Finding the best candidate is not as easy as some may imagine it to be. Think back to a time when you hired someone, thinking that they’d be the right fit for the job, only to find out that they had no experience with an essential skill or that they had bad work habits. Most hiring managers have made this mistake at least once in their careers. So, how do you find and recruit the best candidate for the job? Here are three ways to find the best candidate for your job.
1. A Killer Job Description
When you’re writing your job description, the language that you use is important. Firstly, your job description copy can show a glimpse of your corporate culture – it matters whether the language is casual or professional. And aside from the message that your job description conveys, it’s also important to include a detailed description of the job itself.
Here are the do’s and don’ts of writing job descriptions when looking for the best candidate:
- Do include an accurate description of the job. What are they doing on a day-to-day basis? What are the minimum requirements you have for your candidate? What programs do they need to know? What level of prior experience do they need to have?
- Do include information about your corporate culture. Do most employees work from the office once a week? Do you have Friday beer days? Do you offer your employees any extra benefits?
- Don’t be too casual. It’s good to include titbits of corporate culture – especially if you are attracting Millennials or a younger workforce. However, remember that it is still a job description that you need to post on professional networks.
2. Network for Candidates
We’ve all heard the saying, “it’s about who you know”. Networking is a great way to attract highly qualified candidates. Whether you are going to recruiting-specific events, online networking events, or coffee chats – networking is key to recruiting.
Here are the do’s and don’ts of networking for the best candidates:
- Do look in the right spots. Think about what kind of talent you want to attract and try to go to networking events where those people will be. For example, if you are looking for a creative person, go to a networking event where art graduates will be.
- Do leverage LinkedIn. It is a great social network for finding the best candidates. When you meet people at networking events, be sure to connect with them on LinkedIn. This way, when you post about your job opening in the future, you get reconnected with members of your network.
- Don’t rely solely on your immediate network. Remember that you can ask your connections to connect you to other people. Someone you met at a networking event may have a different person in mind for your job.
3. Work with Experts
Finding the best candidate is hard work. That’s why hiring managers and IT recruitment agencies exist – they have experience with connecting people to the right jobs. They typically have deeper knowledge of hiring practices and know the best questions to ask potential candidates. The job of a recruiter is to screen candidates, understand their job requirements, and match them with the right company.
Here are the do’s and don’ts of working with experts:
- Do hire a recruiter that knows what they are doing. Good recruiters get to know their candidates and the hiring companies well. They understand the requirements of both parties and have access to multiple potential candidates and jobs, which makes it easier for them to find the right candidate.
- Do look for recruiters that offer placement guarantees. Some recruiters will charge exuberant fees, even when the candidate doesn’t work out. Look for a recruiter that has a guaranteed placement policy to save you money and a headache in the long run.
- Don’t work with companies
Microserve is a leading IT Solutions company in Canada and has over 30 years of experience in the IT industry. The experts that run our IT recruitment agency are well connected to IT jobs and candidates across Canada. Microserve is so confident in its IT recruitment that we offer a 30-day placement guarantee. To find the right candidate for your job, speak to the experts at Microserve’s IT recruitment agency.
