92% of potential candidates have abandoned online job applications without finishing them. Tedious, repetitive application processes send candidates a message about the employer that isn't great.
To attract better candidates, it's time to dump the old system. Instead, recruit employees and sales talent by thinking outside the box.
Although recruiting qualified candidates is a different process in different fields, anyone can try one of these six surprising strategies to recruit great candidates.
1. Create an Employee Referral Program
Let your sales and marketing employees become your company's personal sales talent agency.
Employee referral programs are a cost-effective way to get great candidates. Reward employees with insight, and encourage strong applicants who already have a positive impression of your company as an employer.
2. Network in Spaces With High Candidate Potential
Advertising on job boards will only take you so far. Instead, network and recruit at in-person events.
Look for spaces where highly qualified potential recruits are likely to attend. Conferences, community volunteer clubs, and meetings of professional organizations related to your field are good places to look.
As you become a regular in your industry's spaces, you'll build strong relationships. Attracting top talent is far easier from that place.
3. Cultivate Your Company's Culture
If you're having trouble recruiting for your sales team, consider your company's culture. What could make it an attractive place for your ideal employees to spend a third of their days? What might push them away?
Consult with employees who are already thriving at your organization. And consider conducting data-gathering surveys with your potential candidate pool.
Once you hone in on what's attractive and what isn't, you can make changes accordingly.
4. Rethink Your Requirements
In job ads, make it clear which requirements are mandatory and which ones are simply ones you're hoping for.
Studies show certain, largely-qualified candidates self-select out of job applications. This happens because they're missing one requirement on a list of twenty or thirty.
Make sure you're not missing great candidates by chasing a unicorn.
Before hiring salespeople, consider which of the minimum requirements for the job are must-haves from day one. Then, discover which ones are optional.
Hone in on tasks or systems an employee might be able to learn on the job or through training. Then, remove those from the requirements checklist.
5. Highlight Compensation, Benefits, and Perks
Gone are the days when an employer could write, "salary is competitive and commensurate with experience" on a job listing and get high-caliber applicants. Today's high-quality workers don't waste time.
Put the salary band and most noteworthy benefits right at the top of the listing. Attract people who know what their work is worth.
6. Streamline Hiring
The best hiring strategy lets you act fast. When a great candidate appears, be ready to make an offer on the spot.
If your current hiring process prevents that, change it. Fast.
When your company is vying for a candidate, odds are, so are others. Don't let a future star become the one who got away.
Tactics That Will Help You Choose the Best Candidates
Talent, skills, and experience are the criteria for obtaining a list of qualified candidates to interview. These three aspects are also the tactics that will help you choose the best candidates for the position.
Talent
You can use a validated talent assessment at the beginning of the recruitment process. This is a great tool, so you don’t waste time on applicants who don’t have the talent that you need.
Skills
Ask candidates to demonstrate their skills. Regarding the needed skills you have listed, ask the candidate to tell you stories about how they have used them for success.
- If you’re hiring a sales manager, show them your inventory management report and pricing history and ask them to review it to see what they know.
- If a salesperson says they’re great at using a CRM, open it up and ask them to show what is important to them.
Experience
Pull up their resume and LinkedIn page. Ask them about what they have learned from individual experiences that you have selected.
- How did you close the deal on the best person you ever recruited?
- Tell me about the best sale you ever made?
- Tell me about a time when things got hard?
Recruit Better Sales Talent Today
Great salespeople are always in high demand. They’re not going to have trouble finding a job, and for that reason, they are difficult to recruit. Start improving the talent level on your team by developing a recruitment strategy plan that will attract a list of qualified candidates.
