How to Pipeline Talent This Holiday Season

The talent market is tight. And the unemployment rate has changed very little, holding currently at 3.6 percent.

As an employer, it can be frustrating and daunting to try to find much needed talent. To pipeline talent, hopefully before it’s needed too desperately, try these four strategies:

Build Your Brand: Building a strong employer brand is no longer a nice to have but a must do. Building a strong talent pipeline requires a strong employer brand. This means creating a talent community and nurturing candidates – so they can go from unfamiliar to brand ambassadors. One of the easiest – and cheapest – platforms to start building an employer brand is on social media.

Be Accessible: After you begin employer branding and pipelining efforts it’s important to do one simple thing – be there. Respond to candidates as they have questions and need more information about your company. As you get to know your talent community better, you’ll begin to know when your target audience is online and when they need you to respond. Candidates, like consumers, expect instantaneous access, and to have their questions answered immediately.

Ask For Referrals: Referrals are still one of the best sources of talent. When courting candidates who may not personally be considering new career opportunities, consider asking them for their best referral for the job. The old adage that good people know good people will always hold true. Get to know the people your talent community knows and bring them into your recruiting efforts.

Streamline: Depending on your technology stack, it is likely talent acquisition is taking place in a variety of tools – from your applicant tracking system (ATS) to customer relationship management (CRM) software to your social media profiles. Ensure you have a strategy and process in place to streamline efforts. Stay nimble, be responsive and get organized.

Need help with an end-of-year recruitment strategy? Contact us. People are our priority and our specialty.