“We posted the job a month ago, but no one good is applying.”
“Everyone we interview drops off or ghosts.”
“It’s like the talent pool dried up overnight.”

Sound familiar?

We hear these frustrations every single day from companies of all sizes, across every industry. And the truth is, it’s not that all the good candidates disappeared. It’s that the way we find, engage, and win top talent has shifted fast. The market has changed. Candidate expectations have changed. And if your hiring strategy hasn’t kept up, even the most attractive roles can sit unfilled for weeks… or months.

Over the years, we’ve helped companies navigate tough labor markets, talent shortages, and major industry pivots. We’ve recruited during booms, busts, and everything in between. So when clients come to us asking why they can’t seem to find the right fit anymore, we dig deeper, and almost always, we uncover a few common culprits.

Let’s explore the most likely reasons you’re struggling to hire right now and what you can start doing today to turn things around.

The Hiring Struggle Is Real and You’re Not Alone

If it feels like hiring used to be easier, you’re not imagining it. There was a time when posting a job online meant your inbox would overflow with qualified candidates. Now? You’re lucky if a handful even meet the basic requirements.

But here’s the thing: this isn’t just your problem. It’s happening across the board. According to the latest data from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are millions more open jobs than there are job seekers to fill them. And the gap is especially wide in industries like tech, healthcare, and skilled trades.

The reasons are layered. A historically low unemployment rate means fewer active job seekers. At the same time, top candidates are being snatched up faster, and they’re being pickier about where they go. Flexibility, purpose, and growth opportunities now carry as much weight as salary. You’re likely getting overlooked if your offer or process doesn’t reflect that.

It’s worth asking before you overhaul your hiring strategy: Are you unintentionally creating barriers that keep great talent from saying yes? Or are you not creating enough barriers that allow for too many unqualified applicants?

Let’s break down the most common reasons good candidates aren’t coming your way.

7 Reasons You’re Not Finding the Right Candidates

1. Your job description is too broad or too confusing 

When a job posting tries to be everything to everyone, it often ends up attracting the wrong crowd. A vague title like “Marketing Specialist” could mean anything, and it invites every applicant with a marketing job to hit “apply,” regardless of fit.

On the flip side, overly complex or unrealistic postings can drive qualified candidates away, making your pool wide but shallow.

What to do instead: Be specific about who the role is for and who it’s not. Use clear, outcome-driven language. List must-have qualifications up top and eliminate unnecessary jargon. A sharp, focused job description filters out the noise and speaks directly to the right people.

Related: How to Write a Job Description

2. You’re getting buried in unqualified applicants

More applicants doesn’t mean more qualified applicants. Many companies are experiencing what we call “application inflation,” dozens (or hundreds) of resumes, most of which miss the mark. This slows down the process, clogs up your ATS, and distracts your team from spotting the genuine contenders. So why is there an uptick in unqualified applications? Here are a few reasons:

• One-click apply culture (#1 reason): Job platforms like Indeed and LinkedIn make it incredibly easy for candidates to apply to dozens of jobs in minutes, often without even reading the full description. That means your inbox fills up fast, but with resumes from people who don’t meet your baseline requirements.
• Economic uncertainty: In times of economic instability or layoffs, job seekers cast a wider net. Candidates may apply to roles outside their wheelhouse out of desperation or optimism, hoping something sticks even if it’s not a fit.
• Poor job board algorithms: Many major job platforms prioritize quantity over quality, pushing your posting in front of people based on surface-level keyword matches rather than true alignment. That leads to a flood of mismatched applications.

What to do instead: Add screening tools or knockout questions to your application process. Use skills assessments or short pre-interview questionnaires to filter early. Better yet, let a staffing partner pre-vet candidates before they ever reach your inbox.

3. Your hiring process is slowing you down

A slow hiring process is one of the fastest ways to lose top talent.

Today’s candidates are moving quickly. The best ones, especially those with in-demand skills, are often fielding multiple offers at once. If your hiring process drags on, chances are they’ll accept another offer before you even schedule the second interview.

It’s not just about speed for the sake of speed; it’s about respect and momentum. A long, disjointed hiring process sends the message that your company is disorganized or indecisive. Even if the role is appealing, that lack of urgency can sour a candidate’s perception of your company culture.

Delays also increase the chance of ghosting. Candidates lose interest, grow suspicious, or simply move on without notice. And if you’re trying to fill multiple roles at once, those slowdowns compound fast.

What to do instead:

• Audit your process to find out where candidates are getting stuck. Is it scheduling? Interview feedback? Offer approval?
• Set internal service-level agreements (SLAs) for key steps, such as providing interview feedback within 48 hours or issuing an offer within 3 days of a final interview.
• Limit the number of interview rounds. Top candidates don’t want to jump through hoops just to prove they’re worthy of a conversation.
• Keep communication warm and consistent. Even a quick update saying, “You’re still in the running, we’re finalizing decisions” can keep strong candidates engaged.

Related: Strategies to Reduce Your Time to Hire

4. Your compensation package isn’t competitive

Let’s cut to the chase: if your compensation isn’t aligned with market expectations, you’re not just losing candidates, you’re never even making it onto their radar.

In today’s job market, salary is no longer a mystery. Thanks to platforms like Glassdoor, candidates are more informed than ever. That is why we created our salary data tool to break down pay by job title and industry to help you decide what you should pay candidates. Job boards now even require salary ranges in some states. If your offer doesn’t stack up, or worse, if it’s not listed at all, many candidates won’t bother applying.

It’s not just about the number, either. Candidates are evaluating the total compensation picture:

• Flexible schedules or remote options
• Health benefits and retirement plans
• Mental health support, wellness stipends, or professional development budgets
• Time off policies and parental leave
• Equity or performance bonuses

If all you’re offering is a paycheck, especially one below the market rate, you’ll either get underqualified applicants or lose top contenders to employers who’ve adjusted to candidate expectations.

5. You’re fishing in the wrong talent pools

If your sourcing strategy starts and ends with posting a job to a few big-name job boards, you’re likely casting your net in crowded, shallow waters and coming up with the wrong catch.

Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:

• Mass-market job boards favor volume over fit. These platforms are designed to deliver more applicants, not better ones. They use broad keyword matching rather than nuanced skill alignment, so you end up getting resumes from people who clicked “Apply” after glancing at the title, not the actual requirements.
• Your posting might be getting lost in a sea of noise. On sites like Indeed or LinkedIn Jobs, your listing is competing with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of others in the same category. Without boosted visibility or strong employer branding, the best candidates might never even see your role.
• Passive candidates don’t live on job boards. Some of the most qualified professionals aren’t actively job hunting. They’re succeeding in their current roles, not scrolling job listings. You won’t reach them with a post-and-pray strategy.
• Niche roles need niche platforms. A software engineer, a bilingual customer service rep, and a healthcare compliance analyst don’t all hang out in the same digital spaces. Using a one-size-fits-all sourcing method means you’re missing targeted opportunities to reach high-fit candidates.

What to do instead: Get strategic with sourcing. Use niche boards, industry groups, alumni networks, and targeted outreach. Tap into passive candidate pipelines through LinkedIn or partner with a recruiter who can go beyond the usual suspects.

Related: Innovative Sourcing Techniques for Recruiters

6. You’re overlooking passive talent

There’s a big misconception about hiring: that the best candidates are out there applying for jobs. In reality, some of the most qualified professionals with exactly the experience, skills, and attitude you’re looking for aren’t applying at all.

They’re working. They’re thriving. They’re not scrolling job boards during lunch breaks.

These are passive candidates, people who aren’t actively job seeking but would be open to the right opportunity if it came their way. And if your hiring strategy only targets active applicants, you’re leaving this massive pool of top-tier talent completely untapped.

Here’s the problem: Reaching passive candidates requires effort, strategy, and relationship-building. You can’t just post a job and hope they show up. And even if they do see your role, a cold listing probably won’t be compelling enough to pull them away from a stable job.

Why passive candidates are worth the effort:

• They’re often more experienced and higher quality, having proven themselves in real-world roles.
• They’re less likely to be interviewing with multiple companies, reducing competition.
• They’re typically more selective, meaning they’re truly invested when they accept an offer.

What to do instead:

• Stop waiting and start reaching out. Use platforms like LinkedIn to identify strong professionals in your target roles. Craft personalized messages that speak to their background and the value your opportunity offers.
• Build long-term relationships. The first “no” isn’t the end. A good recruiter nurtures relationships over time, keeping talent warm for future roles.
• Tailor your pitch. Passive candidates need to see more than just salary; they want to know what makes this job better than the one they already have. That means talking about culture, leadership, career growth, flexibility, and purpose.

7. You’re trying to handle hiring alone

Hiring used to be a side task: post a job, schedule a few interviews, and pick a candidate. It was easy enough…until it wasn’t.

With a saturated job market, evolving candidate expectations, compensation transparency, and increased competition, hiring has become a full-time job. And if your internal team is already stretched thin, trying to juggle recruitment on top of everything else, something’s going to give.

That “something” is usually quality.

We’ve worked with companies that delayed filling roles for months, not because there weren’t any candidates, but because they didn’t have the time or resources to source properly, screen effectively, or follow up fast enough. Other clients made rushed hires out of desperation, only to find themselves back at square one a few weeks later when the new hire wasn’t a fit.

The DIY approach often seems more cost-effective on paper, but it comes with hidden expenses:

• Wasted hours reviewing underqualified resumes
• Delayed projects due to unfilled roles
• Burnout on your HR or ops team
• Turnover costs from bad hires

What to do instead: Let go of the “do-it-yourself” mentality. A staffing partner like us can help you source smarter, screen faster, and only spend time on the top-tier talent that actually fits your role.

Related:  The Benefits of Working with a Staffing Agency

What Today’s Candidates Are Really Looking For

If you’re still hiring like it’s 2015, you’re going to keep losing out in 2025.

The job market has changed, and so have job seekers. Today’s candidates aren’t just looking for a paycheck or a title. They want purpose, flexibility, respect, and long-term growth. And if your opportunity doesn’t offer that, they’ll wait (or walk) until something better comes along.

We hear it in candidate conversations every day. The things that used to be seen as perks, like remote work, mental health benefits, and learning stipends, are now expected. Candidates want to feel like they’re more than just a resource on your org chart. They want to know: What’s in it for me?

Here are the top things today’s candidates are prioritizing:

1. Flexibility and work-life balance. Remote or hybrid options are no longer just nice to have; they’re often a dealbreaker. Even for on-site roles, candidates are asking about flexibility: shift times, compressed weeks, personal time policies, and how much trust they’ll be given to manage their workload. 
2. Meaningful work and mission alignment. Top candidates are drawn to organizations that stand for something. Whether it’s innovation, sustainability, or community impact, people want to feel that their work contributes to something bigger. And they’re doing their research. They’re reading your website, checking your leadership team on LinkedIn, and scanning reviews for authenticity.
3. Growth and development opportunities. That doesn’t always mean promotions; it means mentorship, learning, stretch projects, and clear development paths.
4. Transparency and trust. From salary ranges to company culture, candidates want honesty. They’re wary of bait-and-switch job ads, vague interview answers, and companies that dodge questions about expectations or turnover.
5. A positive candidate experience. Your hiring process is a preview of what it’s like to work for you. Candidates judge everything, from how long it takes to hear back to how respectful your interviewers are and how clearly the next steps are communicated.

Let Us Help You Find the Candidates You’ve Been Missing

If you’re tired of sifting through resumes that don’t match, watching great candidates vanish mid-process, or wondering why your roles aren’t getting the attention they deserve, it’s time to try a different approach.

At 4 Corner Resources, we’ve built our reputation by helping companies like yours quickly cut through the noise and connect with the right people. From crafting compelling job descriptions to sourcing hidden talent pools and managing the interview process from start to finish, we do the hard work so you can focus on what matters: choosing your next great hire.

Whether you’re hiring for one critical role or building out an entire team, we’re here to help.

Let’s talk. Fill out our Hire Someone form to get started!

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the healthcare sector will add about 1.8 million jobs over the next decade, making it one of the fastest-growing industries. Yet many employers are already struggling to fill critical positions.

Healthcare organizations are rethinking how they attract, engage, and retain talent to stay competitive. From prioritizing different skill sets to offering more flexible work options, the hiring landscape is shifting fast.

Here are seven healthcare hiring trends reshaping the industry and what they mean for employers looking to build high-performing teams in a rapidly evolving environment.

1. Soft Skills Are Becoming a Top Hiring Priority

Technical qualifications will always matter in healthcare, but soft skills are becoming just as important, especially in patient-facing roles. Empathy, communication, adaptability, and emotional resilience are now essential traits for nurses, support staff, and even administrative professionals.

Why the shift? Healthcare environments are increasingly complex. Patients often navigate chronic conditions, family stress, or language barriers. Staff work long hours under pressure. In these situations, soft skills drive better patient interactions, stronger teamwork, and healthier workplace cultures.

Hiring managers are starting to adjust their interview processes to assess these traits, asking behavioral questions and using scenario-based assessments to uncover how candidates respond under stress.

What this means for employers: If you evaluate candidates solely based on experience or certifications, you could be missing out on the qualities that make someone successful in the role. Make soft skills part of your screening process from day one, especially for high-burnout areas like emergency care or behavioral health.

Related: How to Assess Soft Skills in an Interview

2. Increased Focus on “Home Healthcare” Roles

The demand for home healthcare is skyrocketing. As aging populations opt to receive care in their homes and hospitals look to reduce readmissions, roles like home health aides, visiting nurses, physical therapists, and personal care attendants are in high demand.

This shift is driven by several factors: advancements in remote monitoring technology, a push for more cost-effective care models, and patients’ preference for aging in place. According to the BLS, jobs for home health and personal care aides are projected to grow by 22% through 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Hiring for these positions, however, comes with unique challenges. Candidates need to work independently, manage their own schedules, and communicate effectively with both patients and their families. Employers must also account for geographic logistics, which adds another layer to sourcing the right talent.

What this means for employers: If your organization is expanding home-based services, your hiring strategy should reflect that shift. That means sourcing candidates with strong organizational skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to work autonomously.

3. International Recruiting and Visa Sponsorship Are Gaining Traction

With shortages in nursing and specialized roles reaching critical levels, more healthcare organizations are turning to international recruiting to fill workforce gaps. Foreign-trained nurses, lab techs, and physical therapists are helping to offset domestic shortfalls, especially in rural or underserved areas.

While hiring internationally can be a longer process due to licensing and visa requirements, it’s becoming a more common—and necessary—strategy. Visa sponsorship programs, such as H-1B for specialty occupations or TN visas for eligible Canadian and Mexican citizens, are helping U.S. employers access global talent pools they might not have considered before.

International candidates often bring diverse perspectives, multilingual skills, and experience working in high-pressure environments. However, successfully onboarding them requires close attention to compliance, credentialing, and cultural integration.

What this means for employers: Expanding your search internationally can open the door to highly skilled, motivated professionals if your hiring timelines allow. To make the process smoother, consider partnering with staffing firms that have experience navigating visa sponsorships and healthcare credentialing.

4. Emphasis on Mental Health and Wellness to Prevent Burnout

Burnout has become a defining issue in healthcare hiring. Nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals are leaving their roles at alarming rates, often not due to pay but because of emotional exhaustion and lack of support. According to a 2024 report from the American Medical Association, more than 50% of healthcare workers report symptoms of burnout, with staffing shortages only making matters worse.

As a result, mental health support is no longer a perk; it’s a priority. Employers that want to attract and retain top talent actively promote wellness programs, offer flexible shifts, and train leaders to recognize signs of stress before they escalate. Some organizations even build mental health screening into the hiring process to set clearer expectations.

What this means for employers: If your organization isn’t addressing burnout head-on, it’s likely showing up in higher turnover and longer hiring timelines. When recruiting, highlight the ways your workplace supports employee wellness. It could be the deciding factor for candidates weighing multiple offers.

5. Technology and AI Are Creating New Healthcare Roles

From AI-powered diagnostics to virtual nursing assistants, technology is reshaping what healthcare teams look like—and the skills they require. These advancements create new roles and redefine traditional ones, especially in telehealth, data analysis, and medical device integration.

Hiring managers are now tasked with sourcing candidates who feel comfortable using healthcare software, managing digital workflows, and working alongside AI-driven tools. For example, EHR optimization specialists, remote patient monitoring coordinators, and digital health technicians are emerging as critical support roles across hospitals and outpatient centers.

Even bedside roles are evolving. Nurses today are expected to document care electronically in real time, interpret data dashboards, and navigate remote collaboration platforms—skills that weren’t part of the job description a decade ago.

What this means for employers: Hiring for today’s healthcare environment means prioritizing digital fluency. As your organization invests in tech, make sure your job descriptions reflect the tools, platforms, and competencies needed for success.

6. Competitive Benefits Packages Matter More Than Ever

A strong salary isn’t always enough to seal the deal in today’s healthcare job market. Candidates are weighing their options more carefully, and benefits often make or break an offer, especially in high-demand fields like nursing, radiology, and surgical support.

Healthcare professionals are looking for more than just standard health insurance. Flexible scheduling, generous PTO, tuition reimbursement, mental health resources, and childcare support are climbing the priority list. In fact, many candidates now ask about benefits before they ask about compensation.

And it’s not just about offering perks, it’s about how those perks align with work-life balance, professional growth, and long-term stability. Employers that offer personalized benefits packages are seeing better retention, especially among younger workers and working parents.

What this means for you: If your benefits haven’t evolved in the last few years, you may be losing top candidates to organizations listening more closely to what healthcare workers want. Regularly benchmarking your offerings against industry standards can keep your packages competitive.

7. Gig-Style and On-Demand Healthcare Staffing

The gig economy isn’t just for rideshare drivers and freelance creatives; it’s gaining serious traction in healthcare. More professionals are seeking flexible, contract-based opportunities that give them greater control over when, where, and how they work. In response, healthcare employers are adopting on-demand staffing models to keep up.

Per diem nurses, traveling therapists, locum tenens physicians, and PRN roles are becoming critical components of healthcare workforce planning. These options help facilities quickly scale their teams during peak periods, cover staff absences, or address regional shortages without overcommitting long-term resources.

But managing this kind of workforce requires a different approach to recruiting. It means having access to pre-vetted candidates who are ready to step in fast, and systems in place to onboard them efficiently.

What this means for you: If you’re not offering flexible scheduling or tapping into contingent talent pools, you could be missing out on experienced professionals who value autonomy. Gig-style roles can be a smart way to fill gaps while keeping staffing costs in check.

How We Can Help You Stay Ahead in Healthcare Hiring

Healthcare hiring is no longer business as usual. As patient expectations rise and the labor market tightens, organizations need a smarter, more strategic approach to recruiting—one that’s built around speed, precision, and adaptability.

At 4 Corner Resources, we specialize in healthcare staffing solutions that align with where the industry is headed. Whether you’re looking for full-time clinical professionals, experienced temporary staff, or contract-based specialists, we provide access to qualified candidates with the skills and mindset to succeed in today’s healthcare landscape.

We don’t just fill jobs—we build long-term partnerships that help our clients stay competitive in a fast-moving market. Our approach is high-touch, data-informed, and tailored to your specific needs.

Let’s build a workforce that’s ready for what’s next. Start your search today.

The problem is, “Someone like Sarah” isn’t a strategy. It’s a feeling. And feelings don’t scale.

That’s why the candidate persona is one of the most effective tools we use at our staffing agency. It takes those gut instincts, those intangible “yes, this is the one” moments, and turns them into something clear, repeatable, and measurable. We’ve seen firsthand how this approach cuts through the noise of endless resumes and unqualified applicants, helping our clients zero in on the people who actually belong on their team.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to build a candidate persona. From identifying key traits to understanding what really motivates top talent. Whether you’re hiring your first employee or staffing a team of 50, this step-by-step process will help you stop hiring on instinct and start hiring with intention.

What Is a Candidate Persona?

Think of a candidate persona as your hiring blueprint. It’s a detailed, semi-fictional profile of your ideal job candidate, built using data, research, and real-world insights. Just like marketers create buyer personas to better understand their customers, recruiters and hiring managers can use candidate personas to better target and attract the right talent.

A well-crafted candidate persona includes more than just technical skills or experience. It captures the full picture: what motivates this person, what their career goals are, what kind of work environment they thrive in, and even what might cause them to turn down an offer.

Benefits of Creating Candidate Personas

Improves hiring accuracy

Creating candidate personas forces you to think strategically about the type of person you need and how they’ll work within your company culture. The process narrows your focus, so you’re more likely to identify a strong fit rather than making a hiring mistake based on factors that should have jumped out at you to signal a mismatch. 

Optimizes the use of resources

Instead of casting a wide net and allocating resources where they’re not likely to be successful, candidate personas ensure you’re spending your time and money talking to the people who are most likely to want the job and be able to perform it successfully.

Alleviates recruiter workload

Candidate personas help recruiters minimize time spent screening out unqualified applicants. By creating job descriptions and recruitment marketing materials that are highly tailored to a specific type of individual, you’re less likely to have ill-fitting candidates apply in the first place. 

Strengthens job descriptions

Candidate personas help you write job descriptions that speak directly to the audience you want to reach. Think of it like writing a letter; if you’re writing a heartfelt letter to your great aunt, it will sound much different than writing a cover letter to a hiring manager. Candidate personas help you speak the ideal candidate’s language, highlighting the benefits they’re most interested in and proactively addressing questions they might have about the role.

