Jeremy Kaplan
If you own a business or are a professional recruiter, you want to find and retain the best staff. You want employees who are committed to their jobs, enthusiastic and skilled at what they do. Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to find them. The best workers may already have been snatched up by another firm. Or maybe, you just aren’t looking for them in the right places.
From face-to-face connections to referrals and online job boards, you need to spread a wide net. While people still attend conferences and business mixers, lots of interaction takes place in the virtual world. From CodeSignal Recruiter which helps you to locate technical talent to LinkedIn where you can just about any category of worker, internet searches are a must.
Here are five places where you should look for your next team member.
Instagram and Facebook
Instagram has hit one billion users and Facebook has over two billion. While people don’t necessarily go on social media specifically to look for a job, they do come across job ads. Add yours to the list. Use Facebook’s ad targeting features to reach out to the people you want to join your company. You can target your ad by geographical location, age range gender, and interests. That way you can be sure that your ideal candidate is more likely to see your post.
Colleges and Universities
Your ideal employee may be still in school. If you are looking for entry-level staff or an out-of-the-box thinker, you may want to consider a soon-to-be graduate. Ask professors or the dean at a local college to recommend top students studying for your field. Ask about if there’s a job placement office where you can post a flyer. Maybe you can even make a presentation to students. Another option is to offer internships to current students and then offer a full-time position to the best candidate when they graduate.
Professional associations and chapters
Reach of the local chapters of professional associations in your area. Find out who is in charge and see if you can attend a meeting. You may meet lots of qualified individuals who are looking for a better paying job or to take on a new challenge. Communicators, writers, engineers, and office professionals all have associations which meet regularly and support members. If the body is based on international certification or accreditation, you’ll know you’re getting the best of the best.
Look for freelancers
If you’re looking for hourly workers or people to work on specific projects, maybe you don’t want a full-time employee. You may have a work from home position available. With the rise of the digital nomad and location independent worker, you should be open to this type of hire. They know they won’t get paid if they don’t produce at a high standard so these workers tend to give it their all. Try a platform like Upwork, Media Bistro or Contena.
Reach out to non-profits
A number of non-profits work to find better-paying jobs for low-income individuals. Some seek employment for at-risk youth, homeless people, young single parents and so on. Many people who have fallen on hard times find it difficult to get back on their feet again. Hiring someone who has been struggling may give you the help you need while also allowing you to assist an individual or family.
Forget simply placing a job ad in the newspaper or asking your friends if they know anyone. Today’s job market is complex, and workers can be found in the strangest of places. Don’t limit your search.
