!