Promotes recruiting alignment

If multiple recruiters are involved in hiring, everyone must be on the same page about the kind of applicant you’re looking for. Candidate personas facilitate better alignment among recruiting teammates and can promote a stronger sense of agreement about the final selection later on in the process. 

Improves recruiting metrics

Candidate personas can improve hiring accuracy and strengthen recruiting KPIs like retention, turnover, and offer acceptance rates. 

What to Do Before You Create a Candidate Persona

Research the market

Begin by arming yourself with a thorough understanding of the current norms around this position. Use job descriptions and resumes to research the hard and soft skills, background, and qualifications a typical candidate for this job would possess. 

Review historical data

Which types of people have performed well in this role in the past? Review hiring data and performance reports to correlate applicant characteristics with job success. Also, look at recruiting metrics by position and department to assess how well your current targeting works. For example, if you discover that a particular position is experiencing consistently high turnover, it could be a sign that you need to revise the candidate persona for that role to identify better-fitting applicants. 

Talk to stakeholders

Talk to other members of your recruiting team, hiring managers, employees currently in the role, or those who work closely with them to better understand the requirements. Ask questions like “What does it take to be successful in this job?” and “What does the ideal candidate look like?” You’ll likely need three or four conversations before some common answers emerge. 

Leverage artificial intelligence

AI-powered recruiting tools can be a great asset when creating recruiting personas. They can help predict the most likely traits the right candidate will have and even help screen applicants once you post the position.

Related: Can You Trust AI to Handle Recruitment?

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Candidate Persona

1. Start with the basics

Start by outlining the core details of your ideal candidate. This lays the groundwork for everything else.

• Name your persona: Give them a memorable nickname like “Marketing Max” or “Data Analyst Dana.” It might seem silly, but it helps create a reference point that everyone on your team can visualize and rally around.
• Job title: Be specific about the role—whether you’re hiring a Senior UX Designer or an Entry-Level Sales Rep, clarity here sets the tone for the rest of the profile.
• Location: Are they based in a specific city, or is the role remote-first? Consider timezone preferences or commuting distance.
• Salary range: Set a realistic range based on market benchmarks. This helps ensure you’re targeting candidates who align with what you’re offering.

2. Demographic snapshot

Demographics can influence where and how you recruit—but this isn’t about stereotyping; it’s about understanding patterns and preferences in the market.

• Age range: This is based on career level. Are you targeting early-career professionals (22–30), mid-career professionals (30–45), or executive-level talent?
• Educational background: Do they need a bachelor’s or master’s degree? Any certifications that are a must-have in your industry (e.g., RN, CPA, or CISSP)?
• Years of experience: Define the level of expertise required to be successful in the role.
• Typical career path: What roles or industries are they likely to come from? For example, a Customer Success Manager may have previously worked in account management or support.

Knowing these factors helps you tailor your sourcing strategy and understand the professional journey your candidates are on.

3. Skills & qualifications

This is where you draw the line between who qualifies and who doesn’t, based on what actually drives performance in the role.

• Hard skills: These are the must-know tools or systems, like Python, Salesforce, Excel, Adobe Creative Suite, etc.
• Soft skills: Think beyond the resume—strong communication, adaptability, leadership potential, critical thinking.
• Certifications and licenses: Any industry-specific credentials that are required or preferred (e.g., PMP, CDL, SHRM-CP, Google Ads Certification).

It’s helpful to organize these into “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves” so your hiring team knows where there’s room for flexibility.

4. Goals & motivations

What makes your ideal candidate tick? What are they hoping to achieve in their next role?

Common motivators include:

• Climbing the career ladder
• Achieving a better work-life balance
• Joining a purpose-driven company
• Making more money or securing long-term financial stability
• Access to mentorship, education, or leadership opportunities

When you understand what drives your candidate, you can better align your messaging, interviews, and offers with what they truly value.

5. Pain points & challenges

Understanding what candidates want is just as important as knowing what they want to avoid. The better you understand their frustrations, the more you can position your company as the solution.

Typical pain points:

• Feeling stuck with no growth trajectory
• Burnout from excessive hours or toxic leadership
• Limited flexibility or outdated work policies
• Chronic underpayment or lack of recognition
• A misalignment in values or company culture

These are golden insights to address directly in job ads and employer branding.

6. Where they spend time

Now that you know who you’re targeting, it’s time to figure out where to find them.

• Job boards: Are they on LinkedIn? Or are they using niche boards like Stack Overflow Jobs, Hired, AngelList, or FlexJobs?
• Social platforms: Younger professionals may be active in Slack communities, Reddit subs, or Twitter threads. Creative talent may be on Instagram or Behance.
• Professional networks: Think industry-specific meetups, virtual events, or trade groups.
• Media sources: What podcasts do they listen to? What blogs or newsletters keep them informed?

This intel shapes where you post your jobs and how you tailor outreach or recruitment marketing.

7. What they want from you

This is where your employer brand really matters. What does your ideal candidate need to see in order to hit “Apply”?

• A clear growth or promotion path
• A company culture that feels safe, inclusive, and aligned with their values
• Transparency around role expectations, salary, and leadership
• Flexibility—whether that means remote work, flexible hours, or autonomy
• A chance to lead, innovate, or make a tangible impact

Your job postings, recruiter pitches, and careers page should be front and center.

8. Messaging tips

Finally, tie it all together with thoughtful, targeted messaging that actually speaks to your ideal candidate.

• Lead with their goals: “Ready to move from contributor to team lead? We’ll help you get there.”
• Acknowledge their frustrations: “No more working weekends to make up for poor planning.”
• Highlight your differentiators: “Join a growing company where your voice matters and your growth is a priority.”

When your job post sounds like it was written for them, the right people take notice.

Example Candidate Personas

1. “Full-Stack Fiona”

#2: “Support Lead Sam”

Tips for Using Candidate Personas in Your Hiring Strategy

Creating a candidate persona is only half the battle—what matters next is how you use it. A persona isn’t meant to collect digital dust in a shared drive. It’s a living, working tool that should inform every step of your hiring process, from writing job descriptions to onboarding your next great hire.

Here’s how to put your persona to work:

1. Write job descriptions that speak directly to your ideal candidate

Instead of listing generic responsibilities and requirements, tailor your job ads to resonate with the motivations and pain points outlined in your persona. If your ideal candidate values growth, mention career paths. If they’re fleeing burnout, highlight work-life balance and realistic workloads.

Instead of:
“We’re looking for a motivated self-starter…”

Try:
“Join a team where your ideas lead strategy and your weekends stay yours.”

2. Train your hiring team to use the persona as a filter

Align your recruiters, interviewers, and hiring managers around the persona. It helps keep everyone focused on what truly matters. Use the persona during intake meetings to set expectations, or even include a copy in the hiring packet for new roles.

3. Refine your sourcing strategy

The persona tells you where your ideal candidate spends time—use that to your advantage. Are they active on Twitter? Join the conversation. Do they browse niche job boards or Slack groups? That’s where your roles should be posted.

Pro tip: Incorporate the language your candidate uses in their own profiles or posts—it builds instant rapport and familiarity.

4. Customize your interview questions

Use the candidate’s goals, challenges, and motivators to craft meaningful interview questions. If your persona values mentorship, ask how they’ve responded to coaching in the past. If they’ve been burned by poor leadership, ask what kind of management style helps them thrive.

This makes the interview more than just a checklist; it becomes a conversation that uncovers real fit.

5. Keep evolving your persona

Job markets shift, expectations change, and top talent one year might be driven by very different things the next. Make it a habit to revisit your personas regularly—after a successful hire, a round of interviews, or a market shift.

Even better: Interview your best employees and new hires to keep the persona rooted in real-world feedback.

We’ll Help You Build Candidate Personas That Actually Work

Creating a candidate persona isn’t just a smart hiring strategy; it’s a competitive advantage. But building one from scratch can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re juggling open roles, internal deadlines, and team bandwidth. That’s where we come in.

At 4 Corner Resources, we don’t just fill roles, we build hiring strategies that scale. Candidate personas are part of our process from day one. We work closely with your team to uncover what success really looks like in your organization. Then we turn those insights into a clear, detailed persona that guides every decision, from job postings to final interviews.

The result? Fewer wasted interviews. Stronger culture fits. Faster hires. And more confidence in every decision you make.

Whether you’re hiring your first or your fiftieth employee, we’ll help you clarify who you’re looking for and how to find them. Contact us today to learn more! 

Forward-thinking employers are tapping into TikTok’s massive user base and playful energy to attract younger candidates and strengthen their employer brands. If you are wondering whether your company should follow suit, spoiler alert: the answer is yes!

We’ll explore why TikTok has become such a powerful recruiting tool, the advantages it offers, and how your organization can start leveraging it to attract better talent today.

Why TikTok is Gaining Ground in the Recruiting World

Not long ago, TikTok was primarily known as an entertainment platform, filled with trending dances, viral challenges, and bite-sized comedy sketches. Today, it has become one of the fastest-growing social platforms, boasting more than one billion monthly active users worldwide, with a majority under the age of 30. But what does that mean for recruiting?

Simply put, TikTok is where younger generations, Gen Z and Millennials specifically, spend their time. These age groups now represent the largest segment of the workforce, and their expectations about job hunting have shifted. Unlike older generations who relied heavily on traditional job boards, today’s younger talent engages more effectively with authentic, creative content that reflects real-life workplace culture. They want a glimpse into an organization’s environment, not just a standard job posting.

This authenticity is TikTok’s greatest strength. Unlike LinkedIn or traditional recruiting sites, TikTok’s short-form videos showcase company culture in a relaxed, genuine, and highly engaging way. The platform rewards creativity, humor, and transparency, allowing companies to humanize their brands and connect directly with prospective candidates.

TikTok’s algorithm also levels the playing field, giving organizations of all sizes the chance to reach massive audiences without needing large budgets or extensive marketing resources.

The Benefits of Using TikTok for Recruiting

If you’re considering TikTok as part of your recruiting strategy, you might be wondering what specific benefits it offers. Here are some compelling reasons why incorporating TikTok as a hiring tool can give you an edge:

Reach a wider (and younger) audience

TikTok’s immense popularity among younger generations gives companies unprecedented access to fresh talent pools. More than half of TikTok users are under 30, making it ideal for targeting Gen Z and Millennial candidates who might not be active on traditional job sites like LinkedIn or Indeed.

Authentic employer branding

TikTok provides a natural platform for showing off your company culture authentically. Short, informal videos can highlight everyday life at your workplace, showcasing your team’s personality, humor, and camaraderie. This authenticity helps candidates visualize themselves as part of your team and can significantly boost your employer brand.

Cost-effective exposure

Creating TikTok videos typically requires minimal resources. Unlike other platforms where high-quality, polished production is expected, TikTok users actually prefer authenticity and spontaneity. With a smartphone and some creativity, companies can achieve remarkable visibility at very little cost.

Engage passive job seekers

Not everyone who might be interested in your roles is actively searching job sites. TikTok’s algorithm-driven discovery helps your content reach passive job seekers—talented professionals who might become interested when your video appears on their feed, even though they weren’t actively looking.

Accelerate your hiring process

TikTok’s interactive nature speeds up candidate engagement. Instead of waiting weeks for a job listing to attract candidates, a viral TikTok video can lead to immediate interest, applications, and even hires within days, significantly shortening your recruitment timeline.

Related: How to Elevate Your Employer Branding to Attract Top Talent

What Types of Roles & Companies Benefit Most

While virtually any organization can find success on TikTok, certain roles and industries naturally align better with the platform’s strengths. If you’re considering adding TikTok to your recruiting toolbox, here’s a look at the positions and companies that tend to see the best results.

Entry-level and early career roles

TikTok thrives when connecting with younger, digitally-savvy candidates, making it particularly effective for recruiting entry-level and early career roles. Whether you’re hiring interns, customer service representatives, retail associates, or recent college grads for corporate positions, TikTok can dramatically expand your candidate pool.

Creative and marketing positions

Given TikTok’s visual and highly creative format, marketing and creative roles benefit immensely from recruiting on this platform. Candidates interested in social media, design, content creation, copywriting, or branding naturally gravitate toward engaging, visually appealing job content. TikTok videos highlighting behind-the-scenes projects or showcasing team creativity can attract talented individuals seeking innovative work environments.

Customer-facing companies

Companies in hospitality, retail, and customer service industries often see excellent recruiting results from TikTok. Brands like Chipotle and Starbucks have successfully leveraged the platform because these roles typically attract younger workers who resonate with TikTok’s playful, community-driven approach.

Companies seeking cultural fit

TikTok’s greatest strength might be its ability to authentically showcase company culture. Organizations that prioritize hiring for cultural fit can particularly benefit. By showing candidates exactly what working for your company feels like through short videos, you attract candidates who naturally align with your organization’s personality, values, and work style.

Fast-growing companies & startups

Companies scaling rapidly or those needing a high volume of hires quickly can leverage TikTok’s ability to reach large, engaged audiences. A viral TikTok video can rapidly accelerate applicant flow for businesses in fast-paced hiring phases, making it easier to keep pace with growth demands.

Real Examples of Companies Recruiting on TikTok

Still unsure if TikTok is the right place to find your next great hire? These real-world examples show how companies across industries are using a single well-crafted video to attract talent and build their employer brand.

The Washington Post

The Washington Post has one of the most recognizable employer brands on TikTok, and they’ve used it to their advantage. In a video promoting their 2025 internship program, the Post embraced its signature comedic style while directly appealing to Gen Z viewers. The video generated over 21,000 likes and sparked a wave of interest in the program, with many viewers tagging friends and asking how to apply. For a traditionally serious organization, this lighthearted yet clear video proved to be the perfect recruiting tool.

UPS

When UPS needed to hire more than 100,000 seasonal workers ahead of the holiday season, the company turned to TikTok to get the word out. Their video, featuring a trending audio clip and the simple but bold message “We’re hiring 125,000 people for peak season,” quickly went viral. The post received over 75,000 likes and was widely shared, helping UPS generate an influx of applications in a short amount of time. It’s a textbook example of how short-form content can support large-scale hiring efforts.

KPMG Ireland

KPMG Ireland leaned into lifestyle-style content to highlight their Global Internship Program, posting a TikTok that followed interns during their trip to New York City. The video was upbeat, polished, and highly aspirational, earning more than 37,000 likes and over 100 comments. The buzz extended beyond social media, with increased interest and traffic to their careers site. Many applicants even mentioned the TikTok video during interviews, showing the direct impact of relatable, engaging content on talent attraction.

These examples prove that one well-executed video can go a long way. Whether it’s humor, honesty, or inspiration, the best TikTok recruiting content feels genuine, and that’s exactly what today’s candidates are looking for.

How to Get Started Using TikTok as a Recruiting Tool

Ready to take advantage of TikTok for your recruiting strategy but not sure where to begin? Don’t worry; getting started is simpler than you think. Follow these practical steps to successfully launch your recruiting efforts on TikTok:

1. Create a dedicated company profile

Begin by setting up a TikTok account specifically focused on employer branding or recruiting. Choose a clear and relevant username, such as your company’s name plus “careers” or “team,” to differentiate it from your general business or marketing account. Include a concise, engaging bio and a link directly to your careers page or application portal.

2. Plan engaging content that showcases your culture

Authenticity is key on TikTok. Plan content that highlights your employees, workplace culture, and company values. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, employee interviews, day-in-the-life videos, or humorous skits related to your business. Keep content short (under 60 seconds), informal, and engaging to capture your audience’s attention quickly.

3. Leverage trending sounds and challenges

Stay aware of TikTok trends and challenges that resonate with your target audience. Participating in these viral moments can significantly increase your content’s visibility. Don’t hesitate to adapt trends creatively, ensuring they’re relevant to your brand and respectful of your professional image.

4. Use clear CTAs

When posting recruitment-focused content, always include clear and simple calls to action. Whether you’re encouraging viewers to apply for a position, visit your career page, or follow your profile for future opportunities, your audience should know exactly what step to take next.

5. Engage actively with your audience

TikTok thrives on engagement, so respond to comments, answer questions, and interact genuinely with viewers who show interest. Actively participating in the community helps build trust, making potential candidates more comfortable reaching out or applying.

6. Experiment and monitor your results

Not every video will go viral, and that’s okay. Consistency and experimentation are essential. Regularly evaluate which videos perform best and why. Adjust your content based on what resonates most with your audience, using TikTok’s analytics to guide your future recruiting strategies.

Related: Why Showcasing Your Company Culture on Social Media Matters

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Getting started on TikTok is easy, but getting it right takes some intention. Many companies jump in with enthusiasm but end up missing the mark. Avoid these common missteps to make the most of your TikTok recruiting efforts:

Being too polished or corporate

TikTok isn’t the place for overproduced videos or stiff corporate messaging. Users scroll for real, relatable content. A scripted CEO video in a boardroom likely won’t land. Instead, showcase real employees, unscripted moments, and a little behind-the-scenes fun. Authenticity always wins.

Ignoring trends

Trends drive visibility on TikTok. Skipping them means missing easy reach. You don’t have to jump on every dance challenge, but adapting a trending audio or format to highlight your workplace can dramatically boost engagement.

Failing to include a CTA

Don’t assume viewers will know what to do next. Always include a clear next step, whether that’s “Apply now,” “Check out our open roles,” or “Link in bio.” Without direction, even interested viewers may scroll on without taking action.

Going silent after a few posts

One or two videos won’t cut it. A neglected account sends the wrong message, especially if your last post was from months ago. You don’t need daily uploads, but staying consistent (1–3 posts per week) keeps your brand relevant and top of mind.

Forgetting the link in bio

Make it easy for potential candidates to apply. Always keep your “link in bio” up to date and point to your careers page or specific job postings. This small detail can make a big difference in converting views into applicants.

Overlooking metrics

It’s easy to get caught up in views and likes, but focus on what matters: profile clicks, applications, engagement from potential candidates, and audience feedback. Use TikTok’s built-in analytics to learn what’s working and refine your strategy over time.

So, Should You Be Using TikTok to Recruit?

If you’re looking to connect with a younger, digitally-native talent pool, the answer is a resounding yes. TikTok isn’t just a platform for entertainment; it’s a dynamic, fast-growing space where companies of all sizes are building authentic employer brands, reaching new candidates, and filling positions faster and more creatively than ever before.

Whether you’re showcasing your workplace culture, highlighting team members, or announcing job openings, TikTok allows you to meet candidates where they already are. It lowers the barrier between employer and applicant and creates an opportunity to share what makes your company worth applying to—in 60 seconds or less.

The recruiting landscape is changing, and companies that embrace platforms like TikTok are staying ahead of the curve. If you want to engage today’s workforce and make a lasting impression, it might be time to stop asking whether TikTok is right for your recruiting strategy, and start filming!

They tend to be hastily written and filled with CYA legalese. Some are overkill, and others lack critical details. Rarely do they accurately represent the actual job requirements. 

But here’s the thing: a great job description can make or break your hiring success. In fact, over half of job seekers say the quality of a job description significantly influences their decision to apply. 

Knowing how to write a job description is one of the most significant skills a hiring manager or recruiter can have. While a bland or bloated description will turn applicants away, a clear, engaging one can spark excitement and attract top candidates and pique their interest in your position and company.

Writing a good job description involves more than just stringing together words; it is about knowing and effectively communicating what the position entails and the skills, knowledge, or experience needed for success in the role.

Below, I’ll walk you through the essential components of an effective job description, provide step-by-step instructions on how to write one, and share tips and common mistakes to avoid. I’ll also offer sample job descriptions and introduce you to tools, including AI, that can streamline the process. 

By the end, you’ll be ready to create a job description that will land your next great hire!

What Is a Job Description?

A job description is a foundational hiring document that clearly defines a specific position’s scope, responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations. It’s more than internal HR documentation—it’s a strategic communication tool that:

• Aligns teams on the purpose and scope of the role
• Guides candidate evaluation and interview criteria
• Helps job seekers quickly assess if they’re a good fit

An effective job description provides a complete picture of the role and typically includes:

• A clear, keyword-optimized job title
• A brief summary that explains the role’s purpose and impact
• A list of primary responsibilities and core duties
• Required and preferred qualifications, including skills and experience
• Compensation details and standout benefits
• Reporting structure, work environment, and location details

For inspiration or templates to get started, browse our job description library, which features hundreds of real-world samples from a wide range of industries.

Job Description vs. Job Posting

Although often used interchangeably, a job description and a job posting serve distinct purposes in the hiring process:

• Job description: An internal-facing document that defines the role in detail, including responsibilities, qualifications, reporting structure, and expectations. It’s primarily used by HR and hiring managers to align on what the job entails and how performance will be measured.
• Job posting: A public-facing version of the job description crafted to attract candidates. It highlights the most compelling aspects of the role and company—think of it as a marketing tool designed to spark interest and drive applications.

The job description is your blueprint; the job posting is your pitch. Both should be aligned, but tailored for their audience.

Related: Best Practices for Writing Clear and Compelling Job Postings

Key Components of a Job Description

A strong job description includes several essential elements. Each plays a role in attracting qualified candidates and setting the foundation for hiring success:

Job title

Keep it clear and specific, using industry-standard terms that candidates recognize. Avoid internal jargon that might confuse job seekers.

Insider tip: Research from Indeed shows that 36% of candidates search for jobs by title, so a recognizable title boosts visibility. For example, “Senior Software Engineer” beats “Code Wizard Level III.”

Summary/overview

Offer a short introduction to the role, its purpose, and how it fits into your company. Include the location and a snapshot of what makes the position unique.

