You might be tempted to settle into the usual routine of posting job ads and praying the right candidates magically appear. But if you want to be a game-changer, you need a strategy that’s anything but ordinary. Here are eight tactics to elevate your talent acquisition game and make 2024 your year.
The Tactic: Transform every interaction with candidates into a memorable and positive experience that leaves them singing your praises, whether they get the job or not.
Why It Matters: A stellar candidate experience can differentiate your brand in a crowded job market. When candidates feel valued and respected, they’re more likely to become ambassadors for your company, referring other top talents even if they don’t join your team.
Best Practice: Implement a seamless and transparent application process. Provide timely updates, constructive feedback, and personal touches that make candidates feel appreciated. Use technology to streamline communication and ensure no candidate feels left in the dark.
The Tactic: Help your company’s leaders build strong personal brands that resonate with top talent and enhance your employer brand.
Why It Matters: Candidates often look up to a company’s leadership when deciding where to apply. Leaders with strong personal brands can attract talent by showcasing the company’s vision, values, and culture through their own authentic voices.
Best Practice: Encourage leaders to be active on social media, sharing insights, company achievements, and personal stories. Provide them with content and media training to ensure their messaging is consistent and impactful. This not only attracts talent but also builds trust and credibility in the market.
The Tactic: Use unconventional and low-cost strategies to promote your employer brand and stand out from the competition.
Why It Matters: Traditional employer branding strategies can get lost in the noise. Guerrilla tactics capture attention, generate buzz, and create a lasting impression on potential candidates.
Best Practice: Document don’t create! Create the framework and space for your people to be able to publish their own content. Content that reflects your company’s culture and values and is authentic. Not just employee testimonials, use-the-scenes content to give candidates an authentic glimpse into your organisation. The key is to be bold, creative, and authentic.
The Tactic: Develop an extensive library of ungated content that showcases your expertise and company culture, accessible to anyone at any time.
Why It Matters: Ungated content—content that doesn’t require any form submission to access—builds trust and transparency. It positions your company as a thought leader and an attractive employer for informed and savvy candidates.
Best Practice: Create a variety of content, including blogs, whitepapers, videos, and podcasts that highlight your company’s knowledge and culture. Make this content easily accessible on your website and promote it through social media and email campaigns. Focus on providing value and insights that potential candidates will find useful.
The Tactic: Maintain a constant pipeline of potential candidates, even when you’re not actively hiring.
Why It Matters: A robust talent pipeline ensures you’re never scrambling to fill positions. It reduces time-to-hire and ensures you always have access to top talent, regardless of current hiring needs.
Best Practice: Continuously engage with potential candidates through networking events, social media, and industry conferences. Use a CRM system to keep track of interactions and maintain relationships. Regularly update candidates on company news and opportunities to keep them engaged and interested.
The Tactic: Conduct thorough research to understand the talent market, including trends, competitor analysis, and candidate expectations.
Why It Matters: Informed decisions are better decisions. Understanding the talent market helps you tailor your strategies to attract and retain the best candidates.
Best Practice: Regularly gather data on salary benchmarks, skill demand, and industry trends. Use this information to adjust your recruitment strategies and stay competitive. Conduct surveys and focus groups with current employees and candidates to gain insights into what they value most.
The Tactic: Offer a transparent view of your company, including its challenges, successes, and day-to-day operations.
Why It Matters: Transparency builds trust. When candidates have a clear understanding of what it’s like to work at your company, they can make more informed decisions and are more likely to stay long-term.
Best Practice: Use social media, company blogs, and employee testimonials to share the inner workings of your organization. Highlight both the successes and the challenges, showing that you are a realistic and open employer. This approach attracts candidates who are genuinely interested in being part of your journey.
The Tactic: Build and nurture talent communities where potential candidates can engage with your brand, learn about your company, and network with current employees.
Why It Matters: Talent communities keep potential candidates engaged and interested in your company. They provide a platform for ongoing interaction, making it easier to fill positions quickly when they arise.
Best Practice: Create online forums, social media groups, or regular meetup events where potential candidates can interact with your employees and learn about your company. Provide valuable content and networking opportunities that keep them engaged. Use these communities to gather feedback and insights on what candidates are looking for in an employer.
Being a Head of Talent Acquisition isn’t about maintaining the status quo; it’s about pushing boundaries and implementing innovative strategies. By adopting these eight tactics, you can transform your talent acquisition efforts and position your company as a top choice for the best candidates out there.
Remember, great talent acquisition is proactive, not reactive. It’s about creating a compelling candidate experience, building strong personal brands, and thinking outside the box with your employer branding. It’s about being transparent, continually engaging with potential candidates, and understanding the talent market inside out.
So, HR and talent professionals, what strategies are you focusing on for 2024? It’s time to take your talent acquisition to the next level and make a lasting impact.
Move's embedded talent service ensures you get it right when you most need to. We’re experts at securing top talent that thrives in early-stage tech businesses. And, we’ll set you up for hiring success so you can do it without us in the future 🚀 Work with your own dedicated, expert talent team on a subscription basis during periods of growth. No long contracts. Guaranteed hires.
We’ll make the hires, you keep the playbooks 🛠🤝Don't take our word for it, check out our testimonials page 👀🚀🚀