Recruiters need to have a host of techniques and life skills to bring in the best candidates out of a pool of thousands. Being a recruiter requires a pro-active approach to seeking out and finding the best talent in your industry. While employment applications are a good place to start, some of the best talent isn’t looking for your company. They already have jobs they are happy with, and it’s your responsibility to convince them that taking a chance on your company is worth the risk. Let’s look at some key recruiting strategies that are gaining in popularity.

1. Recruiting Strategies – Getting Referrals

Word of mouth is still one of the best ways to find new recruits. Asking for referrals from people you trust and respect can help you find hidden talent. Recruiters that ask for referrals are much more likely to locate qualified candidates with a good work ethic. Referrals can be found by talking to other people at work, looking for recommendations on social media and talking with old teachers, colleagues and friends. A good referral program is still the number one source of leads, and for good reason since they generally result in reliable and dependable employees. If someone is willing to stick their neck out for another person, it means there is something to that person.

2. The Shortlist

Make a short list of the top candidates for the position you’re trying to fill. When a candidate flat out refuses to join your company, keep them on the list and follow up every six months to a year. In the meantime, ask them if there are any candidates they would recommend since it’s obvious they aren’t going to come aboard. This tells the candidate that you value their opinion, and it just might introduce you to another qualified candidate. Constantly update your short list, and don’t be afraid to completely scrap a list that doesn’t meet the goals of the company and start over.

3. Use Glassdoor

Glassdoor helps employees connect with recruiters, and locate jobs that they will love. Reviews of companies are available at Glassdoor, and this can help an employee narrow down the options when it comes to looking for the next job. Users can search through a list of jobs, reviews, companies, salaries and interviews. All of this data makes it easier to find recruits and evaluate a company before a candidate applies for a job.

If your employees aren’t using Glassdoor, encourage them to do so to help get the word out about your company. A few reviews will go a long way toward helping you recruit new talent in your industry. They are also a fantastic way to measure your current employees’ trust in the CEO or upper management (for example, check out the difference between Nu Skin’s rating and that of Zappos.)

4. Use Social Media

Social media is a great way to recruit potential candidates. Using a Facebook account, you can search for users that match the interest and qualifications you’re looking for. While many Facebook users won’t make this kind of information about themselves public, there are a vast number of profiles that do. This is especially true with LinkedIn users who might provide more information since that site is specifically tailored toward business professionals.

Twitter users pose more of a challenge, but you can quickly sort through filters and find the most prominent users for any given field to increase your short list. Take advantage of the leverage that social networks provide in the recruiting process, and connect with users when it’s most convenient for them. Create a social media page for the company and list any job offerings that are available as well. This helps let other people find you by searching for their interests.

5. Host Meetups

Recruiters that host or sponsor a Meetup generally have good results with new recruits. When you participate in a Meetup, you gather a group of like-minded individuals who are there for the sole purpose of learning about your company. The Meetup can be casual and provide recruits with a relaxed, friendly environment where they can ask questions and learn more about your company. Some of the most successful recruiting strategies involve a Meetup at some stage of the recruiting process. It’s a great way to get all the candidates together and see how they react in a social setting.

6. Visit Colleges and Universities

Colleges and universities are a great way to find young candidates with an excitement and zeal to change the world. Recent college graduates make up for a lack of experience with tremendous energy, and a desire to do well in their first post-college job. Setting up a booth during the opening week of classes, walking around during lunch time and meeting students in their departments are all great ways to locate prospects and build your short list. Colleges and universities are great places to meet potential employees that want to work hard and do a good job.

Work hard on your recruiting strategies, and focus on developing one new strategy each week. By focusing your efforts, you can be more productive and find the right talent and skill-sets needed for your company to succeed. Attempt to do everything at once, and you’re likely to get overwhelmed and be less productive in your recruiting goals. Take some time each day to reflect on what you want to accomplish, and then devote all of your energy and resources toward achieving that one goal.

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