Insider tip: Highlighting company culture matters. To grab attention, mention perks like a collaborative team or innovative projects.

Responsibilities & duties

List the main tasks the employee will handle. Use action verbs like “designs,” “manages,” or “analyzes,” and keep it specific to paint a clear picture of the day-to-day.

Insider tip: Precision here helps attract the right people. According to Indeed, vague duties can lead to unqualified applicants, with 42% of employers revising descriptions for this reason.

Required qualifications & skills

Detail the education, experience, certifications, and skills needed. Split must-haves (e.g., “Bachelor’s degree”) from nice-to-haves (e.g., “familiarity with Salesforce”) to expand your candidate pool.

Insider tip: Be exact—according to LinkedIn, job seekers spend just 14.6 seconds scanning this part. Precise requirements filter out mismatches early.

Work environment/location

Specify if the role is on-site, hybrid, or remote, and note any physical demands or travel needs.

Insider tip: Forbes notes that remote work will stabilize in 2025, so clarity on location can attract candidates seeking flexibility or structure.

Salary range & benefits

Include compensation details, plus perks like health insurance, 401(K), or paid time off. Transparency pays off (pun intended!).

Insider tip: Listings with salary ranges get 44% more applications, per Gartner. For competitive benchmarks, check our 2025 Hiring and Salary Guide.

About your company

Share your company’s mission, values, and what it’s like to work there. Your insights will help candidates determine if they’d thrive in your environment.

Insider tip: Highlighting your unique culture attracts talent that fits your team. Candidates value a personal connection—think “we solve real-world problems” over generic buzzwords.

How to Write an Effective Job Description

Be specific

When trying to attract top candidates and narrow your focus to those who are the most qualified, it is vital that you include specific information in your job description. Generally speaking, the more detailed the description, the better. 

The first thing any user will see is the title of your job, so use one that is accurate and precise rather than vague. For example, instead of making the headline of your job description “Hiring a Marketer,” use the full title of the position, such as “Regional Digital Marketing Strategist for XYZ Company.” You will also want to include your exact location, so rather than saying the job site is “Our Corporate Headquarters,” write “Our Corporate Headquarters in Miami, Florida.”

When your job description is specific rather than generic, it will stand out to the right people scrolling past, not just anyone. While a position titled “Hiring a Marketer in our Corporate Headquarters” could attract hundreds of unqualified candidates, a job description titled “Regional Digital Marketing Strategist for XYZ Company at our Corporate Headquarters in Miami, Florida” will attract candidates looking for that exact type of position in your geographic area.

The same goes for the skill sets you include in the listing. Suppose you are looking for a developer with a specific skill set. In that case, you should indicate that you are looking for someone who “is proficient with JavaScript, jQuery, and HTML5” rather than just someone with “front-end development experience.”

Be concise

Job seekers do not want to read a novel to understand your job role and whether they are qualified to apply. Typically, they will spend an average of 30 seconds reading a job post before moving on to the next one.

Get to the point quickly while providing job seekers with enough information to understand what you are looking for and to make an informed decision about whether to apply. We recommend limiting your job description to one Word document page or less. According to The Undercover Recruiter, job descriptions that consist of 4,000-5,000 characters have the highest click-to-apply rates—this falls on the higher side of the range.

Highlight the most important information in the title of the job description (such as the specific job role and location, as we just mentioned). Do not overcomplicate your listing with meaningless jargon or acronyms specific to your company, as this could confuse potential candidates and make them question their qualifications. 

Be sure to end with a link or call to action (CTA) that drives readers to your website’s full job description or more information.

Use relevant, industry-specific keywords

Although some companies try to stand out by using job titles like “Tech Guru” or “Sales Rockstar” in their descriptions, this makes it more challenging for job seekers to find your posting online—people do not use words like “rockstar” when they are searching for jobs. 

Instead, use straightforward terms, keywords, and clear job titles that candidates will likely be searching for to increase your chances of ranking organically with major search engines like Google and Bing. For example, if you are looking to attract top candidates in the medical field, be sure to include the term “RN” rather than only referring to the position as a “registered nurse.”

Related: How to Use SEO for Job Postings to Increase Visibility

Write for mobile

According to the Pew Research Center, 95% of Americans own a cell phone, and 77% specifically own a smartphone (92% and 88% of those in the 18-29 and 30-49 age ranges, respectively). Indeed determined that 78% of millennials, 73% of Gen Xers, and 57.2% of baby boomers are using their mobile devices to find jobs.

With job seekers using their mobile devices to search for jobs more frequently, you need to know how to write a great job description that works for mobile. This includes writing in a format that works well for mobile viewing, such as breaking up large chunks of text into bulleted lists, breaking the content into sections using section headers, and calling out important information with bold text.

Use the inverted pyramid

Since job candidates spend fewer than 30 seconds reading (skimming) your job postings, it is imperative that you list your most relevant information at the top. This approach — the “inverted pyramid” — is commonly used by journalists and entails putting the most vital information at the top where it is sure to be seen, then funneling it down to the least important content.

Use an engaging image

If you have scrolled through your feed on any social media platform lately, most posts you saw probably included some sort of image, GIF, or video. Your job description should be no different. Do not spend time writing a great job description and then forget to accompany it with an engaging image to catch the viewer’s eye. 

Not all job posting platforms allow for the inclusion of an image, but on those that do, avoid using a generic one like your company logo or a stock photo. Instead, use a picture of your modern office space or coworkers collaborating. You could even feature fun perks of the job, such as a photo from a networking event you held or a yoga class in the office as part of your corporate wellness program. 

Highlighting your company culture and showing what a part of your company looks like will excite job seekers about your open role and the possibility of working for your company.

Be conversational

When executed correctly, a job description feels less like some cold corporate document and more like a natural conversation. This resonates well with modern professionals, especially those of younger generations such as Millennials and Gen Z, because it allows potential candidates to connect with your brand in a low-pressure environment.

Using conversational language also allows your current employees to be conversational with their professional networks and social circles when they share the listing. They can share your job description with just one click on most social platforms, further amplifying the reach of your job posting. More than 50% of companies encourage employee referrals through their social platforms, with many offering bonuses for referring a successfully hired candidate.

Learning how to write a job description that grabs attention and makes the best talent want to apply takes practice, skill, and finesse. 

Examples of Strong Job Descriptions

Sample #1

Job Title: Barista

Job Summary:
Company XYZ is seeking a talented and experienced barista to join our team. The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering exceptional customer service and crafting high-quality coffee beverages. The ideal candidate should have a passion for coffee, be friendly and approachable, and have a track record of delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Responsibilities:

• Prepare and serve high-quality coffee beverages, including espresso, cappuccino, and latte
• Ensure consistent quality and presentation of coffee drinks
• Provide exceptional customer service, including greeting and engaging with customers, answering questions, and recommending menu items
• Maintain a clean and organized work environment, including equipment and utensils
• Follow health and safety guidelines, including proper food handling and sanitation practices
• Operate cash registers and process payments accurately
• Upsell additional menu items, including baked goods and snacks
• Assist in opening and closing duties, including cleaning and restocking supplies
• Attend training sessions and keep up-to-date with industry trends and new products
• Build and maintain positive relationships with customers and colleagues

Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Proven experience as a barista or similar role
• Strong knowledge of coffee preparation techniques and equipment, including espresso machines and grinders
• Excellent customer service and communication skills
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to work early morning, evening, and weekend shifts as needed
• Food handling and safety certification is a plus

We’d love to hear from you if you have the skills and experience we’re looking for. Apply today to join our friendly team and help create memorable coffee experiences for our customers!

Sample #2

Job Title: Chef

Job Summary:
Company ABC seeks a talented and experienced chef to oversee our kitchen and ensure the highest quality of food and customer service. The successful candidate will develop and execute our menu, manage kitchen staff, and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations. The ideal candidate should have a passion for culinary arts, be creative, and have a track record of delivering exceptional food and dining experiences.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute the restaurant’s menu, including creating and testing new dishes
• Plan and direct food preparation and cooking activities, ensuring the highest quality of food and presentation
• Manage and mentor kitchen staff, including hiring, training, and scheduling
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and food hygiene standards
• Monitor inventory levels and order supplies as needed
• Collaborate with front-of-house staff to ensure seamless delivery of food and customer service
• Manage kitchen budgets, including food and labor costs
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends and incorporate new techniques and ingredients into the menu
• Maintain a clean and organized kitchen environment, including equipment and utensils
• Build and maintain positive relationships with customers and colleagues

Requirements:

• Culinary degree or equivalent experience
• Proven experience as a chef or similar role, including experience in fine dining
• Strong knowledge of cooking techniques and ingredients, including preparing and cooking meat, seafood, and vegetables
• Excellent leadership, communication, and team management skills
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to work early morning, evening, and weekend shifts as needed
• Knowledge of health and safety regulations and food hygiene standards
• Food handling and safety certification is a plus

If you possess the necessary skills and experience we seek, we are excited to hear from you. Apply now and join our team, contributing to creating exceptional dining experiences for our guests!

Need additional examples? You can browse our list of A-Z job descriptions! We have a database of over 400 job titles!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even the most experienced hiring managers and talent acquisition professionals can unintentionally include elements that weaken a job description. Here are the most common missteps—and how to fix them:

Being too vague

Generic statements like “Manage projects” don’t give candidates a clear picture of the role. Instead, use specific language that outlines what success looks like. For example:

“Lead cross-functional teams to deliver web development projects on time and within scope.”

Listing too many requirements

A long list of qualifications can overwhelm or discourage great candidates. Focus on what’s truly essential—typically 5 to 7 must-haves—and separate “required” from “preferred” to keep the pool inclusive.

Using gimmicky job titles

Creative titles like “Code Ninja” or “Marketing Guru” may sound fun, but they confuse applicants and hurt visibility on job boards. Stick to straightforward, searchable titles like “Software Engineer” or “Digital Marketing Manager.”

Skipping the “why”

Explaining what the job entails is not enough—candidates also want to know why the role exists. To create a sense of purpose, highlight how the position contributes to the team, company goals, or mission.

Poor formatting

Dense paragraphs, inconsistent layout, or missing section headers make your description hard to skim—especially on mobile. Use bullet points, spacing, and clear headings to guide the reader’s eye and improve readability.

Using AI to Create Job Descriptions

Writing a job description from scratch can be time-consuming, especially if you’re unsure where to start. That’s where AI tools can help. Platforms like ChatGPT have become powerful assistants for HR professionals, recruiters, and hiring managers looking to quickly generate a strong first draft.

AI won’t replace your expertise or the need for customization, but it can save valuable time and eliminate writer’s block. With the right input, AI can produce high-quality drafts that include all the essential components of an effective job description, letting you focus on refining the language and tailoring it to your company’s voice.

If you’re new to using AI and want to experiment, you can paste this blog article into a free app (like ChatGPT) and ask it to help you create a job description based on the criteria included.

You can also use our AI-powered assistant, the 4 Corner Job Description Generator.

This custom GPT takes the guesswork out of prompting. It walks you through a series of simple questions—about the job title, key responsibilities, required qualifications, remote status, salary range, and more—and then generates a complete job description based on your responses.

Whether hiring for a niche technical role or a high-volume customer service position, our JD generator will help you move faster while maintaining quality and consistency.

Insider tip: After using the generator, review the output to ensure it aligns with your company’s tone and accurately reflects the role. Edit as much as necessary! Every job is unique, and a few personalized tweaks will go a long way.

Related: How to Create a Job Description with ChatGPT

Bonus: Tools and Resources to Help

• 2025 Hiring and Salary Guide: Stay informed about the latest salary trends and hiring insights with our 2025 Hiring and Salary Guide.
• Salary Data: Access salary information for over 700 job titles across hundreds of markets on our Salary Data page.
• Blog Articles: Explore our blog for more articles on hiring and recruiting, such as 12 Recruiting Tips from a Marketing Perspective.

Partner with an Experienced Professional Recruiting Firm

We are an award-winning team of experienced recruiting and staffing professionals. We have partnered with major Fortune 500 companies and small businesses across the U.S. to provide the best variety of professional staffing services.

One of the major benefits of working with a professional staffing agency is that they can connect with their vast pool of candidates on your behalf. Professional recruiters are constantly working to expand their professional networks and maintain relationships with active and passive job seekers, and can use those connections to find you the best fit for your next job opening.

See how our recruiting and staffing experts can elevate your job descriptions. Contact our team today to learn more or to get answers to your questions.

Rising salaries and changing priorities make standing out as an employer challenging. So, how can you secure accountants on your team? Below, I’ll describe five strategies for attracting high-caliber talent in 2025. Keep reading to discover what it takes to build your dream team in a competitive recruiting environment.

1. Offer Competitive, Transparent Compensation

Accountants are in high demand, and pay is a top draw. The national average salary for a CPA is now $94,760—even higher in specialized or urban markets. A January 2025 Forbes report predicts, “Finance salaries will rise 6% in 2025 as compliance and analytics needs grow.” Opaque or below-market offers push candidates to competitors who move faster.

How to Attract Them: Show that you can meet or exceed regional salary ranges upfront in your job postings. Add value with bonuses or unique benefits to create a compelling package without overextending your budget.

Related: Salary Data Tool

2. Highlight Professional Development Opportunities

Accounting’s landscape is shifting—AI analytics, ESG reporting, and new regulations are rewriting the playbook. Top talent wants their employers to keep pace. A September 2024 Deloitte study notes, “67% of finance professionals favor employers investing in upskilling, particularly in tech-driven areas.” Without growth options, they’ll chase roles that provide the upside they want.

How to Attract Them: Provide access to certifications like CPA or training in tools like Power BI. Map out advancement paths—say, to Controller ($122,650 avg. salary)—to show commitment. Check out our Accounting & Finance Recruiting page to explore your options for building skilled teams.

3. Emphasize Work-Life Balance and Flexibility

Peak seasons like tax filings or audits can grind accountants down, making balance a priority. In 2025, flexibility—remote or hybrid setups—is non-negotiable for many. An October 2024 Harvard Business Review article states, “Finance roles offering flexibility see 40% more applicants.” Rigid schedules lose out to employers who are willing and able to adapt.

How to Attract Them: Offer hybrid options or condensed weeks during quieter periods. Promote wellness perks—think mental health support or extra leave—to signal you value their well-being over burnout.

Related: Warning Signs of Employee Burnout & How to Prevent It

4. Showcase Meaningful, Impactful Work

Accountants want more than data entry—they’re drawn to roles with real influence. Whether it’s steering financial strategy or ensuring compliance, purpose matters. A November 2024 McKinsey report highlights, “Finance professionals rank ‘impact on organizational goals’ as a top motivator, just behind compensation.” Generic job ads won’t hook the best.

How to Attract Them: Frame postings with meaningful stakes—e.g., “Shape budgeting for a $50M portfolio” or “Drive regulatory reporting.” Ignite interest by connecting their work to your company’s goals, like profitability or sustainability.

5. Build a Reputation for Stability and Culture

Economic uncertainty makes stability a magnet for accountants. A December 2024 Gartner survey reveals that “73% of finance hires weigh employer reputation and team culture before committing.” High turnover or a disjointed workplace can repel talent with plenty of options elsewhere.

How to Attract Them: Spotlight your organization’s longevity, growth, or industry standing. Tout your supportive culture—mentorship or team collaboration—to build trust.  

Conclusion

Recruiting (and retaining!) top accountants in a competitive market demands a blend of attractive pay, growth opportunities, flexibility, purpose, and stability. Use these strategies to sharpen your edge and assemble a high-performance team.

For more on salary trends and hiring insights shaping the year ahead, our 2025 Hiring and Salary Guide provides a detailed snapshot. Take a look to refine your approach and secure the accounting talent your organization needs to succeed.

It’s filled with quippy headlines like “If you chant ‘ceramic mugs’ three times, the new Starbucks CEO might appear” and contains business news that’s relevant to the industries I work with. Even though I have no direct experience with this company, I have a positive impression of the brand based solely on this humorous and insightful newsletter. Your company can use a recruitment newsletter to achieve the same effect with prospective candidates. 

Email newsletters have made a big comeback in the last few years, driven by platforms like Substack that make it fast and simple for anyone to launch one. Whether you recruit at an enterprise level or hire for just a handful of positions a year, a recruitment newsletter can help you stay connected with applicants and fill future openings faster. 

Here, I’ll make a case for creating a recruiting newsletter, outline the best practices for making it great, and share a list of content ideas that will provide value and spark engagement.  

Benefits of a Recruitment Newsletter

Having a recruitment newsletter offers several benefits to your recruiting team and your organization as a whole. It can help you:

Connect with your talent pool

One of the core best practices for maintaining a strong talent pool is to engage with the people in it on a regular basis. A newsletter gives you a reason to bring your company’s name to the top of their mind every week or two, and if you’re doing a good job with it (like the financial newsletter I mentioned earlier) it’ll be an email people actually look forward to receiving. 

Grow your talent pipeline

There’s a reason marketing pros consider email to be among the best marketing channels even after all these years. An email list is easy to scale and you can do it at an incredibly low cost. 

A recruitment newsletter offers a great way to engage for people who are interested in your company but not ready to apply for a job just yet; add a signup form to your careers page and the bottom of every job posting to invite them to join your mailing list. Being able to forward the email facilitates sharing with a friend, which further helps expand your talent pipeline. 

Increase job views

When you share job openings on email, they’re seen by a much larger portion of your audience than when you share them on social media. To illustrate, consider these metrics. 

The average organic reach for a LinkedIn post from a brand page is around 2%. That means if your company has 1,000 LinkedIn followers, only around 20 of them will see each organic (a.k.a unpaid) post you publish. 

With email, on the other hand, average open rates for brands are around 20 to 25%. Many companies see open rates as high as 30 or 40%. That means if you have 1,000 newsletter subscribers, each message is likely to be opened by between 150 and 400 people–a lot better than just 20! The increased viewership of email dramatically boosts the visibility of your job openings. 

Gain referrals

As we all know, referrals are golden. More viewers on email = more referrals = higher quality candidates for your positions. 

Related: How to Make Your Employee Referral Program a Powerful Recruitment Tool

Strengthen your employer brand

Another reason I love email newsletters is that they can be long form. In the age of two-second attention spans, we don’t get many opportunities to engage with our followers for more than a few moments at a time, but someone opening your email is a departure from that trend. It’s a chance to communicate your employer brand in a meaningful way, sharing insights into your culture and building the value proposition for prospective applicants. 

Steps to Create an Engaging Recruitment Newsletter

Seek out inspiration

There are so many great newsletters out there and doing market research is both free and fun. Subscribe to newsletters from some of the brands you admire and spend a few weeks paying attention to the kind of content they put out. Take screenshots of fonts and layouts you like and jot down interesting content ideas. 

Define your target audience

I recently got an email from my bank inviting me to “take advantage of these first-time homebuyer credits!” Considering it’s been 20 years since I was a first-time homebuyer (and my bank, of all places, should know that), the email went straight to the trash. 

To really get the most out of email marketing, you have to personalize it for your audience. ‘Job seekers’ is a good starting point, but you can probably get a little more detailed than that. Are you looking to attract ambitious entry-level candidates? Experienced leaders? Tech-focused innovators? Corporate power-players? Building a reader avatar will help you develop content that’s relevant and more likely to be read. 

Create an appealing layout

A good recruitment newsletter layout is easy to navigate and aligned with your brand. Simple is usually best. 

Opt for well-spaced segments and easy-to-read headlines. Choose colors, fonts, and CTAs that are in keeping with your brand’s visual identity. The majority of emails are opened on mobile devices, so be sure to think mobile first when designing. 

Set a practical cadence

Your cadence specifies how often you’ll send your newsletter. Choose a frequency that’s manageable for you to create new content and not overwhelming for recipients. Anywhere from once per week to once per month can be effective.

Write in an authentic tone

Just like our voices have a tone when we’re speaking, email newsletters (and all written content) have a tone, too. If you’ve never thought about it before, it might be hard to pin down your brand’s tone, but it can make a world of difference in how authentic and memorable your content is.

Here are some examples of how the tone of written text can influence the way it comes across.

McDonald’s

Tone: Friendly and accessible

Example: Free large fries to keep you company. Download the app and get ’em with your first purchase.

Microsoft

Tone: Knowledgeable and helpful

Example: Get spacious cloud storage, advanced security for your data and devices, and powerful productivity and creativity apps with AI, all in one plan.

Disney

Tone: Exciting and magical

Example: Feast your eyes on an all-new nighttime spectacular as it lights up the sky over World Showcase Lagoon.

If budget allows, using a professional copywriter to craft your newsletter can help ensure your tone is on point. Or, here’s a trick I like to use when I’m writing my own content. After you’ve written a first draft, go back over it the next day with a specific focus on tone. I bet you’ll notice opportunities to make the writing more conversational, informative, purposeful, or whatever adjectives describe your unique brand. 

Provide relevant content

Here’s where you’ll spend the bulk of your effort: creating newsletter content that brings value to its recipients. 

The primary goal of your recruitment newsletter is to attract applicants for your job openings, but that shouldn’t be its only purpose. Make it useful by offering additional content that informs, prepares, captivates, and motivates readers. 

Here’s a selection of ideas. 

