By: Sara Jensen, VP of Business Development
Published By: Times of San Diego.
With 2018 just around the corner and the economy in good shape, many companies are looking to bring new talent to their team come January. Talented job candidates will always have several options, so if you want to attract the cream of the crop to your company, you have to offer more competitive incentives. If a skilled applicant isn’t satisfied with what your business offers, she can just accept a different position.
Here are four ways to attract great job candidates:
1. Don’t Be Late
If you expect job applicants to arrive to their interviews on time, you should also be punctual. There are few things more irritating for a candidate than waiting in the lobby long past his interview time. If you show up late to the interview, a top candidate will likely feel disrespected and move on to other interviews.
2. Avoid Asking Silly Interview Questions
Asking goofy questions like, “What kind of animal do you relate most to?” or “What would I find in your refrigerator?” will just make strong candidates roll their eyes and wonder why they are even at the interview. The questions asked during the interview should relate directly to the position. For example, if you are interviewing for a customer service representative, you can ask the candidate how he has dealt with difficult customers in the past.
3. Offer Flextime
Another way to attract the best of the best is to offer flextime. A work-life balance is important to most people, so allowing employees to have flexible schedules and work from home occasionally is beneficial. According to an Entrepreneur magazine, workers want flex time for several different reasons, including having time to drop off kids at school or day care. If one of your top candidates knows she doesn’t have to abide by a strict 9-to-5 schedule, she may be more attracted to the position.
4. Communicate regularly
If you believe a candidate may be the right person for the position, it is important to communicate with him regularly. Communicating frequently with job applicants can influence their thoughts about your organization. For example, if a candidate leaves a voicemail about finding out if she made it to the next interviewing stage, you should get back to her within 24 hours.
Attracting the best candidates will take a little more work on your part, but it is worth the effort. If you follow these helpful tips, you are more likely to attract the right people to your business.
Check out the published article on Times of San Diego.
