Employment in the UK has hit a record high again this year according to the Office for National Statistics with a 76.5% employment figure.

Although great for the economy, it means it’s a lot more competitive for businesses trying to hire the right talent.

Because of this, Recruitive has put together some tips on easy ways to stay ahead of the industry.

Streamline Your Recruitment Processes

Make your recruitment process simpler for you and your candidates by streamlining it. One big way you can do this is by using Applicant Tracking Software. An ATS system will enable you to streamline your recruitment process with the ability to control it all in one place, helping your company save time and money on future recruits.

At Recruitive our ATS allows candidates to manage their application through the candidate portal, a feature which allows a candidate to track their journey through the hiring and on-boarding process. This feature is fully integrated within the main ATS via your website with your branding preserved throughout.

The user-friendly system enables a candidate to register/login, complete applications, track application status, receive updates, upload and electronically sign relevant documentation, build and update their profile all in one place.

By updating your processes, you’re making it easier, quicker, cheaper and more efficient to hire.

Showcase Employee Benefits and Appreciation

Employees like to be appreciated and cared for so, make it clear to potential candidates that you have a strong people focus. Shout about your staff with marketing and make it clear from the start the many benefits you offer. It’s been revealed that flexible working is the main concern for candidates in 2020, so if you offer it, tell them about it.

Consider Who Are You Targeting

Consider who you want to target then how and where you’re going to target them. Look at the market to see where the best candidates are for your industry with the correct skill specification. Then consider ways in which you can engage them in the recruitment process. One example could be that candidates in the retail sector like being able to initially apply with a CV or for a niche sector, it might be worth looking into advertising on a specialised recruitment site. Look at what works for your sector.

Environmentally Friendly

We’re living in an environmentally aware decade and job seekers like to see that companies are thinking green. Not only is it worth informing potential candidates how you’re environmentally forward but also what other values your company stands by. People like to know they share the same values as the company they represent so make it clear that you do.

Employee Referrals

Your staff have connections, so utilise them. Employee referrals are an easy way to find staff members fast. There’s also a better chance that they’ll end up being suitable to join the team.

Offer staff members a cash incentive for referring those who are successful. This will probably still be cheaper than going through the traditional recruiting process.

Write Engaging Job Descriptions

An application process begins with the job description, so make this engaging by telling candidates why your company is a desirable place to work.

Not only do you want to express all the benefits you offer, as we said earlier, you also want to tell them about the job role they’re applying for and what the working environment is like. Is it a small, close working family? or is it a big, energetic, social community?

Also, consider being transparent about the salary you’re offering. Not only is this something candidates would like to know, but job posts with salary information also tend to rank higher, meaning more exposure, meaning more applicants.

To help with this, Recruitive will be writing a job description guide soon.

Communicate with Candidates

You’ve got lots of applicants but how many have been back in contact since? They might have other opportunities which are on the horizon so keep them engaged throughout the process.

Like we said earlier, ATS can make your recruitment process easier and more efficient by giving you the ability to see and communicate with candidates from one place.

Make sure you also communicate with those who weren’t successful. This says a lot about a company. Thank them for their time and give them a reason as to why they weren’t quite what you were looking for. Give them some feedback if they ask for it. You’re meeting lots of people when recruiting so think of it as an opportunity to build your network. They might not be suitable now, but they could be in the future.

Extend Job Post Exposure

You want your vacancies to be seen by as many potential candidates as possible so consider the best place to post them. It might be using a suitable jobs board or updating your careers website so that your jobs are listed in Google Jobs.

Recruitive can help you build your careers website to automatically post into Google Jobs, and there are lots of benefits. Not only does it increase exposure with the opportunity for your postings to be viewed at the very top of a Google Job Search, but it also saves money on third-party sites, increases candidate engagement by being more direct and protects your company branding.

For more information on our solutions, fill out a contact form.