• Featured job. Take one of your openings and go beyond sharing a boilerplate job description. Use a video to show a day in the life of that role or interview an employee describing the position in their own words.  
• Interview tips. Help applicants prepare for the next step in the hiring process by providing useful information on things like expected attire and different interview formats. 
• FAQs. Answer common candidate questions on hot topics like benefits and perks.
• Employee spotlights. Showcase team members for noteworthy achievements like promotions and performance milestones.
• Leadership interviews. Boost transparency by helping candidates get to know key members of your management team. 
• Behind the scenes. Highlight your company culture with a look at team-building activities, employee development initiatives, and charitable work. 
• Industry insights. Help candidates stay in the know about what’s going on in the field, especially if there’s something you can be first to tell them. 
• Interactive elements. Drive engagement with polls, quizzes, and surveys. 

Use personalization tokens and segmenting

I already touched on the importance of personalizing your emails. Now let’s cover two email features that help you achieve it: personalization tokens and segmenting.

Personalization tokens are dynamic elements of a message that can be customized using known data points about your recipients. Some common personalization tokens for recruitment emails are name, job title, and department. With personalization tokens, every recipient gets a unique and more personal version of your email. 

Here’s an example of a message that’s customized using personalization tokens.

Hi {FIRST NAME},

We have some new openings in our {DEPARTMENT NAME} department that I wanted to share. I thought these would be of interest since you previously applied for our {JOB TITLE} opening. 

{DEPARTMENT JOB #1}

{DEPARTMENT JOB #2}

{DEPARTMENT JOB #3}

Personalization tokens are an easy way to make a template feel more personal to a large batch of recipients. 

Next up is segmenting. This is where you create different versions of a message for specific groups of recipients, or segments. Segments can be built based on a number of factors, like how long a recipient has been on your list, their experience level, where they are in the hiring funnel, or actions they’ve previously taken. 

For a campaign showcasing your employee benefits, you might create three different flavors of the email message targeting three distinct audiences.

Segment A: Entry-level candidates

Segment B: Mid-level candidates

Segment C: Senior/executive candidates

Each of these groups are likely to value different things when looking for a new employer, so you can use segmenting to tailor your message accordingly. 

Integrating your recruitment emails with your ATS is a great way to capitalize on all the available candidate data for segmentation and personalization. 

Facilitate next steps

Provide a clear call to action in every email to help readers take the next step. ‘Apply now’ is an obvious one. Others might include ‘send this to a friend,’ ‘learn about benefits,’ or ‘talk to a recruiter’–but don’t use them all at once. Research has shown that emails with one or two calls to action typically perform best, as giving too many options can confuse recipients. 

Write compelling subject lines

In general, a good subject line is short and action- or benefit-oriented. Here are some examples of concise subject lines that focus on action and the benefit to the reader. 

Ace your interview with these 3 tips

Get early access to our newest openings

Learn what IT hiring managers are looking for

Use emojis and punctuation marks in moderation, being mindful of how it aligns with your brand. 

A/B test

A/B testing is yet another factor that makes email such a compelling medium. In an instant, you can figure out which subject line will receive more opens or which CTA will result in more clicks. It’s a powerful feature. 

Subject lines, email copy, images, send times, and days of the week are just a few of the elements you can A/B test to maximize your recruitment email performance. 

Measure your success

As with any piece of your recruiting strategy, measure your email performance regularly and make tweaks to optimize the results. One month you might focus on increasing subscribers, the next on maximizing open rates, the next on boosting click-throughs, and so on. 

The great thing about an email newsletter is that you can start small. Even if you have just a handful of subscribers to begin with, you can make a meaningful connection with that small group and get valuable feedback from them to improve. With time and effort, you’ll see consistent growth that will help you attract strong candidates and build a recognizable, well-liked employer brand. 

Headline A: Business development opening

Headline B: Work from anywhere helping win new contracts

Can you guess which was the winner? Headline B received nearly twice as many click-throughs. 

Though there’s nothing wrong with headline A–it’s clear and straightforward–headline B accomplishes more. It offers a compelling value proposition (remote work) and describes the job duties (win new contracts). If you want to get more eyes on your job ads without spending more money, catchy headlines are the way to do it. 

Engaging headlines like option B above can help you reach a wider audience, narrow down your candidate pool, and increase your application completion rate. We’ll break down different headline-writing strategies, explain why they work, and share more than 45 examples you can use for inspiration. 

Why Headlines Matter in Job Ads

Optimize conversions

With online job posts, finding the right candidate is a numbers game.

It comes down to conversion rate–the portion of people from a total pool who will complete the desired action, like clicking on a job ad or filling out an application. A normal conversion rate is between 1 and 2%. 

So, let’s say you have an optimal conversion rate of around 2%. Of all the people who see your job ad, 2% of them will click through to view the full description. And 2% of those people will fill out an application. 

My team uses these benchmarks to work backward and figure out how many people we need to reach with an ad. Here’s an example. 

If our goal is to get 5 qualified applicants, that means we need 250 people to read the job posting (5 = 2% of 250). In order to get 250 people to click through and view the posting, 12,500 people need to see the ad (250 = 2% of 12,500). 

That’s a big audience, and if you’ve ever run job ads, you know reaching more people costs more money. It’s in your best interest to optimize conversions by turning as many viewers as possible into applicants. Catchy headlines can help you do it.  

Related: How to Leverage Data to Improve Your Recruitment Process

Simplify screening

On the other hand, maybe you have the opposite problem–too many applications from ill-fitting candidates to sift through. Writing better job headlines will help with this challenge, too. 

When your headline is too generic, you encourage blanket applications from candidates who figure “it’s worth a shot.” This creates more work for your hiring team and eats up resources. Compelling, role-specific headlines will help narrow your applicant pool, improving the quality and suitability of your candidates and reducing the time and labor you spend on hiring. 

What Makes a Good Job Advertisement?

Describes the job

You don’t have to be a professional copywriter to craft great headlines. Simple often works best. My team uses this basic three-point checklist. 

1. Describe the job

A good job ad makes it clear what the position is. Giving the job title is usually best, but in cases where you’re looking to expand your candidate pool, a broader description can work (i.e., ‘marketing professional’ versus ‘account manager’).

2. Convey the required experience

Weed out unqualified candidates by defining how much experience is required. You can state a specific number of years or give an idea of the seniority level with words like ‘entry-level,’ ‘junior,’ ‘experienced,’ ‘seasoned,’ ‘mid-level,’ ‘senior,’ and ‘executive.’ 

Related: How to Write a Job Description to Attract Top Candidates

3. Promote your selling points

Why would a candidate want to work for your company? Just as any good marketing language tells the customer what’s in it for them if they buy, your job headline should communicate the benefits of becoming an employee to prospective applicants. 

Here’s an example of a headline that incorporates all of the above elements: Entry-Level Executive Assistant – High Growth Potential

It names the job, conveys that it’s a junior-level position, and alludes to the idea that there’s an opportunity for the right candidate to grow with the company.

The above formula is a great starting point for creating basic headlines that get the job done, but ideally, you want to go a little further to stand out. Next, we’ll share tips for spicing up your job headline while still zeroing in on the right candidates. 

How to Write Catchy Headlines for Job Ads

Say what you’re looking for

What exactly are you looking for? What are the must-haves? Outline three to five of the most important qualifications for the job to help candidates rule themselves in or out of the running, then create headline variations that incorporate them. You can also do this by summing up what the day-to-day work entails. 

Examples:

1. Social Media Manager With B2B Expertise
2. Social Media Manager With 3 Years of Experience 
3. Manage LinkedIn Presence For SaaS Firm
4. Senior Social Media Pro To Manage $50K Ad Strategy
5. Creative Social Media Manager – Build B2B Brand Following
6. Boost Social Engagement & Drive Growth For B2B SaaS Brand

Define your value proposition

Showcasing what makes your company a great place to work can catch the eye of discerning job seekers. Your existing employees can be a valuable source of insight and can even provide direct quotes that can be used as a testimonial-style headline. 

Examples:

1. Expand Your Skills And Make Lasting Connections
2. Work For An Employer That Prioritizes Your Growth
3. “The most supportive team I’ve ever worked on.”
4. More Than Just A Job – A Meaningful Career 
5. We Invest In You: Paid Upskilling And Reskilling
6. “It’s amazing to feel valued and recognized at work.”

Speak to your target candidate

Sometimes, it’s actually beneficial to go narrower with your job ads with language that makes the perfect candidate immediately stop and say, “That’s me!” It’s only possible if you get uber-specific with wording that speaks directly to their situation.

Examples:

1. Easily Commute From Midtown
2. Stay-At-Home Mom? Earn Part-Time Income
3. Jump-Start Your Career In Finance
4. Need A Night Job? 3rd Shift Hiring Now
5. Get Started In Real Estate With 0 Experience
6. Career Switchers: Find A New Path In Project Management

Incorporate your mission

The best candidates are those who are in it for more than just a paycheck. Give your work meaning by sharing a little context on your core values or the mission candidates would be contributing to as part of your team. 

Examples:

1. Help Revitalize Downtown Detroit
2. Our Hospice Nurses Change Lives
3. Bring The Arts To Underserved Communities
4. Become An Affordable Housing Advocate 
5. Make A Difference For At-Risk Kids
6. Work With Us To Bridge The Healthcare Gap

Showcase your perks

Keeping an eye on your competition should be an ongoing part of your recruiting strategy. As such, you should have a pretty good idea of what you offer that others in your field don’t. 

For example, maybe you know your top competitor pays a bit more, but you offer unlimited time off. This is a great perk to showcase in your job ads. 

Examples:

1. $10K Sign-On Bonus!
2. Set Your Own Hours
3. Work-Life Balance? Find It Here
4. Competitive Pay, Full 401(k) Matching
5. Comprehensive Mental Health Benefits
6. Work From Anywhere In The D.C. Metro Area

Related: In-Demand Perks and Benefits

Include key details

There’s nothing worse than finding a great candidate only to learn that some defining part of the job makes it a deal-breaker. To avoid this, call out important information that could make or break the position for certain applicants, like if it’s part-time, remote, or requires nonstandard hours. 

Examples:

1. Seasoned Warehouse Manager – Overnight Shift
2. Part-Time Retail Associate With Holiday Availability
3. Regional Sales Manager – 50% Travel 
4. Tech Support Associate: Phone Skills A Must
5. Seeking Administrative Assistant Fluent In Mandarin

Create urgency

Speeding up your hiring timeline not only fills vacancies faster, it reduces hiring costs and minimizes business disruptions. Build a sense of urgency into your job ad to convince would-be applicants to apply now instead of coming back later. 

Examples:

1. Wanted: Sales Associates To Start Immediately 
2. Hiring ASAP: Experienced Data Analyst 
3. CDL Truck Drivers: Interviewing This Week
4. Time Sensitive! Software Engineering Lead
5. Urgently Needed: Restaurant Managers For Franchise Expansion
6. Remote + Flexible. Don’t Wait!

Be different

Most job ads use the same type of language and repeat standard phrases. You can make your posting jump out and entice job seekers to click through by doing something completely different, like highlighting a unique element of your company culture or calling out an unexpected perk. 

Examples:

1. Get Paid To Scroll!
2. Bring Your Cat To Work
3. Work From Home–Or Bali
4. No Boring Meetings That Could’ve Been An Email
5. Love Organizing Chaos? Our Team Needs You
6. Turn Your Passion For Painting Into A Paycheck

Like I said at the beginning of this post, A/B testing is your friend. Don’t take the first headline you write and run with it. I suggest using the tips above to create two or more headlines for each job, then track their performance against one another. With ongoing testing, you’ll learn what type of headlines work best to attract your ideal candidate, leading to less work, more accurate hiring and greater ROI from your job ads.

Your caption serves as the hook that captures attention and draws job seekers in. It can enhance your visibility, spark engagement, and ultimately help you find your next great hire. Let’s explore some tips for creating compelling hiring posts on social media and some examples to help you get started.

Why Social Media is Essential for Hiring

Let’s face it. In 2025, social media is where people spend their time. Whether they’re scrolling through Instagram during a lunch break or networking on LinkedIn, your potential candidates are already there. According to CareerArc, 79% of job seekers use social media during their job search, making it a critical channel for recruiters. Leveraging these platforms allows you to reach a broader audience—especially younger job seekers who might not frequent traditional job boards.

But simply posting a job isn’t enough. You need to speak the language of social media: short, engaging, and visually appealing content.

12 Tips for Writing an Effective We Are Hiring Social Media Post

1. Keep it simple

Even if you don’t know much about social media, you probably do know that people have limited attention spans. This is especially true when they’re scrolling mindlessly on their phone. 

This means you have to catch their attention and do it quickly. Don’t attempt to share the entire job description in a social media post. Instead, focus on the highlights and offer a link to learn more. Use an eye-catching image, preferably with people or large, bold text.

Example: “We’re hiring! Looking for line cooks to join our award-winning kitchen team. On-site training available.”

2. Make it easy

As we just discussed, catching a candidate’s attention is already challenging. Once you’ve accomplished that, don’t ask them to do more work. Make the steps from your post to the job application as easy as possible. 

Example: This help-wanted post from a hospital in Houston makes it super simple for interested candidates to take the next step. 

Not only do they offer three job openings to consider, they include an individual link to each one, so the viewer doesn’t have to search on their website for the job they’re interested in. They also make it easy for those who want to browse other openings by including a link to their general careers page. 

3. Be specific about the job

Help candidates instantly decide if a position is right for them by describing the job duties. This enables people who view the post to opt in or out, which can mitigate unqualified candidates and aid in screening. 

Example: Made In NYC details precisely what they need their new marketing and engagement program manager to do.

After capturing attention with a simple, bold image, they use the post caption to highlight three core job duties: “support our storytelling, engage and provide technical support for our members, plan networking events.” This makes it incredibly simple for someone who sees the post to know whether they’re up for the job’s demands. 

4. Call out desired skills

You can also help candidates decide whether to apply by using your caption to name the required technical qualifications.

Example: “Graphic designer needed! Seeking creative candidates who are proficient in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.”

Related: How to Write a Job Description to Attract Top Candidates

Searching for your next great hire?

Our recruiters are ready to deliver.

Hire Someone

5. Introduce the company

If your business isn’t a household name (yet), include a line or two in your post that briefly describes who you are and what you do. You can tell people about the services you provide or the products you sell. 

Example: This Florida restaurant does a great job succinctly describing itself in its job post. 

In a single sentence, they summarize all the key details a job applicant needs to know: the type of restaurant they are in, the food they offer, and their location. 

6. Highlight your selling points

Take your basic company description one step further by conveying what makes your organization better than the rest. If you’ve won any awards or earned a reputation in your industry for having excellent benefits, a “we are hiring” social media post is a great place to showcase those qualities. 

Example: “Join the HVAC team named ‘Best in the Hudson Valley’ for three years in a row! Insurance coverage available for full- AND part-time employees from day one.”

7. Put your money where your mouth is

Job seekers care about money, plain and simple. It’s consistently the number one factor candidates consider when looking for a new job. If you’ve got an attractive offer in the form of salary or other monetary perks, including it in your social media caption will go a long way toward getting your post noticed. 

Example: The Lake County Sheriff’s Office advertises their $10-20k sign-on bonuses loud and clear. 

Publishing a salary range with the job description is another way to command added attention. 

8. Speak to candidates’ desires

Top marketing professionals know the best sales copy and explain how the company solves a problem for its customers. You can apply the same strategy with your ‘we’re hiring’ post by calling out the pain points you solve for candidates as an employer. 

Example: This healthcare staffing agency names three specific things candidates will likely be looking for. 

By sharing how they act as a listening ear, an advocate, and even a gossip buddy, the company demonstrates that it clearly knows and understands its contractors. 

9. Spotlight happy employees

Who better to convince job seekers to apply than current employees who love their jobs? Use testimonials–videos are great for this–of existing staffers gushing about why they’re happy to work for your company and encouraging others to join the team.

Example: “My job with [COMPANY NAME] is the best one I’ve ever had because the company truly values its employees. My managers are supportive and are always looking for opportunities to help me grow in my career. Whenever there’s an open position, I tell my friends to apply because I want everyone to love their job as much as I do.”

Related: How & Why to Use Social Media to Showcase Your Company Culture

10. Emphasize your mission

Today’s candidates–especially those on the younger end of the spectrum–want more than just a paycheck from their job. They want to feel that their work has meaning or is accomplishing an intrinsic purpose other than just making money. Capitalize on this preference by explaining how your work makes an impact.

Example: Sage Therapeutics engages job seekers by sharing how it touches “millions of lives.”

You can also emphasize your mission by spotlighting charitable partnerships and philanthropies you support.

11. Niche down

When posting a job listing, it’s only natural to want to reach as many people as possible. But all those eyeballs don’t do you any good if they don’t belong to people who are right for the role. Instead of casting the widest net possible, use the language in your caption to narrow your focus to the specific type of applicant you’re looking for. 

Example: The Chesterfield County Police Department has a very particular audience in mind for this post.

They speak directly to their intended audience–former police officers–and name the frustration (waiting until “something better comes along”) those candidates are dealing with.

12. Tailor your post for each platform

Each social media platform has its own vibe. LinkedIn calls for professionalism, Instagram thrives on visuals, and TikTok is ideal for creative, video-based content. Match your tone to the platform.

Platform-specific examples

LinkedIn:

“We’re hiring a marketing specialist to join our growing team! Enjoy a hybrid schedule, career growth opportunities, and a collaborative culture. Apply now: [link]”

Instagram:

“Ready to level up your career? We’re looking for a graphic designer to bring creative ideas to life. DM us or click the link in our bio to apply! 🎨 #WeAreHiring #CreativeJobs”

TikTok:

[Video of your office with text overlay: “Join our team! We’re hiring a social media manager.”] Caption: “Love TikTok as much as we do? Apply to be our new social media manager. Link in bio! #DreamJob”

Facebook:

“Exciting news: We’re hiring a customer service rep! Work from home and enjoy flexible hours. Click here to learn more and apply: [link]”

Final thoughts

Hiring on social media doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With clear captions, engaging visuals, and a platform-specific strategy, you can connect with the right candidates and fill your open positions faster.

Related: Catchy Headlines for Job Ads With Examples

To stay updated with the latest hiring trends and tips, follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter. You can also contact our recruiting experts whenever you need help making your next great hire!

This particular reel, though, was different. It was shot from the perspective of a customer service associate as they moved through a shift at the store. They straightened shelves, rang up customers, and answered questions. The reel ended with them opening their paycheck and flashing a 30% off employee discount card with a big grin, accompanied by the call to action ‘Join Our Team.’ If I weren’t happily employed as the leader of this company, I could see where they might have gotten my click for more information. 

Unfortunately, most companies I see posting their job openings on social media don’t go to the trouble of creating such engaging content. Instead, they do the standard thing: a generic headline like ‘We’re hiring!’ followed by a link to the job posting. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this approach (and it’s certainly better than not posting at all), it’s so ordinary that 95% of users are likely to scroll right past without stopping. 

Today’s social media landscape is crowded. Users have an endless stream of content available at their fingertips at all times. If you want to make candidates stop scrolling and watch, click, or most importantly, apply, you have to put in a little more effort than a boilerplate ‘help wanted’ post. 

We’ll share 13 ideas to spark inspiration for your next social media recruiting campaign. But first, let’s explore why you’d want to invest in promoting your jobs on social media in the first place. 

The Benefits of Promoting Jobs on Social Media

Broaden your reach

Social media platforms have massive global audiences, making them an excellent tool for reaching an expansive, diverse pool of candidates. With a single post, you can engage not only the people in your network but their connections through likes, shares, and comments. This organic sharing widens the visibility of your job postings beyond what traditional methods can achieve, helping you attract candidates you might not have reached otherwise at a low cost. 

Target specific audiences

One of the greatest advantages of social media as a recruitment medium is its targeting capabilities. With advertising tools on channels like Facebook and LinkedIn, you can create highly tailored audiences based on location, interests, education level, professional background, and more, helping you ensure the most relevant candidates see your openings. 

Reach passive candidates

What are the top three apps in the world? Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. People spend time on social media apps whether they’re job searching or not, making them a great place to get in front of candidates who aren’t actively applying for new jobs. On average, passive candidates have a high new hire success rate, bringing valuable skills and expertise when they change jobs. 

Related: How to Attract Passive Candidates

Establish a strong employer brand

Promoting jobs on social media isn’t all about bringing in applications. It’s also about creating a permanent record of your employer brand. By consistently posting engaging, positive content about your company culture, mission, and employee value proposition, you’ll establish a virtual catalog of how great it is to work for your company that prospective applicants can view anytime. 

Access useful analytics

Another huge advantage of promoting jobs on social media is that it gives you highly detailed metrics that traditional advertising mediums can’t offer. Analytics on user actions like views, clicks, shares, and completed applications can reveal valuable insights about the types of content that resonate most with your intended audience. Plus, you can use the historical data to refine future campaigns, like retargeting people who previously clicked on a certain post. 

Innovative Strategies for Promoting Jobs on Social Media

Here are 13 strategies to help your company stand out when promoting jobs on social media.

1. Use niche platforms

Mainstream platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn are great for reaching large audiences, but niche platforms that cater to specific industries or groups should not be overlooked. Sites like GitHub for developers and Behance for designers can help you connect with targeted candidates who possess specific skills. 

Also, consider posting on emerging platforms. Bluesky and Lemon8 are two examples to check out in 2025.

2. Go live

I was skeptical the first time my team and I went live on our LinkedIn page. My hesitations quickly evaporated, however, when I saw our viewer count go from 0 to 1… to 10… to 20, and it just kept growing. People were tuning in simply because we were giving them something to watch!

