What are unique ways to source candidates beyond job boards and referrals?

Social Media postings with attractive flyer designs targeting the specific groups, Developing relationship with Universities and Institutes to attract their Alumini. Design a brand ambassador model/ program with your own employees and share the openings with them. Internal Mobility program for certain niche skills. Direct Walk-in programs for bulk hirings.

Recruiters and company information boards are critical crowd pullers as long as they maintain a consistent truthful reputation in line with their USPs. Marketing & lead generation comes in/through various forms - Hackathons, Campus engagements, Job fairs, vendor partner fairs, social media marketing etc. But beyond marketing to hire from existing pool of talent, one needs to get innovative esp. in times when there is a talent gap. Partnering with Universities/ colleges/ skill institutes to provide specific curriculum that would be needed to bridge the talent gap is now a necessity and not an option. This in my view, is one of the most important investment that any progressive firm can make towards their talent strategy.

Leverage your personal networks as well as your ideal candidate's networks, utilize Expat hubs, niche job boards, expand geographically, sharpen up your Boolean search strings, engage alumni networks and associations/industries events, create touch points with high value targets to nurture for referrals, reach out to company alum, and execute ambassadors.

Social Media Monitoring: Engage with potential candidates on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and niche forums. Alumni Networks: Tap into university or industry alumni for qualified candidates. Industry Events: Attend conferences, workshops, or meetups to connect with professionals. Hackathons and Coding Competitions: Scout talent at tech-focused events. Online Communities: Participate in forums and groups related to your industry. Freelance Platforms: Explore platforms like Upwork or Freelancer for specialized talent. Talent Pipelining: Cultivate relationships with passive candidates for future opportunities.

Don’t be afraid to use Social Media beyond posting jobs. Try: 1. Day in the life of videos 2. Meet the team docs 3. Video job descriptions 4. ‘Work with me’ comms from the manager of particular teams Try and be creative in your content and messaging and use targeting to reach the audience in terms of skills, job titles, locations, tools etc Good luck

Open-Day events are always a great way to make hires. They don’t have to cost a fortune to put on either. Be as flexible as you can so potential candidates can attend consider an evening or a weekend open-day. Candidates really enjoy being able to have a look around and actually hear from people who work for the business and ask them any questions direct.

Hosting or participating in online events can be an effective way to recruit talents. Here are some ideas: *Host virtual career fairs where candidates can interact with your team *Conduct webinars or workshops on industry-related topics *Organize virtual networking events *Host online panel discussions featuring industry experts and professionals *Arrange virtual hackathons or coding challenges

Indeed, online events offer numerous advantages that extend beyond traditional recruitment methods. They serve as a cost-effective and time-saving approach, eliminating the need for travel expenses and overcoming geographical barriers. By hosting or participating in webinars, podcasts, and workshops, you can connect with potential candidates worldwide. Additionally, online platforms such as Eventbrite, and Meetup, provide efficient tools for event promotion, and feedback collection. Following up with attendees enables you to nurture relationships and encourage them to join your community. Overall, online events offer a dynamic and accessible avenue for sourcing top talent within the country and globally.

Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are powerful tools for sourcing candidates. By leveraging hashtags, keywords, and groups related to your industry, role, or location, you can discover potential candidates and engage with them directly. Showcasing your employer brand through engaging posts can attract talent and encourage applications or referrals. Additionally, social media ads enable targeted outreach to specific candidate segments based on their interests, demographics, or behavior.

A crucial aspect of online events is always having a good and engaging topic that is presented authentically. Not everything that we find exciting in-house resonates with an external audience. Therefore, it is definitely advisable to create a script and carefully consider who the event is intended for.

All platforms below are fantastic ways to connect with a very specific niche of talents: *Tech and IT: GitHub, Stack Overflow & Behance (for UI/UX designers). *Marketing and Design: Dribbble, Inbound.org & GrowthHackers. *Creative: Artstation & 99designs *Gaming & eSport: Discord

Niche communities are often an untapped market in which to find those unicorn candidates. After you identify what an ideal candidate looks like, try and think of activities, groups, or initiatives they may be involved in. An easy example is if you are trying to hire Skilled Trades candidates, build relationships with alumni groups at technical colleges in the area you're targeting. For Emerging Talent, see if you can attend a job fair or give a short presentation a few months before the commencement ceremony. A more out-of-the-box solution may be to get yourself onto an industry-specific podcast, and do your research! Millions of people listen to podcasts while working or commuting to work, and this is your chance to be heard!

