Dear Barbara:
My recruiters are only filling 12% of the job orders we are writing. The orders not being filled are good orders that are obviously being filled by our competitors. I spend a fortune on job boards and LinkedIn Recruiter but too often the candidates we’re surfacing have been called by several other recruiters or have already submitted their resume to the client. I hate to think of all the money we’re leaving on the table and I’m tired of listening to the excuses of my recruiters. How can we fill more of our orders?
Rodney A., Atlanta, GA
Dear Rodney:
Clients not only want the best talent, but they want you to surface it faster than your competitors. They also want candidates they are not attracting by their job board ads and website postings. Implement the following ideas and you will fill more of the job orders written:
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- Call past employers of your best candidates. Recruit their replacement. They will have the same skills.
- Add six words to recruiting calls: “From your last place of employment.” This prevents someone from telling you they don’t know anyone. When you ask, “Who was the best (insert job title) from their last place of employment,” you will obtain names.
- Send an article of interest with a list of your open orders to your candidate database bi-monthly. You will surface candidates you have forgotten and your candidates will forward the list to their contacts which will result in additional candidates.
- Continue to recruit on an order until an offer is extended, to fill your database with additional qualified candidates who will fill future job orders.
- Create and promote a candidate referral program. 50% of your candidates should be the result of referrals.
Implement these ideas and you will fill a much higher percentage of your job orders.
Barbara J. Bruno, CPC, CTS