Pretty much every social media platform offers a live streaming capability, and it’s a great way to capture viewers. Plus, it’s such a versatile style of content. You can do Q&A sessions, give a look at what’s going on behind the scenes, broadcast live tours of your office to engage potential applicants, and more. 

And one more upside to going live–it’s a great way to be rewarded by social media algorithms, which favor real-time content. 

3. Zero in on key details

Posting the duties and requirements of a job opening is useful, but take it a step further by zeroing in on specific details that make the position unique, desirable, or interesting. 

An example that comes to mind is a client that was hiring for a field technician role. One of the most unique aspects of the job was that the employee would spend virtually 100% of the time working on and traveling between job sites. We knew not being tied to a desk would be a key selling point for a certain type of candidate, so we highlighted this aspect of the job prominently when posting about it on LinkedIn. 

4. Let employees do the talking

Employee-generated content is one of the most powerful ways to promote your employer brand. Enlist team members to share their experiences in specific roles and as an employee in general through testimonials, photos, and videos. This authenticity can resonate deeply with prospective applicants. 

Here are a few prompts to inspire employee-generated content:  

“My favorite part of working for [COMPANY] is…”

“I love being part of the [COMPANY] team because…”

“I’m a [JOB TITLE] and here’s what I do all day…” 

5. Encourage interaction

Social media algorithms love to see people interacting with your posts. If a piece of content is getting a high number of likes or shares, it’s shown in even more feeds, creating a snowball effect of engagement. 

Ask a question, invite people to share experiences, prompt users to tag a friend, or create a poll. The more interactive your posts, the better. 

6. Make the most of comments

When I see an unanswered comment on a company’s social media account, a little part of my recruiter heart cries. That’s a candidate relationship begging to be nourished! 

When people leave comments on your posts, respond to them whether they’re asking a question, expressing interest, seeking more information, or tagging others. You can even ask a follow-up question to invite further interaction. 

7. Engage on others’ posts

Don’t wait for candidates to come to you. Go to them by seeking out conversations to participate in within groups for specific industries, job specialties, or geographic regions. Leave thoughtful comments or offer advice on Reddit. This is an especially useful tactic for brands with a small following that may not have as much organic reach. 

8. Answer frequently asked questions

Here’s another angle: instead of just posting the job listing, be proactive by answering questions candidates often have about the position. A video with a catchy headline like “How Much Will I Make As A [JOB TITLE]?” or ‘How Much PTO Does [COMPANY] Offer?” is sure to get good traction. 

9. Target people who already know you

Familiarity breeds trust. Just like when you’re selling a product, it often takes multiple touchpoints to convert a casual viewer into an applicant. Enter one of social media’s most powerful tools: retargeting ads. Retargeting allows you to show content specifically to people who have already viewed your posts or taken an action, like clicking a link or visiting a particular page of your website. 

By creating content that speaks to these users more closely, you make it more likely that they’ll take your desired action. Here’s an example for a piece of content retargeting users who viewed your careers page. 

“Interested in careers at [COMPANY NAME]? Take the next step by sending a message to one of our recruiters who can answer your questions about the hiring process.”

10. Encourage specific actions

Every post should include a clear call to action, but it doesn’t always have to be ‘complete an application.’ For example, on Instagram you can encourage users to ‘save this post!’ to come back to it for helpful information, or to ‘tag a friend who’d be perfect for this role.’

11. Experiment with different content styles

What works for a larger brand might not perform well for a small company, and vice versa. Experiment with different types and formats of content to see what resonated with your audience. For example, test images versus videos, long-form versus bite-sized captions, and so on. 

12. Collaborate with micro-influencers

A micro-influencer is a social media user with a small following (comparatively speaking, usually under 100K followers) who posts about a niche subject. Micro-influencers tend to have highly targeted audiences, and when you find one that’s aligned with your ideal candidate, the results can be excellent. 

For example, suppose you were looking to hire medical assistants. In that case, you might partner with an Instagram influencer like @themdjourney, who shares med school tips to a highly tailored audience of ~20,000 medical students.

13. Use humor

Humor is one of the best ways to garner engagement and make your posts stand out. A witty caption or a clever meme is much more likely to be noticed and shared than a job listing written in corporate jargon. Here’s one for all you recruiters out there. 

You can also take advantage of humor by jumping on board timely trends. A couple of years ago, it was viral dances on TikTok. Now, voice-over dubs from popular movies and TV shows are common. 

Note that humor may not make sense for all companies. Consider your brand voice and candidate persona when deciding if a lighthearted tone is aligned with your goals. 

Promoting jobs on social media offers more than visibility. It’s a way to make an impression and cut through the noise of endless job board postings and recruiter messages. Incorporating these ideas into your recruiting strategy allows you to connect with the right candidates, showcase your company’s culture, and build long-term relationships with potential hires. 

Then, like every other online platform that goes mainstream, Indeed became saturated. These days, posting jobs there is a mixed bag that might land you a great candidate but might also net you hundreds of spam applications to sort through. Sadly, the same is true for many popular job listing sites. 

If you want to hire the best workers, you need a top-notch pool of candidates to choose from, and to reach those candidates, you need to go above and beyond to get your job in front of them, now more than ever. This doesn’t necessarily mean reaching the largest number of people but rather reaching the right people. 

I’ll share why it’s time to rethink where you post jobs and how to decide which outlets are the best fit for the type of candidates you’re trying to reach. 

Why Rethinking the Best Places to Post Jobs is Important

In the past, you may have been like younger me, copying and pasting your job listings across a few different online job boards and watching as the applications rolled in. Those days are long gone, so posting the same job description to the same old handful of places won’t get you very far. How people find jobs has changed, and your strategy for attracting candidates needs to change accordingly. 

Candidates are increasingly likely to switch fields, so you must think beyond the typical job search sites and LinkedIn groups limited to your industry. Additionally, more job seekers are looking for remote and freelance roles. If a contract worker can fill your role, expanding your search to freelance platforms can bring in a host of new and qualified applicants. 

That being said, you’re probably now wondering where to post jobs to get the most qualified eyes on your vacant positions. Here are a few of the best places to post jobs for increased visibility.

Related: How to Write a Job Description to Attract Top Candidates

Top Job Posting Sites

1. Your website

Posting open jobs on your website isn’t new, but it’s still essential and should be the first place you go when you have a new job to fill. If a candidate is considering applying but can’t find information on your website, they’re likely to assume the position has already been filled or that no openings exist.

A few months back, my agency was in the process of onboarding a new client. When we reviewed their website for background information, we found they didn’t even have a careers page! No wonder recruiting had been a challenge. Job seekers are often aware of specific organizations they’d like to work for or local companies operating in their area of expertise. When they look you up, you want them to be able to find your vacancies immediately. 

For example, suppose an individual currently works at a marketing agency and is looking to make a career move. In that case, they are likely already familiar with other nearby marketing agencies they could apply to. Candidates often begin their job search by visiting those companies’ websites directly to check if they have any open positions. Therefore, it is important that your website has a clear “careers” page or section to list any job openings and further contact information.

2. Social media

Wondering how to attract job applicants from younger, tech-savvy generations (like Millennials and Gen Z, who now make up the largest segment of the workforce)? Reach them where they already are: social media. Your social media pages can be a powerful tool to reach consumers and job seekers.

For this reason, if you can incorporate Instagram or TikTok into your recruitment strategy you may find some surprising results. It’s a great way to reach potential candidates who are already loyal followers of your brand and familiar with your business model, culture, and values! Another must: ask your followers to share your job listings. Referrals are consistently one of the top sources for well-qualified candidates. 

If you’re looking specifically for local workers, post to social media groups for your city or region. We’ve had success finding strong applicants fast using this method. We once conducted an A/B test posting the same logistics job opening to three platforms: Indeed, Glassdoor, and a local Facebook group. Indeed brought volume, but many applications were irrelevant. Glassdoor brought in more candidates aligned with our needs, but the local group yielded several highly motivated candidates who were familiar with our area, which was a big plus. It was a valuable experiment for us and for our client. 

Related: How Facebook Can Enhance Your Recruitment Strategy

3. LinkedIn

With over a billion members in 200 countries, LinkedIn can offer your business a large pool of potential candidates. You can post jobs on LinkedIn, search for profiles matching the skills and experience of your open positions, and message potential candidates directly. You can post your job openings on LinkedIn for free, but the site also offers a paid option with features like the new AI-Assisted Search, which can make tailored suggestions to refine your talent pool and job advertisements. 

Paid job postings leverage “smart targeting” to get your ad in front of the right candidates, even if they’re not actively seeking a new position. The cost of this will vary based on your geographic location, so it may be a valuable option depending on your budget and the level of competition for talent in your location.

4. Online job boards

As much as we warn about unqualified applicants resulting from mass posting on job boards, they’re still a useful tool to get your openings out there. After all, the most well-known job board websites like ZipRecruiter and Indeed get millions of monthly searches. They operate like a search engine — a job seeker inputs their skills, industry, and location, and the board pulls up results for the job openings that match. The key is selecting the right boards for your target audience, which we’ll talk more about a little later on. 

5. College Career Services

Where can you find a lot of people in one place who are looking for a job? A college campus! Thanks to the pandemic, many of the college career fairs that were once a gold mine for young talent have gone online, which is beneficial to employers who want to reach prospective candidates from schools all over the country. You can also post your open positions on college job boards via the student union or career services office. These are effective ways to connect with and expose your brand to young professionals eager to start working and learning.

Related: Tips for Hosting Virtual Hiring Events

6. Professional organizations & associations

If your organization is involved or affiliated with a professional organization or association, that can be a great place to network with professionals in your area and industry. You may want to reach out about your job listings, as they may post them on their website or in their newsletters or emails.

Also, remember that simply being active in professional organizations and representing your company at local networking events can be an incredibly effective recruitment tool. This way, you’re not only getting the word about your open positions out to other professionals in your industry but are actually able to form personal connections that may lead to a filled job position later!

7. Industry Forums

In a super competitive hiring market, sometimes making your search more narrow rather than more broad is the answer. Niche down by posting your listing on industry-specific sites, like GitHub for developers, HCareers for hospitality workers, and eFinancialCareers for financial professionals. 

The Best Online Job Boards Bases on Your Target Audience

General 

Indeed

One of the largest job boards globally, Indeed aggregates millions of jobs and resumes. It can help you attract candidates across industries, from entry-level to senior roles. 

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is ideal for targeting skilled professionals with access to a professional network of over a billion users. It’s especially useful when recruiting for mid- to senior-level roles and positions that require niche expertise. 

Monster/CareerBuilder

These two leading job boards recently announced a merger. With broad reach and advanced search tools, these two help attract candidates for jobs from tech to healthcare, offering a mix of entry-level and experienced professionals. 

Glassdoor

In addition to job postings, Glassdoor gives candidates employer reviews and salary insights, which can help with filtering. It’s a good platform for reaching candidates who value company culture and transparency. 

Tech and IT

Dice

Focused on tech jobs, Dice is ideal for finding software developers, engineers, data analysts, and IT specialists. 

Stack Overflow Jobs

This platform, tied to the popular programming community with the same name, can help you attract developers and engineers who are actively solving real-world problems with technology. 

Creative and marketing

Behance

Behance is a portfolio-based platform perfect for hiring designers, illustrators, and other creative professionals where previewing their work beforehand is a must. 

Dribbble

Another creative-focused site, Dribbble connects employers with graphic designers, UI/UX specialists, and visual artists. 

Healthcare

Health eCareers

Focused on clinical healthcare roles, Health eCareers is an ideal platform if you’re looking to fire physicians, nurses and other care providers. 

Nurse.com

You guessed it–a platform for hiring nurses, who are currently in high demand. You can also use the site to hire other types of care professionals like occupational therapists and med techs. 

Remote and freelance workers

Upwork

Leading freelance marketplace Upwork can connect you with freelancers in pretty much any field, but it’s especially useful for hiring writers, designers, and developers. 

We Work Remotely

As one of the largest remote job boards, this platform is ideal for finding talent in marketing, customer service, and tech who are seeking a fully remote role. 

Remote.co

Specifically catering to remote jobs, remote.co helps companies hire for roles in accounting, HR, project management, and more, catering to candidates who value flexibility and remote-first work environments. 

Entry-level and hourly workers

Snagajob

A popular platform for hourly workers, including roles in retail, hospitality, and customer service. 

Handshake

Handshake specializes in early-career candidates, helping employers find college students and recent grads seeking internships or entry-level positions. 

Still Unable to Find the Right Candidate? Turn to a Professional Staffing Agency

These tips are a great starting point, but it’s probably the right time to turn to professionals if you’re still having difficulties sourcing candidates for your open position. Professional staffing agencies or headhunters offer access to a vast pool of candidates. Recruiters are constantly working on expanding their professional networks and maintaining relationships with active and passive job seekers to connect with these candidates on your behalf.

4 Corner Resources is a nationally recognized recruitment agency headquartered in central Florida and continually ranked among leading Orlando staffing agencies. We work with companies of all sizes across the United States to fill everything from high-volume jobs to specialized positions. We offer a variety of staffing solutions, including direct hire placement, contract staffing, and contract-to-hire recruiting.

We often source hundreds of candidates for a single job opening to find you the ideal fit. Beyond putting your job openings in front of the right people, we screen, interview, and check references as part of our recruiting process. Then, we deliver the best matches straight to you!

Contact one of our recruiting experts today to learn more about how a relationship with 4CR can bring the best candidates to your business.

Yep. We’ve heard that a few times. 

Clients frequently come to my team frustrated because their traditional job postings are drawing low-quality applicants who seem like they didn’t even read the job description. In a market where mass-posting openings to job boards is the norm, you have to do more if you want to connect with high-quality candidates. 

Here are some unique recruitment campaign ideas that will help you connect with great talent. Adding some of these to your existing campaign is a great way to attract higher-quality, relevant candidates.

1. Custom video messages

My recruiters have seen how powerful targeted candidate outreach on LinkedIn can be. Take those messages one step further by recording a personalized video introduction for each candidate. This isn’t hard to do–just create a script (a tool like ChatGPT can help you out) and leave blank spots to fill in specific candidate details like their name and which qualifications caught your eye. Create a list of candidates you want to approach, then make a recording for each one. 

Yes, recording personalized video introductions takes more time than sending automated messages, which may not be right for every situation. However, it can really pay off for high-value roles like key operational functions and management positions. Plus, you can bet your competitors aren’t doing it.

Related: How to Use Video as an Innovative Recruitment Strategy

2. Interactive Q&A’s

Now more than ever, candidates crave convenience. Getting dressed, driving to a recruiting event, and walking around talking to a bunch of people is a lot of work and a big hurdle to getting prospective applicants to commit. Instead, lower the barrier to entry and expand your reach by holding a virtual Q&A. 

Use a platform like Zoom, Instagram Live, or LinkedIn Events to host a live discussion about your open positions. This allows candidates to ask questions and get a feel for your culture while making your organization seem approachable. The best part is they can take part from their living room–or anywhere else with an internet connection. 

3. Networking with a twist

Put a twist on exhausting, conventional recruiting events by adding an activity or theme. In addition to inviting candidates you’re already talking to, enlist employees to invite their friends. Trivia networking night at a popular local restaurant was a big hit for one of our clients. Another company we work with does a recurring taco Tuesday type event that’s open to candidates and industry professionals alike. Try to think outside the box.

4. Niche communities

When you post jobs on platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed, you’re casting a wide net. The problem is, that net is often too wide, and 90% of the people you reach won’t be a match for your job (but a lot of them will apply anyway).

You can still use online platforms to connect with applicants; the solution is to narrow your focus. Choose communities that cater to a niche audience, like Stack Overflow for developers, AngelList for people with startup experience, and Dribble for creatives like graphic designers. You can also tap communities that cater to specific demographic groups, like Women in STEM or Black Girls Code. 

In addition to helping you reach the right audience, targeting these groups will help you get in front of passive job seekers who might not be actively searching for a new position. 

5. Social media outreach

Engage with candidates using polls and open-ended questions on social media. Situational questions, which ask candidates how they’d behave in a specific scenario, are also highly effective interview tools. Incorporate them into your recruitment campaigns by gamifying the application process. 

Pose a challenge to viewers of your job posting that mirrors the one they’d encounter on a real day on the job. Present different options for how to solve it, each leading to a different outcome. It’s job application meets choose your own adventure that not only makes the candidate experience more engaging but helps you screen prospective applicants. 

6. Internship pipeline

As we brainstormed creative ways to help one of our financial clients reach more entry-level workers, we realized they lacked a critical recruitment tool: an internship program. Internship programs are a direct pipeline feeding talented young workers into your organization where they can grow and advance. If you don’t have one, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to connect with an ambitious set of applicants. 

After consulting with us and leveraging some of our connections at local colleges to spread the word, our client established an internship program and onboarded its first class of recruits. At the end of the semester, they were able to hire several talented participants into full-time roles.

Related: Benefits of Using Internships as a Recruiting Tool

7. Supercharge referrals

We always say that employee referrals are the most effective recruiting channel. But are you making it worthwhile for your employees? Spicy up the incentives to give your referral program a boost. 

Cash is a great place to start if you’re not currently offering any referral incentives. In addition to cash, add appealing perks employees can get excited about, like tickets to sporting events and concerts, spa treatments, and extra PTO.

8. Programmatic advertising

You know how you look up a product and then start seeing ads for it everywhere? That’s programmatic advertising, and it’s not just for consumer goods. You can use programmatic advertising to target highly specific groups of job seekers across channels, including websites, social media platforms, and their favorite apps. 

Programmatic advertising used to be reserved for those who could afford expensive ad managers. Still, today, it’s accessible to anyone via cloud-based programs like Google Ad Manager or Adobe Advertising Cloud. 

9. Microsites

A microsite is a small, standalone webpage focusing on a niche topic. It may be connected to a company’s main website but usually has its own domain. You can use a microsite to offer candidates an in-depth look at your values or benefits, like your commitment to the environment or flexible work policies. You can create an entire campaign around it, with social media posts, targeted ads, and even physical marketing materials like brochures with a QR code driving traffic to the site.

10. Virtual tour

If you have a great office, consider appealing to candidates by offering a virtual tour of your facility. Show candidates where they’d be working, highlight features like an onsite gym or cafeteria, and feature testimonials from happy employees about their day-to-day experience. Not only does this add a human element to your recruiting, but it also positions in-office work in a positive light. 

Connecting with high-quality applicants requires innovation, focus, and a willingness to try different things. Embracing personalization and creativity will help you create campaigns that resonate with the type of candidates you want to attract and filter out the rest, making your job easier and helping you hire more effectively. 

Tailored Recruiting Campaigns to Achieve Your Goals

If you’re still stuck and looking for ideas to find better talent, reach out to our team. No two companies are alike, so we build customized recruiting strategies for every client. When you partner with us, you’ll tap into two decades of diverse hiring expertise covering industries from marketing and customer service to government and healthcare and beyond. 

Learn why we’re consistently named among the best staffing firms in America by contacting us today. 

I’m kidding; these stereotypes have been repeated so often they’ve become fodder for memes (an obsession with avocado toast and oat milk come to mind). In my experience, though, these generalizations couldn’t be further from the truth. The millennials I’ve hired have been passionate, hardworking, and purpose-driven. They care very much about well-being, both of themselves and others, which I suppose in the eyes of old-school corporate entities could be viewed as “selfish.”

The fact is that recruiting and retaining millennials is essential to compete in today’s job market. They’re the largest segment of the workforce, and the eldest of them are reaching their prime earning years (you might even be one yourself). If you want to hire them and keep them around, you can’t be blinded by sweeping stereotypes. You have to understand what makes millennials tick so you can tailor your recruitment strategy accordingly and tap into this large, growing, and talented part of the workforce.  

Who Exactly Is Considered to Be a Millennial?

Millennials are defined as individuals born between 1981 and 1997. As the largest generational group of the workforce, they account for more than a third of all U.S. employees. Millennials are often derided as fickle, non-committal, and generally difficult to please. Though these are broad and unfair characterizations, it is worth noting that they do demand flexibility; work-life balance is the number one consideration of this age group when choosing an employer. 

Millennials, like members of any generation, have their own unique outlook on life, impacting their approach to work. In the workplace, millennials are highly fluent in technology and comfortable using it to automate tasks. They’re achievement-oriented, seeking frequent feedback from managers and thriving when they have a clearly defined set of goals. This generation grew up playing team sports and shuttling from one extracurricular activity to the next; because of this, many tend to prefer working on a team and seek a sense of belonging among their coworkers.

Related: Generational Differences in the Workplace

What Is Important to Them?

First and foremost, millennials value purpose. According to Deloitte, a whopping 89% of them say having a sense of purpose is very or somewhat important to their overall job satisfaction and well-being. In comparison, 40% have turned down a job based on their personal ethics or beliefs. 

They value relationships, both in and out of the workplace. At work, they prefer to have a more personal rapport with colleagues rather than the strictly business approach of generations before them. They prioritize family and personal life above a high paycheck and would take a pay cut if it meant more flexibility.

Millennials crave positive reinforcement, and that extends to their bosses. They grew up with parents who placed a heavy emphasis on praise (some describe them as the ‘participation trophy generation’) and thus value input and feedback on their work. Without it, they may feel directionless, prompting them to seek out opportunities with a more clearly defined path to success.

Millennial Stereotypes

It’s important to note that the characteristics we’re discussing here are generalizations. They don’t apply to all members of the generation and shouldn’t be applied with a broad brush. Still, they’re important to bear in mind if you want to engage this important segment of the workforce. With that said, let’s get into some common millennial stereotypes and what they might actually mean in the workplace.