During most recent project, I reached out to local workforces. These are great because the reps have incentives to place their participants in suitable positions, as they are government funded. Also, a bonus- they do it for free!

Utilizing social media creatively expands candidate sourcing beyond traditional methods like job boards & referrals. It enables tapping into diverse talent pools by reaching passive candidates who may not actively seek job opportunities.By showcasing company culture, values, & unique selling points, social media attracts candidates who align with the organization's ethos.Creative content formats such as videos, infographics, and live sessions offer engaging platforms to highlight job openings and attract talent. Leveraging social media also fosters direct interaction with candidates,allowing for personalized engagement.Furthermore,it enhances employer branding by establishing the company as an attractive & dynamic workplace.

I primarily use LinkedIn to identify highly qualified candidates, but occasionally, I explore other tutoring platforms such as ADP List or Mentor Cruise to broaden my search. As my role involves finding mentors, these platforms have proven beneficial in connecting with a diverse pool of candidates. Interestingly, I've come across some compelling individuals on these platforms, and while collaboration may be limited, I still enjoy following them on LinkedIn for valuable insights and updates.

I remember at my previous company, we went for a team event and had an escape room session. It was so great, we had lots of fun and I thought why not using the same system to engage talents and invite them for interviews. I went back to the office, submitted the ideas to my engineers and they crafted a puzzle challenge that we posted online with a specific email address that will be found if they solved the puzzle. I was looking at the "puzzle challenge" inbox for days and .... no one found the answer ! Disappointing ;(

Exactly, that leads to success! Unexpected methods with wit and charm. They require a bit of courage at first but then demonstrate a uniqueness that is unparalleled.

Yes, unconventional methods of hiring are game-changing for recruitment now. We should opt to follow trends. -Affiliate programs, Alumni networks of universities, or former employers. -Sponsor or participate in hackathons, boot camps, or recruitment drives. -Host open houses and office tours with fun, engaging activities. -Freelance platforms such as Upwork, Freelancer, etc. -Online forums, discussion groups, or niche platforms. -Attention-grabbing job postings to unconventional places to display the opportunities. -Host networking events to connect with potential candidates.

To ask for recommendations, it is important to build a strong relationship with the candidates to motivate them to recommend other people to work for your company, even when they were not chosen for the role or the process stopped for them for any reason. For the relationship to be successfully built, I suggest creating a trusting environment with them by being honest and transparent, explaining to them the next steps, and managing their expectations (regarding salary and what the company can offer them for their growth, for example).

Ask for recommendations Asking for recommendations is not the same as asking for referrals. Referrals are when you ask your existing employees, network, or contacts to suggest candidates who might be interested in your open roles. Recommendations are when you ask your candidates, prospects, or applicants to recommend other people who might be a good fit for your open roles.

Think outside the box when it comes to sourcing candidates! Tap into professional networks like LinkedIn groups or industry forums where you can connect with passive candidates who may not be actively job hunting. Additionally, don't underestimate the power of word-of-mouth. Ask your current team members, industry contacts, or even clients for recommendations—they may know someone who's a perfect fit for your role. By casting a wider net and leveraging diverse channels, you'll uncover hidden talent and expand your candidate pool beyond traditional methods.

LinkedIn, community partnerships, and potential candidates are all great ways to ask for recommendations. This can help you expand your candidate pool.

Try not to make your branding all about the jobs you have or the candidates you are looking for. Provide a service, be it your professional knowledge or experiences, or maybe research in your relevant sector that will engage an audience. If you can provide something worthwhile reading or engaging with, you'll increase your value. Better value, bigger audience.

We should include career counseling, the right job for the right person, and career development programs before hiring MTOs, interns, and freshers. Also, for experienced resources, the hiring manager should provide a career progression roadmap for the particular position. It will increase the overall value.