From getting tech-savvy and advertising vacancies in the right places, to job titles, through to great inductions… are you doing everything you can to give a good first impression to your candidates?
Never judge a book by its cover, so the saying goes. Yet everyone knows that first impressions really do matter.
The number of new employees dropping out of a company within the first couple weeks in their new role is, unfortunately, on the rise. Candidates are more likely to ‘try out’ a job for a short period, while keeping their options open. If another offer comes up at the same time, they’ll happily snap up the better fit for them.
Of course, we want our colleagues to be sure that they are in the right company for them- happy colleagues make productive colleagues.
But are you really doing everything you can to show off your company in the best light?
#1: The Job Advert
Your vacancy advert is the first point of contact with potential colleagues. Have a look at our blog here for what employees told us they are looking for in a recruitment advert. It’s not just rates of pay, and contracted hours they’re interested in- more and more candidates want to know about company ethos, staff turnover rates, and progression possibilities before they even apply for a position.
#2: Job Titles
When advertising online, it’s important to know how to optimise search facilities. If the jobsite you’re advertising on allows tags, utilise this! If you have several vacancies for the same role, such as 3 openings for new Nursery Practitioners, trial different job titles on your adverts. Consider someone searching for a job working within a nursery, for example. They might search for ‘nursery practitioner’, ‘nursery nurse’, ‘childcare assistant’, ‘nursery assistant’, ‘early years teacher’, or several others. If you have the option to, trial different job titles and see which gets a better response. You might even find that certain job boards work better with certain titles- say ‘nursery practitioner’ on Reed, but ‘childcare assistant’ on Indeed.
#3: Induction
Having attracted the perfect candidate for you, don’t fall at the last hoop. Many new employees view the induction process as a trial- for the company, not for themselves! As much as probation periods are for the company to make sure the new colleague is the right fit, if your induction process isn’t up to scratch, you might find your new colleague decides YOU aren’t the right fit for THEM.
A bad induction is one where a new starter is put in a room and expected to get on with. A good induction is one where there are open lines of communication with managers, or team leaders; there is a clearly explained support system in place, and a communication trail that employees can follow if they feel they need extra support. A mentoring system is also a great idea. Inductions can’t be one size fits all either- a 17 year old apprentice will need different support to someone returning from a year abroad, for example.
#4: Communicate, communicate, communicate
Good lines of communication really are key to the whole process. Marketing and HR need to be well versed in what each other need- what vacancies are available, and what methods of advertising have already been tried? What were the results for similar positions, or locations? Is there a current theme being broadcast along your social media sites, and can it be tailored towards the position you’re recruiting for?
Managers and colleagues need open lines of communication, and clear process to follow. Monthly catch-up meetings, weekly check-ins, continuous online chat… whatever works for your company. Just make sure to keep those lines open!