They want to know why

Forty-three percent of workers in this age group say they’ve rejected an assignment or project based on their personal beliefs–an act of defiance that would have been unheard of in my parents’ generation! 

As a leader, I’ve learned that millennials’ strong will sometimes calls for managing them with a softer touch. When I give one of my team members an assignment, it’s become second nature for me to explain how the task relates to the team’s bigger-picture goals. Not only does this provide clarity, but it also contributes to the sense of purpose they crave. 

They ask for too much

In addition to being comfortable asking questions, they also feel at ease asking for accommodations. This starkly contrasts with their older peers, who have more of a ‘keep your head down and work’ approach. But being accommodating as an employer isn’t a bad thing; accommodating employees with disabilities, for example, leads to a more equitable workplace. It often begins with employees who are comfortable speaking up. 

They need constant validation

Millennials have grown up in a world that treats social media likes as currency, and as a result, they often get unfairly labeled as attention seekers who are glued to their phones. Realistically though, who isn’t glued to their phone these days?

It’s true, however, that many millennials say they want validation at work. Managers who want to coach workers from this age group successfully should be mindful to give positive feedback for a job well done and constructive criticism on areas that need work–strategies that are useful in engaging workers from any generation, not just millennials.

Related: Traits You Need to Know About Millennial Workers

The Difference in Recruiting Millennials vs Gen Z

It’s easy to group millennials and Gen Z together, and they do share some common traits, like the desire for work-life balance and a commitment to environmental sustainability. When hiring, though, there are a few key distinctions to be aware of. 

For starters, millennials still turn to job boards as their first resource when looking for new employment opportunities. This means you can’t overlook the importance of optimizing job postings and using the right keywords. While members of Gen Z use job boards, too, they’re more heavily drawn to in-person events like hiring fairs than their older peers. 

When millennials want to learn about a prospective employer, like understanding its company culture or values, they’re more likely to turn to people in their network for inside information and personal testimonials. Since members of Gen Z are newer to the workforce and generally have smaller networks, they’re more likely to rely on their own research done via online review sites, social media, and the company’s website. 

For Gen Z, making more money is the number one motivating factor in making a job switch. While money is important for millennials, too (and every segment of the workforce), this generation is more concerned with work-life balance and earning what they’re worth rather than merely commanding the largest number possible. This insight can inform how you position the financial aspect of your value proposition. 

Recruiting and Retention Strategies for Millennials

A big reason recruiting millennials can prove challenging for older generations is because their habits and interests are unique and quite different from past generations. So, how exactly should a recruiter approach a millennial worker? Here are some tips and advice:

Lead with flexibility

When I give younger candidates a chance to bring up questions at the end of an interview, there’s a 90% chance they’re going to ask about work-life balance. As we already discussed, this isn’t just a priority for workers from this age group. It’s the priority, so your recruitment materials should be a part of it. Highlight offerings like flexible hours and hybrid work. When possible, consider creating roles with the option to be fully remote. 

Millennials’ strong preference for flexible work means they’re also more likely to be open to alternative work arrangements like four-day workweeks, job sharing, and part-time work, so if those options are on the table, be sure to mention them.  

Make the recruiting process personal and tailored to that worker

The days of a hiring manager placing an ad in the local newspaper and waiting for candidates to apply is effectively over. Today, more needs to be done to attract high-quality millennial workers. For example, you should try to identify specific skills and types of experience, become comfortable searching for and connecting with people on LinkedIn, and reach out to an ideal candidate directly. Why is a personal touch important? Because surveys have shown that millennial workers welcome this type of personal interaction and relationship. For example, a survey conducted on LinkedIn involving more than 13,000 members discovered that more than 90 percent of millennials are interested in hearing about a new job opportunity and 66 percent were open to speaking with a recruiter.

Consider creating a specific message tailored to each candidate that shows you are familiar with their background. In your communications with them, focus on engaging with the individual.

Focus on outcomes rather than tasks

This generation is highly averse to “performative” work, like being at your desk for eight hours when you can finish your work in four. Because of this, job postings that include a laundry list of duties tend to fall flat. Instead of focusing on the tasks a candidate will be required to perform, focus on the outcomes you’re looking for them to achieve. Six in ten millennials believe they have the power to drive change within their organizations, and an outcome-based approach will help them envision how they might contribute to that transformation. 

Offer a roadmap to a fulfilling and growth-centered future

A great strategy for recruiting and retaining these workers is to show them that there is a fruitful path forward with the company. This is because millennial workers want to know whether the organization is invested in them. They want to see where they fit into the company’s long-term future and how management and HR will assist them in getting there. Many of these workers also want to understand the company’s management structure and whether leadership will empower workers and develop them into future leaders within the company. For example, surveys indicate that many millennial workers prefer to have a manager who displays a vested interest in their long-term professional success. In addition, they prefer to view their manager as a professional coach rather than a supervisor.

Emphasize company culture

Numerous surveys indicate that workers value their company’s culture. Obviously, compensation is important, but one of the main attractions for many millennial workers is whether the company’s culture aligns with their values. Job seekers want to know if a position will help them make an impact on their community. 

Culture is important because many millennial workers are also looking to forge a deep connection with their coworkers. They thrive in a team setting and often prefer collaborative to independent work. To highlight this element of your culture, use assets like quotes from current employees talking about their sense of belonging and videos spotlighting strong teamwork within your recruitment marketing.

Spotlight or strengthen mental health benefits

Millennials experience a huge amount of work-related stress, with 35% saying they feel stressed all or most of the time. Employers have come a long way in recognizing the importance of mental well-being over the last few years, but in order to attract and retain millennials, you need to make sure your support translates into tangible benefits. 

If you offer things like an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or coverage for mental health benefits like therapy, be sure to prioritize these offerings when targeting millennials. You can also emphasize how it factors into your company culture, like if you’ve built an environment where employees can openly discuss mental health struggles with their managers. And if you don’t have these things, get serious about adding them. 

Get comfortable using social media to recruit millennials

You need to gain an understanding and level of comfort in using social media to project your company’s values and mission. It would be best if you tried to highlight your best employees and emphasize organization-led volunteer opportunities and projects on social media platforms. Tether your social media messaging to your organization’s values. For example, if diversity is emphasized, make sure to reflect that fact in the staff images on your company’s social media pages. It would help if you also encouraged your workers to share photos that align with the company’s values and mission.

Another valuable aspect of social media management and recruitment is remaining cognizant of what is being said about your company on various platforms and then responding when necessary. This is incredibly important because you could have an amazing company website, but if your reputation on social media is negative, it will make recruiting millennials more difficult.

Related: How Facebook Can Enhance Your Recruitment Strategy

Sell them on the full package

Though adequate pay is important, it shouldn’t be the main selling point when you’re looking to win millennial candidates. As we discussed earlier, workers in this generation weigh salary on an equal basis or as less important than more intrinsic factors like work-life balance. 

When I’m working with someone who’s a millennial, I take extra care to convey how the company is a total package that includes a good wage, quality benefits offering, and perks that will make their life better, from a gym membership to flex scheduling.

Related: In-Demand Perks and Benefits

If you’re looking to add fresh faces to your team, reach out to us

4 Corner Resources was founded in 2006, right around the same time millennials were coming of age. My team has a deep understanding of the priorities and values of this generational group, as most of them belong to it. We can help your company ensure those things are front and center in your recruitment strategy. 

We serve as the staffing agency of choice for companies throughout Florida and the United States, with services that span industries from business and finance to government and healthcare and beyond. Contact us today to speak with a client manager about how our company can source, attract, screen, and place the right candidates for your business.

When this request came in, I spoke to our client manager and decided we needed a different approach. Simply laying out the details of the job wasn’t enough, especially in an area where specialists have their pick of lucrative openings. We needed to get strategic. 

My team approached this pitch by focusing not on what the candidate could gain–after all when you’re an enterprise-level company, you can always dangle a carrot like a huge salary–but instead on what the candidate was currently lacking in their professional life. We crafted a pitch that emphasized cultural components that are missing from many fast-moving smaller teams, like meaningful mentorship and support for employees’ long-term goals. With this tailored approach, we were able to build a shortlist of a dozen strong contenders who were not only technically qualified but highly interested in the position. 

Every job is unique, which means the way you pitch them should be, too. I’ll explain how to create a compelling recruitment pitch that helps you capture the attention of candidates and turn them into applicants. 

What Is a Recruitment Pitch?

A recruitment pitch is a concise message a recruiter uses to convince a prospective candidate to apply for a job. It could be sent via email, delivered on a platform like LinkedIn, communicated over the phone, or even spoken face-to-face.   

A recruiter has a very narrow window of time in which to make their case, so a recruitment pitch must be focused. It should introduce and frankly sell the company and be tailored to the candidate’s needs and preferences. 

Goals a Good Recruitment Pitch Should Accomplish

Present the opportunity

A recruitment pitch should pique the candidate’s interest or spark their curiosity. This prompts them to keep reading and learn more about the job. 

Explain the value proposition

This is the meat of a recruitment pitch: what’s in it for the candidate. The value proposition should make it clear why the opening is a match for the person’s skills and background and explain how they’d benefit from the role, whether it’s advancing their career, working on exciting projects, increasing their earning potential, or whatever is likely a priority for this candidate.

Related: How to Create a Winning Employee Value Proposition

Provide background on the company

Unless your brand is a household name, your pitch will be the first time many recipients hear about your organization. Your pitch should give an overview of the company’s products or services and mission. 

Convince them to apply

This is the whole point of creating a recruitment pitch: to attract talented applicants. The message should make it quick and easy for interested professionals to take the next step. 

How to Create a Recruitment Pitch

Personalize your introduction

Message templates are a necessity. Without them, it would be impossible to reach the volume of candidates we need to reach in order to hire efficiently. And yet, there’s no faster way to reach the trash can than sending a canned, copy-and-pasted message. 

My team has dramatically increased our response rates by letting the candidate know from the very first line of the message that we’re speaking directly to them, and them specifically. You can mention a mutual acquaintance, cite a particular detail about their profile that caught your eye, ask them how their current job at insert-company-here is going, congratulate them on a recent accomplishment–anything to show that you have a valid reason for reaching out and you’re not just messaging them at random. 

Introduce the company

Give an overview of your company to tell the reader or listener who you are. One or two sentences is sufficient. 

Here’s a formula that always works for me: 

‘My company, [INSERT NAME], works to [INSERT PROBLEM YOU SOLVE] through [INSERT PRODUCT OR SERVICE YOU SELL].’ 

For my own organization, it would look like this:

‘My company, 4 Corner Resources, works to help companies fill vacancies efficiently by sourcing talent with the right blend of skills, experience, and personality.’

It’s quick, easy, and accomplishes the job of introducing your organization to someone who’s hearing about it for the first time. 

Outline your value proposition

Most of your pitch should be dedicated to the value proposition. What makes your organization or this position unique? Why should someone work here versus a competitor? What are the key selling points that matter to the candidate? This is where it’s important to have a solid knowledge of the industry and market, because you want to cover things that not every employer is offering. 

Here are some examples of items to include: 

• Compensation. In addition to salary, cover other forms of compensation, such as overtime, commission, bonuses, and profit sharing. 
• Benefits and perks. Highlight offerings that make you stand out, like unlimited PTO, mental health support, or tuition assistance. 
• Professional development. Candidates consistently cite development opportunities as their most desired benefit beyond salary and basics like healthcare. 
• Career advancement. Outline the advancement paths available to the recipient, like promotion into more senior roles and leadership opportunities. Make it easy for them to see a future with the company. 
• Company growth and future plans. What’s on the horizon for the organization, from expansions to innovative projects? Tell the candidate what to be excited about.
• Impact. Connect the candidate’s strengths with the ability to make a difference through the role. This is another opportunity to personalize your pitch and make it resonate. 

Give real-world examples

When one of my recruiters was sourcing candidates for a project management role, she came across a woman whose LinkedIn profile caught my eye. She wasn’t the “traditional” candidate; she had no project management experience, but her skills and background gave me a hunch that she’d be great in the position. 

When I reached out to her, I knew I’d need to overcome the hurdle of showing her why the job made sense because, on the surface, it seemed like I’d picked her profile at random. Rather than trying to use my words to convince her, I knew a success story from a similar hire would be much more compelling. 

I shared an anecdote about another candidate we’d plucked from a customer service role. Though he had no prior experience, his organization and creative problem-solving perfectly positioned him to succeed in a project management capacity. After providing some additional training to support his transition, a year into the job, he was crushing it. This anecdote helped ease her doubts and turn any hesitation she might feel into excitement about the prospect of a career switch. 

Whether it’s a testimonial from a happy employee or impressive metrics that help you make your case, real-world examples make any pitch so much stronger. 

Include a call to action

Close your pitch by stating the next action you want the candidate to take. I like to offer two CTAs in every pitch: apply for the job or set up a time to talk with me for more information. I’ll typically include a link that takes the reader directly to the application (or, if I’m talking live, hand them something that contains these details) and also invite them to have a conversation to answer any questions they may have. 

Example Recruitment Pitch – Email 

Hi Shawn,

I attended the April 12 city council meeting and heard your presentation on the South Avenue redevelopment project. I agreed with much of what you said and thought you had tremendous insights into the community. 

I’m with Pine Ridge Capital. We work to facilitate innovative developments through strategic land acquisition. I’m reaching out because I think you’d be a strong fit for a site manager role we currently have open. 

Pine Ridge emphasizes continued learning, offering an annual education stipend and sponsoring attendance at industry conferences. In addition to comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits, we offer access to mental health services and a very popular childcare subsidy. 

I’d love to tell you more about the job and the projects we have on the horizon, particularly one downtown I think you’ll find very interesting. Do you have a few minutes this week to chat? Alternatively, you can visit the job posting directly here. Hope to hear from you soon. 

Thomas

Example Recruitment Pitch – Voicemail 

Many times, you’ll be put in the position of leaving a voicemail. This isn’t a roadblock, but an opportunity! You can still make a great pitch; it just needs to be a little shorter and more enticing to convince the recipient to call you back. Here’s an example.

Hi Sharon, this is Felicia with Randolph Hughes. I’m calling because we have an immediate opening for an associate editor, and I think you’d be a great candidate. 85% of our editors were promoted from associate positions, so this is an ideal opportunity if you’re looking to advance into an editor role in the next couple years. Give me a call back at 888-888-8888 to discuss the details. Thanks!

Our Expert Recruiters Are Here to Help You Attract the Best Candidates

A strong pitch is the only thing standing between you and your next great candidate. By including compelling selling points and sprinkling in personalized details that show the pitch was intended specifically for them, you’ll show the candidate how your opening aligns with their goals and make it easy for them to decide to apply. 

If, after reading all of this, you still think that your recruitment plan could use some polish, my team is always eager to help. We can help consult on a specific area or take on the full scope of your hiring needs. As one last note, since I’ve talked so much about it in pitches, if you need a specific example to help you make up your mind, we do have an 86% candidate fill rate.

Reach out today to discuss your needs and get started building a better team.

It’s a common story. A client will tell me, “We’re posting our openings all over the place, but we’re getting inundated with low-quality applicants. Where else should we be advertising? We must be missing something.”

They think they’re fishing in the wrong waters, and that if they could only access some unknown, hidden honey hole, the right candidates would magically start biting. But it’s not where they’re fishing that’s the problem. It’s the bait.

Job postings, aka job ads, are like a lure that appeals to a certain type of fish–or, in our case, a certain type of candidate. It’s specific to their needs, easy for them to understand, and enticing, so when they come across it, getting them to bite and reeling them in is relatively effortless. When we work with our clients the description and selling points of the role are among the first things we consider. A frustrating and drawn out search can often turn into an efficient one simply by digging in and creating a better, more concise job description.

So, with that in mind, let’s take a close look at why it needs to be an essential part of your staffing strategy…and then I’ll share how you can make yours significantly better. 

Why Are Job Descriptions So Important?

To attract the right candidate

Too many companies aim to cast a wide net (sorry, I can’t seem to get away from the fishing metaphors) with broad, vague job descriptions. But instead of hoping to attract as many candidates as possible so you can find the right person among them, what you should be doing with your job descriptions is filtering the wrong people out.

Compelling and precise descriptions help candidates quickly decide whether A) they can succeed in a role and B) They want to pursue it. If these two things are true, it makes for a candidate worth talking to. If not, it’s best for them to keep looking, which is why it’s so important to include descriptive detail in your job posts.

To set clear expectations

One of the biggest reasons new hires wind up unhappy is that the job doesn’t match what they were sold during the hiring process. Hiring mismatches result in low morale and premature turnover, both of which hurt your operations. 

Clear job descriptions give candidates a proper understanding of what the role will be like and what’s expected of them so there are no unpleasant surprises after they come on board.

Assess performance

Because a good job description clearly defines a role and sets expectations for satisfactory performance, it’s a great benchmarking tool for employee reviews. The job posting offers a framework on which to assess a candidate’s first 30, 60, and 90 days in the role, and to measure their growth after that.

Tips for Creating Great Job Postings

1. Lead with a strong hook

Your first few sentences should be the strongest writing in your job description. The hook is the first thing a job seeker will see and will compel great candidates to keep reading, so it pays to take the time to get it right. 

Give an overview of the position in plain but descriptive language, avoiding generic statements.

Boring: Seeking a mid-level copywriter with four years of experience. 

Better: Seeking a dedicated copywriter and skilled editor who fully understands the power of well-constructed messaging across all channels. You have a firm grasp of voice and tone and know how to make it apparent in different types of content, from user comms to email nurture campaigns to web copy. 

The ‘better’ example is a hook from a job description posted by the financial services firm Stripe. I love it because it conveys exactly what the applicant will be doing (writing and editing) and incorporates the required skills (command of voice and tone, experience creating content for a variety of channels). It’s anything but generic and if I were an applicant, it’d make me want to look closer.

2. Narrow down the essential requirements

Here’s another place where lots of companies go wrong: they list way too many skills and qualifications as being “required.” In reality, most of them are “preferred” or “desirable” traits rather than necessities to be able to do the job. 

When you fail to narrow down your list of requirements to what’s ACTUALLY required, you’ll lose a lot of great applicants who think they don’t have what it takes. And, you’ll still get a slew of applications from underqualified people applying en masse, so you’re not doing yourself any favors!

So, edit your required qualifications. Also, consider dropping rigid education requirements. We’ve seen many Fortune 500 companies start loosening degree requirements or eliminating them entirely in favor of skill-based hiring. 

Related: How to Use Skill Based Hiring to Build a Stronger Workforce

3. Focus on outcomes rather than duties

While some roles, especially entry-level ones, may necessitate fixed job duties, the reality is that many mid-level and senior positions offer much more room for leeway over how the job is done.

Most hiring managers I’ve worked with agree that an employee’s results are more important than the nitty-gritty of how they accomplish them, and we can use this to our advantage in job descriptions. 

When possible, frame your descriptions around the outcomes you’re looking for the right candidate to achieve rather than listing out the mundane day-to-day tasks associated with a role. Here’s an example to illustrate the difference.

Boring:

• Research laws and regulations
• Maintain a calendar of court dates and hearings
• Answer phones and greet guests

Better:

• Support a team of six attorneys in providing thorough and effective counsel
• Provide a welcoming environment and efficient experience for clients

Outcome-based job descriptions attract stronger talent because they signal flexibility and autonomy in how a job is performed–two factors great candidates are looking for. Focusing on results also keeps employees motivated and engaged while accomplishing the goal of setting clear expectations for performance. 

Related: How to Write a Job Description to Attract Top Candidates

4. Provide the information candidates want to know

Don’t be cagey. Candidates want to know how much the job pays and whether it’s in the office, remote, or hybrid. Include relevant details that might deter some candidates, like if it’s an overnight shift or is commission-based. 

Remember: we’re filtering people out as much as we are drawing them in. You’re only creating more work for yourself in the long run (and providing a poor candidate experience) if you try to pull a bait-and-switch by omitting key details. One client came to us with high turnover in their IT department because they insisted on describing a low-level role in a way that made it sound much more glamorous. They were wasting time and money constantly backfilling staff because they were afraid to describe the position accurately up front.  We gave them the same advice we’re giving you here: Be honest.

But what about negative details? What if a position requires working weekends or holidays, for example, but you’re sure that your attractive perks make up for some tough hours? Say so. Bad news early is always good news! Use language that acknowledges the realities of the position while highlighting the many rewarding aspects that make the job appealing regardless of its less-than-perfect aspects. If you can’t think of any pros to outweigh the cons, maybe you need to step back and reconsider the role itself.

5. Eliminate cliches 

‘Ninja,’ ‘passionate,’ and ‘work hard, play hard’ come to mind. These job description buzzwords have been used so often that they make talented workers roll their eyes. They also waste space without saying anything meaningful–what is an ‘IT ninja,’ anyway?

Instead of saying ‘passionate marketer,’ describe the results you’re looking for. ‘Drive a 30% increase in new leads’ is a specific ask that speaks to the required skills and qualifies the right individuals. 

6. Be mindful of biased language

Much of the language we use in everyday life can have some unintended consequences when used in job descriptions, excluding applicants we don’t mean to exclude. 

Biased: Spokesman (gendered)

Better: Spokesperson

Biased: Digital native (ageist and also a cliche) 

Better: Proficient with a wide range of digital technology

Biased: Native English speaker (culturally problematic, excludes candidates from diverse backgrounds)

Better: Fluent English speaker

It’s a great idea to have your job descriptions edited by someone well-versed in biased language, since they’ll catch words and phrases you might not even realize could be excluding certain individuals. 

7. Describe the company culture

Company culture is a major factor in whether a candidate will be a strong fit, and yet too many hiring managers wait to address it until the job interview or worse, don’t address it at all. Start at the start with culture by incorporating it into your job postings. 

Here’s a great example from Pacific Cycle, which owns famed cycling brands Schwinn and Mongoose:

“We enjoy what we do here at Pacific Cycle, and riding a bike is all about having fun. By cultivating an open, informal, and optimistic work culture, we make easier and more genuine connections with our colleagues, consumers, and partners.”

It’s specific and unique, making it easy to understand what type of environment you’d be working in if you joined this organization. 

8. Highlight employee benefits

Focus not just on what you want the candidate to do for you, but what you can do for the candidate. What’s in it for them? I’d argue that this value proposition should be right up there with the hook in terms of the part of the job description that you spend the most time on. 

Call out your benefits package, perks, commitment to growth, development and advancement opportunities, flexible work options, ability to make a meaningful impact–anything that sets you apart from every other company that’s competing to hire the same candidate. To give you an idea of what to focus on, we have a whole list of in-demand perks and benefits here. 

9. Use the right keywords

So far we’ve talked about the meat of your job descriptions–the specific details that will lure in great candidates and get them excited to apply. But if you want candidates to even find your postings in the first place, you have to do some tactical work, too. 

Keywords will help your openings get indexed by search engines and discovered by candidates who are looking for what you’re offering. Here are some of the most important keywords to make sure are included

• Job title (including different phrasing, like ‘office admin’ and ‘administrative assistant’)
• Skills
• Industry
• Location
• Credentials (CPA, MBA, etc.)
• Work type (part-time, full-time, remote, hybrid)

If you have an SEO specialist on staff, it can be helpful to work in tandem with them to fine tune your job descriptions to optimize their visibility. 

Related: How to Use SEO for Job Postings to Increase Visibility

As you can see, I don’t take job descriptions lightly. They’re an aspect of the hiring process that has made a big difference for many of our clients who were struggling to get the right candidates in the door. Like I said earlier, you have to look at your bait. 

If you could use help refining your job descriptions, postings, or any other part of your recruitment strategy my team at 4 Corner Resources can be of service.

Get in touch here and let’s talk about your hiring needs.

We’ll outline why having an optimized company careers page matters and share 12 best practices for building one that brings in the applicants you’re looking for. 

The Importance of an Optimized Careers Page

An informative, easy-to-navigate careers page can help your organization:

Capture more applicants

Job descriptions that are both eye-catching and thorough make it easy for candidates to select the role that’s best for them while learning more about your employer value proposition–that is, what’s in it for employees who work for you–to compel them to apply. A page with a clear, streamlined layout and easy-to-follow application steps minimizes drop-offs and improves your application completion rate.  

Reduce your cost per hire

With a fully optimized careers page, you don’t have to rely as heavily on channels that cost money, like sponsored posts and ads, or ones that take up a lot of time, like finding and messaging candidates on LinkedIn. A well-trafficked page will bring in applicants quickly, expediting your hiring timeline.

Answer frequently asked questions

By using your careers page to address applicants’ most common questions and concerns, you’ll reduce uncertainty and cut down on applications that aren’t a strong fit. When more applications are a better match for their respective roles, recruiting staff is less stressed. Answering FAQs proactively also reduces the time a human staffer has to respond to these inquiries. 

Promote your employer brand

An intentionally designed careers page ensures consistency in all your candidate-facing materials, contributing to a strong employer brand. In the eyes of candidates, an organized, positive careers page suggests an organized, positive workplace. Companies with a reputable, recognizable employer brand have an easier time attracting and retaining great workers. 

Improve your search engine performance

For many candidates, Google is stop number one on their job search journey. Optimizing your careers pages ensures these candidates find you when they search for jobs in their city or area of specialty. Search engine optimization translates into free traffic and helps keep visitors on the page longer, which is a plus for your entire website.

Related: How to Use SEO for Job Postings to Increase Visibility

12 Best Practices for a Great Company Careers Page

1. Organize the information

A confusing or cluttered careers page can frustrate applicants and reduce their likelihood of completing an application. Choose a clean layout that’s easy to navigate. Use dedicated sections to share different types of information, like job openings, company background, and employee testimonials. 

Here’s a basic but highly effective example from Southwest’s careers page. This layout makes finding the most relevant information easy, so job seekers can go straight to what they’re looking for.

2. Showcase job openings

Since job openings are the main thing bringing visitors to your careers page, make sure they’re prominently placed. Each opening should have a detailed description of the job duties and requirements and other pertinent information like the salary range and whether it’s onsite, remote, or hybrid. 

When prospective candidates read your job descriptions, they should easily be able to tell whether the job is a fit for their skills and employment needs. 

3. Make it searchable

Offering a search capability can help candidates find appropriate positions quickly. This is especially necessary if you’re hiring across departments and locations. 

UnitedHealth Group makes finding suitable openings even easier by automatically displaying ‘jobs near you’–the top positions in the visitor’s geographic area–before a search is even performed.

4. Promote your benefits

Benefits are part of your total employment offering and are very important to candidates when considering where to work. Yet, too few employers make detailed information on benefits readily available before making an offer. 

Set yourself apart by promoting benefits like comprehensive health insurance, retirement contribution matching, and paid family leave on your careers page. Even if you cannot detail the specifics of your benefits package, it’s good to let candidates know the basics of what you offer. 

Related: In-Demand Perks and Benefits

5. Highlight advancement and development opportunities

Professional development and career advancement opportunities are also highly important to top talent, especially those in Gen Z. Convey your focus on employee development by sharing information about mentoring programs, continuing education, and your commitment to promoting from within. This is also a great section to share stories of how longtime employees have advanced within the company. 

Related: How to Invest in Employee Development

6. Simplify the application process

Candidates should be able to fill out an initial application within a few minutes. Don’t add unnecessary requirements like visiting a third-party website or downloading an app to apply. Pare down your online application to the fewest number of steps to get the information you need, ensuring that all steps can be easily completed from any type of device. 

Also, give applicants options. For example, allow them to choose whether to upload their resume or type it into a text editor (but don’t make them do both!). Applying via LinkedIn is another convenient option that’s popular among job seekers. 

7. Give employees a starring role

Prospective applicants trust the voice of current employees more than a corporate boilerplate to tell them what it’s really like to work for your company. Use first-person accounts in the form of quotes, videos, and success stories to show how your employees are thriving and why they love their jobs. 

Apple does an excellent job of this, incorporating impactful employee quotes within every section of its careers page and even allowing the visitor to watch a short film showcasing team member testimonials. 

8. Optimize for SEO

When you create your careers page, you’re not just crafting content for people who are looking for a job; you’re also writing for search engines. As mentioned earlier, search engine optimization ensures your ideal candidates can find your openings when they’re looking for them.

Optimize for keywords like job titles, location, industry, and in-demand perks like unlimited PTO and the ability to work fully remotely. 

9. Offer interactive elements

Using interactive elements can keep candidates on the page longer and help them decide which of your openings is the best fit. For example, a ‘which role is right for you?’ quiz can help prospective applicants narrow their search to a few relevant positions while capturing details like their email address for further communication. 

10. Help candidates succeed

You’re in a good place if you’ve covered the basics–job openings, employer value proposition, and employee testimonials–on your careers page. However, you can take your content one step further and contribute to a positive candidate experience by providing additional resources to set applicants up for success. 

Microsoft does a great job of this, offering interview tips geared toward different audiences, like virtual interviewers and recent graduates. They also have a section that outlines what to expect during every phase of the hiring process. 

11. Provide a way to get more information

Even if you provide a wealth of information on your careers page, some candidates will likely have further questions. This is a good thing, as it demonstrates strong interest and is an opportunity to get a head start on the screening process. 

Interactive tools like a recruitment chatbot can answer real-time questions while providing a 24/7 contact channel. You might direct candidates to a Facebook or LinkedIn page specifically for information about careers with your company or allow them to subscribe to a mailing list for future job alerts. At the very least, offer an email address where prospective applicants can send questions and receive a prompt response. 

12. Update it frequently

Don’t let the openings and information on your careers page become outdated. Update it frequently or use automation techniques to post your latest job listings instantly to your website. 

Related: What Is Recruitment Automation and How Can You Use It to Hire Smarter?

Careers Page Mistakes to Avoid

Whether you’re building a careers page from scratch or fine-tuning your existing one, be on the lookout for these common mistakes:

• Failing to make the information easy to navigate. Avoid large blocks of text and cluttered visual elements.
• Not providing detailed information about job responsibilities, required skills, desired background, and minimum qualifications.
• No overview of your company and why a candidate would want to work there. 
• Missing out on the opportunity to include first-person accounts from real employees. 
• A complicated, multi-step application process. 
• Failing to optimize for mobile devices.

By creating a visually appealing, organized, and thorough careers page, you’ll attract a higher volume of applicants who are better qualified for your openings. This will reduce recruiters’ workloads and provide applicants with a seamless experience. 

To make your company more attractive, it’s necessary to consider what employees want. Thankfully, that information is no secret–numerous surveys and studies tell us exactly what workers are looking for from their employers and what they consider most prominently when job searching. Plus, there are multiple ways to discover this information within your own workforce. 

We’ll talk more about how to do that and break down the most desired attributes among employees below. 

Factors That Influence Employee Satisfaction

A company’s attractiveness can be broken down into four main areas that determine employee satisfaction. 

Day-to-day experience

The company’s jobs don’t have to be easy–in fact, it’s a good thing if they’re appropriately challenging. They do, however, need to be manageable daily, without excessive periods of stress or overwork. 

Career development

Can employees see a future with the organization? Advancement opportunities, employee development initiatives, recognition programs, and clear feedback all contribute to a strong sense of career development potential that employees value. 

Company culture

Do employees feel that they fit in? Most adults spend more waking hours with their coworkers than they do with their own families, so a sense of belonging is high on the list of employee priorities.  

Compensation

Money might not buy happiness, but it can provide a place to live, food to eat, and comforts that make life outside of work worthwhile. If employees are getting paid well and have great insurance, they can tolerate many things.

14 Things That Make a Company Attractive to Employees

Now, let’s dive deeper into the categories above and explore specific workplace features and benefits that are compelling to employees. 

1. Competitive salary

No matter how you slice it, money is consistently the top factor employees consider when choosing where to work. In a Gallup survey of more than 13,000 workers, 64% said a significant increase in pay and benefits was very important to them when deciding whether to accept a job offer. 

With 52% of workers saying they’re financially stressed, it’s important to consider total compensation, which includes other forms of compensation like bonuses and commissions as well as employer-sponsored programs like health insurance and retirement savings that offset household costs. 

2. Comprehensive benefits

Health insurance, retirement, and paid time off are must-haves if you want to compete as a top employer in your field. Beyond that, employees are attracted to companies that offer additional benefits that enhance their lives and demonstrate the organization’s investment in their well-being, like extended paid parental leave, mental health services, and tuition reimbursement. 

Related: Attract Top Candidates With These In-Demand Perks and Benefits

3. Flexibility

The significant growth of remote work has increased awareness about the value of flexible work arrangements, with more than half of remote-capable employees saying they expect and prefer the ability to work a hybrid schedule. Whether it’s working from home, flex scheduling, or some other form of flexibility, workers want the freedom to choose when, where, and how they work best. 

Related: The Importance of Flexibility in the Workplace

4. Work-life balance/well-being

Sixty-four percent of today’s workers say work-life balance and well-being are very important to them when choosing an employer. This coincides with an increased society-wide focus on mental health and its importance. Employers can show their commitment to this value through offerings like mental health and personal days and advocacy stances on issues that impact worker well-being. 

5. Professional development

Professional development opportunities are a top demand among forward-thinking workers looking to optimize their prospects in a dynamic job market. According to Gallup, 65% of workers say the opportunity to take part in upskilling programs would be extremely important or very important to them when considering whether to take a new job, and 61% cited its importance in choosing whether to stay with their current employer. 

Employers can also demonstrate their commitment to professional development and appeal to employees through company-sanctioned mentoring, seminars and workshops, and educational stipends for independent learning. 

6. Advancement opportunities

High performers are motivated by growth and advancement. They don’t want to stay in the same dead-end job for a decade. As such, top employees will always have one eye on their next move, and if there’s not an opportunity to advance within your organization, they’re likely to look elsewhere for a company where they can rise in the ranks. 

Clearly defining and communicating your organization’s advancement options, like internal job openings and leadership training programs, helps ambitious employees recognize and take advantage of these opportunities. 

7. Strong leadership

Employees want to work for consistent, communicative, and transparent leaders. Unfortunately, less than a quarter of workers in the U.S. say they strongly agree that they trust their organization’s leadership. Company leaders can better connect with employees by communicating clearly, leading and supporting transformative change, and inspiring confidence in the future.  

8. Inclusive environment

Companies that lead by example when it comes to diversity and inclusion will win the respect of employees and job seekers alike. Prioritizing policies that are inclusive to all people regardless of race, background, gender, age, sexual orientation, or disability not only makes for a stronger workforce but creates a wider talent pool, which eases hiring challenges. 

9. Positive culture

Nothing kills employee morale faster than a toxic workplace culture. A positive culture is one of mutual respect, transparency, and accountability. Employees want to feel like managers lead by example and support them, both when they’re exceeding expectations and when they’re struggling to meet them. Open, ongoing communication between team members and between managers and their reports is key. 

10. Job security

In this shaky economic environment, only some things feel certain. Workers want jobs (and paychecks) that feel secure. Companies can seize on this desire by highlighting their market longevity and plans for future growth. 

11. Shared values

Employees who feel their company shares their values are likelier to be loyal and engaged. Those specific values may differ depending on the demographic. Older workers, for example, may value stability and reputation, while younger ones may favor creativity and social responsibility. Creating recruitment marketing materials that highlight your company values can help you connect with employees who are aligned with your vision and will be enthusiastic about the values you embody. 

12. Innovation

Change is occurring lightning, and most employees feel positive about it. In a PwC survey surrounding workers’ hopes and fears about workplace change, 77% said they feel ready to adapt to new ways of working, while 72% said they were excited about opportunities to learn and grow. Companies can capitalize on this forward momentum by embracing new ideas, being willing to try new ways of doing things, and being receptive to workforce advancements like artificial intelligence. 

13. Technology

Top employees instinctively look for ways to do their jobs better or more efficiently. One of the ways that manifests is in technology. For employers, supporting workers through technology is synonymous with investment in software, hardware, and education to help employees do their jobs to the best of their ability. 

14. Clear expectations

One of the biggest frustrations among employees occurs when they feel that what’s expected of them does not match their job description or don’t know what’s expected of them. Setting and communicating clear expectations around job duties and goals promotes stronger performance and contributes to a culture of transparency. 

How to Learn What Employees Want

Reading about what hypothetical employees want is helpful, but it’s even more effective if you invest the time to discover what your actual employees and target candidates are looking for. Here are three ways to accomplish that. 

Employee feedback surveys

Surveys are a highly useful tool for gathering feedback straight from the mouths of employees and candidates. They can cover various topics, from compensation and benefits to workplace culture and hiring experience. They can be short or long and are easy and free to distribute. Guaranteeing anonymity can give you the best chance of obtaining honest input. 

Related: The Best Employee Survey Tools For Gathering Actionable Feedback

Focus groups

Focus groups allow for in-depth discussions among small groups of employees. Groups can be selected with specific goals in mind, like engaging younger workers or appealing to tech candidates. These sessions can produce detailed insights you can use to improve employee engagement and retention. 

Market research 

By studying the trends in your industry and local market, as well as what competitors have to offer, you can better align your offerings with employee expectations and current market conditions. This allows you to compete for new talent more effectively and retain your top performers. 

The “perfect company” doesn’t exist. However, by recognizing what employees want and working to align your offerings accordingly, you’ll be better positioned to attract talented applicants for your open positions and build a reputation for being a great employer to work for. 

From job boards to networking events to social media, endless channels exist for finding new talent. But if you want to make great hires, it’s the quality rather than the quantity of applicants that matters. Regarding ROI, few recruitment techniques perform as well as employee referrals.

Employee referrals result in faster hires, come at a low cost, and make the screening process easier for hiring managers. Here, we’ll dive deeper into the importance of referrals and explain how to turn your employee referral program into a powerful recruitment tool.

Why Employee Referrals Matter

Employee referrals are good for business in more ways than one.

According to a 2023 benchmark report from talent acquisition software firm Radancy, hiring takes an average of 50 days when relying on traditional recruitment techniques like job boards. On the other hand, referred candidates take just 35 days on average to hire.

Referred candidates also stay at their jobs longer. In a LinkedIn study, 46% of referred hires stayed for at least a year after being hired, compared to 33% of people hired through career sites and 22% hired through job boards.

Referred candidates have better job acceptance rates, saying ‘yes’ to the offer between 2% and 6% more frequently than their non-referred counterparts.

Finally, your existing standout team members are a gold mine for reaching other top talents. It’s a well-documented phenomenon that high performers refer other high performers—they have high standards, so it makes sense that they’d only consider the cream of the crop among their professional circle when referring candidates to their company.

Given the many benefits of referrals, we’d argue that every employer should have an employee referral program.

What is an Employee Referral Program?

An employee referral program is a strategy in which companies encourage existing employees to submit candidates for consideration for open positions. A structured referral program formalizes the process employees use to submit those referrals and adds one or more incentives that reward them for their submissions.

Formalizing the referral process provides clear direction for employees who might otherwise not bother handing in a referral. It also saves time by having an established system for accepting and reviewing referrals (i.e., having only one referral channel versus taking them by email, in writing, via a submission form, etc.).

Incentivizing the referral process ensures there’s something in it for employees who invest the time and effort into mining their personal and professional networks for eligible candidates. Incentivizing also benefits the employer. Establishing that candidates are rewarded solely for referrals resulting in a hire will discourage the submission of frivolous referrals and encourage those who are actually a logical fit.

Having an official program helps keep referrals top-of-mind for busy workers. By regularly communicating the company’s job openings (more on this below), you’ll encourage a steady stream of candidate suggestions and help make referrals become a habit for your employees.

Benefits of Employee Referral Programs

Expand your talent pool

Many employers fall into the habit of posting their openings on the same job boards and relying on the same sources they always do when seeking new candidates. An employee referral program can help you expand your talent pool, reaching applicants your job listing might not have come in front of otherwise. This is crucial to being able to hire in a tight labor market. 

Reach passive candidates

If someone isn’t actively searching job listings, they won’t hear about your opening… that is unless a friend lets them know about it. Employee referrals help you reach passive candidates who are difficult to identify. Passive candidates are often strong, loyal workers with successful track records, but they’re notoriously challenging to recruit. 

Build employee engagement

When you ask your employees for suggestions on who to hire, you show them that their input is valued. When they, in turn, make a referral, they’re investing in the company’s success. This creates a positive cycle of employee engagement, which helps improve the retention of your existing workforce.

Make stronger hires

When you receive a referral, the candidate is already partially vetted. You’re starting out ahead of the game, which helps you hire faster and more accurately. An employee referral program is an excellent resource for strengthening the quality of your hires overall.

Challenges of Employee Referral Programs

Despite their many upsides, employee referral programs have their share of challenges. You’ll want to consider these factors as you plan and implement your referral program.

Leadership buy-in

A referral program can only be successful if there’s buy-in at the top. The responsibility for promoting the program can’t fall solely on HR; leaders on all teams must be involved in actively encouraging referrals—not just for roles on their team but across the company.

Complexity

The best referral programs are easy to understand and easy to participate in. Don’t make employees jump through hoops to submit a referral. For smaller companies, an email-based referral program may be sufficient. The larger the organization, though, the more you may need technology infrastructure to support it. Consider using referral software or a cloud-based application if you’re a large or enterprise company.

Diversity detriments

A study by PayScale looked at the ways—both positive and negative—that referrals shape companies. One of the downsides they found was that referral programs don’t benefit women and minorities as much as they do white men. It is possible to run an employee referral program and still achieve a diverse workplace by prioritizing programs that promote diversity, attending career fairs in diverse areas, and making inroads at schools with diverse student bodies.

Creating an Employee Referral Program That Actually Works

Now that we’ve established why a referral program is beneficial let’s discuss how to turn yours into a powerful recruitment engine. It comes down to setting up a referral program that leadership understands, employees actually want to use, and that’s as easy as possible for all involved.

Use the following employee referral program ideas to plan and execute a successful program in your organization.

1. Choose a channel and make it the standard for submitting referrals.

First, decide the appropriate scope of your program. Do you only want referrals on an occasional basis, or do you want a robust, perpetually running referral program? This scope will help determine the best channel to use for taking referrals.

You might accept referrals using an online form, a paper form, email, or even text messages. Simple is best, so we advise picking one channel or two at most to avoid confusion and streamline the submission process.

Then, clear and straightforward instructions should be created for how employees should use the submission channel, what the incentives are, and how and when incentives will be awarded. Distribute the instructions company-wide and make them available wherever you house other key personnel documents.

2. Strategize the right incentives.

Cold, hard cash is still a great motivator for referrals, but it’s not the only one. Take some time to gather feedback from managers about what motivates employees. Time off and company-sponsored perks, like concert tickets and free meals, can be good options.

One downside of cash incentives is that they can take a long time to materialize, such as waiting 90 days before paying out for a referred new hire. Consider implementing some low-cost, immediate incentives (a $10 Starbucks gift card, for example) that give employees a more instant reward for their successful referral and help maintain interest in the program. You might also hold a raffle monthly or quarterly for all employees who submitted referrals, regardless of whether they resulted in a hire.

Finally, consider a sliding scale of incentives based on the role. It’s logical for executive-level or highly specialized roles to come with a higher referral bonus than entry-level ones.

3. Assign ownership and set KPIs.

Don’t just set it and forget it. Your employee referral program needs a designated owner who will steer the ship and clearly define goals to measure progress.

Here are some metrics to consider when establishing referral program KPIs:

• Referrals submitted per month
• Referrals submitted per employee
• Referrals submitted per job opening
• Interviews per month
• Interviews per referral
• Interviews per job opening
• Hires per referral
• Referrals versus all other recruitment channels

4. Spread the word.

Though one person or department should oversee your employee referral program, spreading the word about it falls on all members of leadership.

First, managers and department heads should be educated about how to use the program. Then, work to integrate it into your everyday operations. Department heads might schedule five minutes at the top of team meetings to discuss the referral program. HR might send an email blast every Friday with current openings. Give the referral program its own section in your new hire onboarding process. Promote it from the start, and do it frequently.

This leads to our next tip: get specific about the roles you want to fill. Simply making a blanket ask for referrals won’t get you very far. Instead, share specific details about the role and the type of candidate you’re seeking to help your employees make appropriate connections.

5. Measure progress and share successes.

On a regular basis, check in on the KPIs you set in step three; monthly or bi-monthly is a good frequency. Analyze what’s working and what could use improvements, then tweak the program as needed.

Keep employees engaged by sharing success stories and spotlighting your top referrers. Sometimes, recognition can be the biggest motivator to get employees involved. Also, close the loop on referral results so employees aren’t left wondering what happened with the candidates they recommended.

In a report by CareerBuilder, 88% of employers with a referral program rated it higher than all other recruitment channels for the quality of new hires. By implementing or updating your own referral program using the tips above, you’ll enjoy the benefits of lower turnover rates, lower hiring costs, and higher-quality candidates that will ultimately improve your company’s performance.

How to Manage an Employee Referral Program

Set goals

Clearly defined goals will help keep your referral program running smoothly and aid in streamlining the referral process. Decide what it is you’re hoping to accomplish, be it accessing more technically skilled candidates, reaching passive job seekers, lowering recruiting costs, boosting retention, or some other objective. This will inform the KPIs we touched on and help you make data-backed decisions supporting your broader goals. 

Decide on a payout structure

Most employee referral programs distribute rewards in one of two ways: via a one-time payment after a certain milestone, like 90 days, is reached after the hire or on a staggered basis over a longer period of time. The one-time payment structure is more common, but better options may exist. A staggered payout–for example, in monthly payments over a six-month period may be the better choice. Not only does it facilitate a longer “reward” period of positive reinforcement for the referring employee, but it can also encourage more long-term support for the new hire. Weigh the options to decide which payout structure is best for your organization.

Delineate your culture

One of the reasons employees make such good referrers is that they’re already enmeshed with your company culture and, thus, can tell who would be a good fit within it. Still, putting that culture into words can be a big help to employees looking for great candidates in their network. Identifying and communicating your company culture and other aspects of your employer value proposition helps employees easily identify strong-fitting candidates for a steady stream of quality referrals. 

Make job descriptions accessible

We’ve talked in other posts about the importance of writing strong job descriptions to attract top talent, but it’s no different when talking about referrals. Employees need a way to easily access the descriptions of the positions they’re hiring for to submit good referrals. In your employee communications, provide a separate link to the job description for each opening. Aside from making it easy for team members to review each position, this also facilitates simple sharing with people in their network. 

Offer supporting materials

By now, it’s clear that a referral program must be easy to participate in to be successful. One way to make it even simpler to get involved is to offer ready-made supporting materials employees can view and pass on to prospective candidates. Assets like recruiting videos and pre-written social media posts promote sharing and save time, which boosts referral program participation.

Keep employees informed

You’re probably already aware of how important it is to maintain a consistent line of communication with candidates during the hiring process. Don’t neglect the other party in the referral equation: the referring employee. Cash rewards aside, one of the intrinsic benefits of participating in a referral program is the knowledge that the employee has made a successful contribution to the organization. So, keep employees informed about the status of their referrals as they move through the various phases of consideration.  

What Makes a Good Referral? 

Relevant experience

One major advantage of referrals is that employees often have direct insight into a candidate’s background, that’s hard to glean from a resume alone. A great referral will have strong experience with duties and expectations closely related to those of the job opening. 

Required skills

Of course, a referral still has to check all the necessary boxes regarding the required skills for the job. A good referral will be able to speak directly to those skills and vouch that the candidate has what it takes to perform in the role. 

Credible source

A referral is only as good as its source. If the referral comes from a high-performing employee, there’s a very good chance it’s another high-performing individual. Your mileage may vary if it’s from a mid or low-performing team member. 

Length/nature of relationship

While a lengthy relationship isn’t a hard and fast requirement for a strong referral, it’s always a plus if an employee can say they’ve known this person to be a skilled and diligent worker for five or ten years. Consider also the nature of the relationship. It makes a difference whether the referral is someone with whom an employee has direct work experience, or they’re just a casual professional acquaintance. 

About 4 Corner Resources

We help companies like yours harness the power of direct recruitment to find and hire top talent. For those hard-to-fill roles, our headhunters tap into our deep network of professional relationships to identify candidates with the perfect set of skills—including those elusive passive candidates.

With percentage-based fees, flat fees for volume hiring, and retained search agreements, we have a program that aligns with your needs and budget. We also offer temporary staffing and contract-to-hire services.

Contact us today and let our friendly recruiting team show you how 4 Corner Resources differs from your run-of-the-mill staffing firm. We look forward to meeting you.

Showing off your employer brand and company culture can help differentiate your organization, and video is one of the most effective mediums on which to do it. Here, we’ll share some tips for effectively using video to communicate your company’s value proposition. But first, we need to talk a bit more about why you can’t afford not to use video in your recruitment strategy.

The Power of Video

We’ve heard marketers proclaim that it’s “the year of video” for about a decade now, but we can’t fault them for their continued enthusiasm; the engagement numbers for digital video keep growing year by year. According to figures released by YouTube, close to three billion active users visit the platform monthly. For context, that’s more than a third of the people on earth. Those users watch over a billion hours of video daily on their TVs alone, and the watch time on all devices is undoubtedly much higher.

Unlike video consumed via television, which often turns into mere background noise, online video is highly engaging. According to a study by Animoto, video is consumers’ number one favorite type of content to see on social media. When a website offers video content, users spend 88% longer on the site than on websites without video. As of 2024, video content accounts for a massive 82% of all internet traffic.

Video is a particularly powerful medium for the important but often tricky-to-reach Gen Z audience. A quarter of millennials say YouTube is their favorite social media platform, while another 25% name TikTok as their preferred channel. Eighty-six percent of Gen Z adults are YouTube users. 

If the goal of your recruitment marketing is to reach the right candidates and make a meaningful connection with them—as it should be—it’s hard to pick a more appropriate format of content than video.

What Is the Purpose of a Recruitment Video?

Emphasize your employer brand

Your employer brand represents how your organization is viewed among the talent pool. It’s an important part of your value proposition to candidates, factoring in everything from how many qualified candidates you attract to how long it takes you to make the right hire. Organizations with a strong employer brand spend less on hiring and keeping employees longer than those that don’t prioritize employer branding.

That said, combining employer branding with video is a natural fit. Some parts of your value proposition, like your company culture, don’t translate that well through text on a screen. Even in a face-to-face interview, it’s hard for one or two interviewers to convey the culture of an entire organization. Video can help you encapsulate your company culture and other important aspects of your unique value proposition in a captivating yet concise way.

Related: Tips for Building Your Employer Branding Strategy

Attract prospective candidates

Videos are an excellent way for passive media users to stop and engage, especially on social media. Eighty-six percent of consumers spend a quarter or more of their time on social media watching videos, and if the video is less than a minute long, 66% of viewers will watch the whole thing. It’s rare to get that type of scroll-stopping reaction from text alone.

As an employer, video is the perfect medium to connect with would-be candidates for the first time and expand your talent pool. Use video as part of the first stage in your hiring funnel–the ‘attract’ stage–and offer a call to action that allows the viewer to take the next step, like visiting your careers page or subscribing to your job alerts. 

Searching for your next great hire?

Our recruiters are ready to deliver.

Hire Someone

Communicate your mission

Today’s candidates, especially younger ones, want to feel connected with their jobs beyond just the paycheck it provides. Sixty-five percent of new grads say they wouldn’t apply for a job if the company’s values didn’t align with theirs, while two-thirds of Gen Z candidates say they want more opportunities for purpose in their everyday work. 

Capitalize on this desire by using video to show the meaning behind and beyond your company’s work. Spotlight your founder, talking about what prompted them to start the company. Highlight employee testimonials discussing the impact their work has. Showcase philanthropic initiatives like volunteer work and charitable organizations you support. 

Share useful information

Another characteristic that today’s applicants highly value is transparency. Use video as a mid-funnel piece of content by explaining what candidates can expect once they’ve submitted an application. Outline the steps in your hiring process, communicate how long it usually takes, provide tips to help candidates adequately prepare for an interview, and answer frequently asked questions. 

What to Put in a Recruitment Video

Employees as the hero

When an in-demand candidate is in the early stages of your hiring process, they’re looking for information to help them answer one question: what is it really like to work at this company? Who better to answer that question than the people who actually work there?

To produce an authentic recruitment video, put real employees front and center rather than using actors. Capture day-in-the-life footage that shows how they do their jobs. Conduct testimonial-style interviews where they share their experience working for your company in their own words. You can tap your employee base for video ideas, like running a contest to develop the concept for your next recruitment video (which is a great way to engage your employees).

Real, engaging stories

It’s been true since the earliest days of mankind: people latch onto stories. It’s simple biology. Scientists say our brains are hard-wired to connect with information conveyed in a narrative format, and more specifically, narratives told through the eyes of a protagonist.

Use your recruitment video to take the viewer on a journey with a beginning, middle, and end. This includes sharing how one of your teams worked together to overcome a challenge, showcasing how an employee went above and beyond to solve a problem for a customer, or taking the viewer behind the scenes at a company event.

Emotion

People are more likely to remember what they’ve seen when it makes them experience a specific emotion. Whether it’s satisfaction, passion, inspiration, humor, or some other emotion, your story should make the viewer feel something. Emotion helps make your company memorable and sets you apart in the monotonous grind that is job hunting.

Captivating visuals

There’s a reason TV news anchors toss to reporters who are live out in the field: the video on the scene of a news event is 100% more captivating than the static shot of the presenters sitting at a desk inside a studio. You can’t get your message across without actually giving viewers something to watch!

Here are some examples of captivating videos:

• Real footage of employees doing their jobs or participating in workplace events
• A tour of your office/facility
• Customers interacting with your products or services
• Dynamic graphics that explain your benefits

What’s not captivating is stock footage you’ve purchased or downloaded online, talking heads (AKA a static shot of a person speaking) on the screen for too long, and dull or poor-quality graphics. 

A call to action

At the end of your video, the viewer should have a clear understanding of what you want them to do next and how to do it. Whether that’s reviewing your open jobs, submitting an application, connecting with a recruiter, or taking some other action, provide direct instruction for how the viewer can engage further after completing the video. 

How to Make a Good Recruiting Video

Define your objective

Don’t make the mistake of trying to do too much. A good recruiting video has one main objective that all of the elements of the video–the imagery, the sound bites, and so on–point to. This is especially important when you’re creating short-form content, which is most likely to engage viewers. So, before you begin shooting or even planning your video, define the goal you’re trying to accomplish. 

Work with the professionals

While it’s tempting to say that any video is better than no video at all, the reality is that in recruitment marketing, a poor-quality video can do more harm than good to your employer brand. After all, isn’t your goal to show how invested you are in the talent you bring onboard?

Smartphones may mean that everyone has a pretty darn good camera at their fingertips at all times, but amateur video neglects to account for so many factors, like sound quality, lighting, and post-production, that can make or break a recruitment video.

Instead of relying on an intern with an iPhone to put together something for your Careers page, invest in working with a professional videographer and editor. If budget allows, you might also enlist the talents of a director and/or producer who can help you nail down the perfect concept for your video and execute it flawlessly. Working with the pros will ensure you walk away with a polished and professional video rather than something sloppy.

Keep it brief

While many platforms offer long-form video uploading capabilities, longer videos tend to perform better among viewers who are already invested in the brand (like a YouTube user tuning in for new content from one of their favorite creators). Shorter videos are best for new viewers, like prospective candidates. Aim for no more than five minutes; one to two minutes is even better.

On Facebook, videos that are about a minute long generated the most engagement. YouTube content sees a sweet spot around the two-minute mark. For X and Instagram, videos under a minute perform best.

Longer-form video content can have a place in your recruitment strategy, though. For best results, use longer videos to engage talent that’s further along in the hiring funnel, like visitors who have made it to your Careers page or completed an application.

Know your platform

One exciting thing about digital video is that the content matters on its own and in the context of the platform where you share it. For example, the same video that performs well on your home page likely wouldn’t get the same amount of engagement if used in an ad on Instagram.

To create successful recruitment video content, you have to know your platform. This means considering factors like user demographics, platform intent (i.e., for recreational use versus professional networking), the average length of session, screen orientation (vertical versus horizontal), and more.

Creating platform-appropriate video content doesn’t have to be cost-prohibitive. Video footage from a single shoot can be repurposed in many different ways to suit different platforms. For example, a long-form video featured on your Careers page can be broken down into several 30-second snippets that are shared in separate Facebook posts.

Don’t be afraid to experiment

With a recruitment video, your creativity is the limit. Once you’ve gotten comfortable incorporating video into your recruitment strategy, try new things to see what yields the best results.

If you typically strike a formal tone, try a more lighthearted video. If you usually use sit-down interviews, stick a wireless microphone on your subject and have them walk and talk simultaneously. Test out different lengths and shooting styles. Consider posting on platforms like TiKTok that many companies haven’t broken into yet.

As with any recruitment marketing initiative, always track your efforts and analyze their results periodically to assess your return on investment properly.

Examples of Some of the Best Recruitment Videos

New Zealand Police

When you think about a job as a police officer, humor probably isn’t the first quality that comes to mind. However, it’s the main theme of this recruiting video for New Zealand’s police force. In it, we watch officers put surprising and funny twists on routine duties like helping an elderly person cross the street. 

Despite its lighthearted tone, the video clearly outlines the job’s selling points, like the ability to choose from more than 30 different career paths. It also ends with a strong and clear call to action for viewers who are ready to take the next step and apply. 

Listrak

Marketing platform Listrak nails the employee testimonial format in this recruiting video. It features a wide selection of employees who share what they do and describe why they like working there. This not only explains what the company does to those who are hearing about it for the first time, but it also makes the company’s values and culture easy to discern. 

After watching this video, an applicant could easily decide, ‘I could see myself working there,’ and follow the link on the closing screen to the company’s careers page. 

Heineken

Most people have heard of the Dutch beer brand Heineken, which means you have some preconceived notions about the company. In this offbeat recruiting video, the company challenges those notions and invites candidates to “choose a path or go off it.” 

The unconventional style of the video leaves the viewer wanting to know more, and clicking the call to action (cleverly worded ‘Take The Interview’) is almost irresistible.

Partner with the Recruiting Experts

If your recruitment strategy could use a boost, enlist the experts at 4 Corner Resources. Our team of seasoned staffing professionals can help you target your recruiting efforts and maximize every dollar spent on hiring. 4CR was founded with the mission to make the staffing process more personal, helping businesses open new avenues for finding the best talent in their respective fields.

We specialize in finding staffing solutions that work within your budget, whether you’re an enterprise client looking to hire at scale or a small business searching for the perfect executive to round out your leadership team. We’re skilled at hiring for jobs in technology, healthcare, finance, marketing, communications, and more.

Contact us today to start your search!

With more people in the job market, internships are even more valuable to both workers and employers in building talent relationships and identifying strong-fitting candidates.

If you’re thinking of launching your own intern recruitment program or want to leverage your existing one more effectively as a recruitment tool, here are thirteen benefits of doing so. 

The Benefits of Hiring Interns

Build a steady pipeline of young, qualified talent

We’re big advocates for the ‘pipeline’ approach to recruiting, where you work to develop a consistent flow of candidates regardless of the volume of open roles you have. This helps you nurture ongoing relationships and stay top-of-mind for candidates, making hiring easier at any time than if you only started looking when you had an open role. 

An intern recruitment program can strongly contribute to your talent pipeline, helping you reach young, ambitious candidates ready to put their skills to work. 

The great thing about internships is that even when they don’t result in an immediate hire, they yield positive, long-lasting relationships that can benefit you in the future. After spending a few years in the workforce honing their skills, for example, many professionals return to work for companies they interned with years prior. They often make stronger candidates because they already have an inside perspective of the company’s culture and values while also bringing additional skills they’ve gained working elsewhere. 

Need assistance hiring interns?

Our recruiters can help.

Hire Someone

Train prospective candidates to your liking

We’ve talked in the past about hiring for potential rather than experience and why it can be a good strategy to ensure future job performance. Internships are one example of how to apply this practice. 

When you hire for potential, you can prioritize culture fit while training for specific technical skills, which ensures the job duties are performed to your standards. Additionally, you don’t have to counteract bad habits that candidates pick up in prior jobs. 

Training your interns in the skills they’ll need to work at your company is also an effective strategy for closing the skills gap, which is a big hiring challenge organizations in all industries are currently struggling with. Bridging the skill divide through training not only benefits interns in the immediate future but also contributes to a stronger workforce overall. 

Ability to try out different candidates before committing to hire

It’s not every day you get a chance to see a candidate in action on the job before deciding whether to hire them. Contract-to-hire arrangements are one way to accomplish this, but they’re not feasible for every role, nor do they lend themselves to trying out multiple candidates for one position. 

Internships give you the benefit of seeing a person—or multiple people—in the day-to-day setting of working for your company before you decide to bring them onboard. You can get a feel for how they make decisions, how productive they are, how they interact with other members of the team, and more. It’s a valuable piece of insight you’ll be hard-pressed to get in nearly any other hiring situation. 

And, if you do decide to hire one of your interns for a full-time role, you’ll already have a good idea that they’re a strong fit with your company culture. Because they’ve already spent time in your organization, they’ll have a head start getting up and running since they’re already familiar with some of your norms and processes. 

Increase productivity at a low cost 

Gone are the days of sending interns to fetch coffee or forcing them to alphabetize files. Instead, the modern internship sees students immersed in productive, critical-thinking-focused tasks. According to a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the majority of interns spend very little time on administrative and clerical tasks and the bulk of their time on duties requiring analytical and problem-solving skills. 

A talented intern can make a real difference on your team, helping tackle low-stakes tasks so more senior staffers can focus on projects that require their higher level of expertise. And they can do it at a low cost—the average hourly wage for college students is around $22.06 an hour, compared to the average $34.69 hourly wage for full-time employees. Plus, you don’t have to cover additional overhead costs like benefits that you’d have to cover for a full-timer. 

Cheap labor certainly shouldn’t be your main goal for implementing an internship program; in fact, a high-quality internship program takes a significant amount of time and resources to run. However, interns’ work is highly valuable, and when coached effectively, they can be an asset that increases productivity for your teams. 

Improved retention of new hires

Want to improve your new-hire retention rate? Hire interns. 

Candidates who have completed any internship program are more likely to stick around through their first year on the job than non-interns, and those whose internship resulted in a job offer are even more likely to stay with the company. The one-year retention rate for hires with internal internship experience is 71%, compared to 59% for candidates who interned anywhere and just 42% for those who did not complete an internship. 

The results carry on past the first year on the job, too; after five years, employees who were once interns have a 44% retention rate, compared to 27% for employees without previous internship experience.  

Foster relationships in the community

To cultivate applicants for your internship program, you’ll need to build a network of channels for intern recruitment. This includes developing relationships with high schools, universities, trade schools, workforce training programs, and other community organizations that will help spread the word. These are the same organizations and people who are good to know when you’re looking to recruit full-time talent, so building these relationships serves a dual purpose. 

Furthermore, having an internship program gets your name out there in the community and the industries you work in. This helps build brand recognition, an asset in your overall recruiting strategy. 

Develop leadership skills in existing employees

Students aren’t the only ones who reap the benefits of internship programs. They’re also a great opportunity to help your existing employees hone their leadership and management skills. 

The most successful intern programs follow a structure, give participants meaningful projects to work on, and provide useful, regular coaching. Of course, this requires an active company team to oversee the program and deliver the coaching. 

Your more junior team members can be particularly good candidates for this task. Not only are they close in age to your interns, serving as an effective bridge between the student experience and the professional world, but their job duties might not typically offer many chances to lead. Giving them the reins to coach and guide interns helps them flex their leadership muscles, which is a good way to foster engagement.  

Gain a fresh perspective

A wide body of research has demonstrated that diverse teams are more innovative and profitable than homogenous ones. Interns can bring a fresh perspective to your work not only from an age standpoint but also from the experience and viewpoint of a different generation. 

Today’s interns are part of ‘Generation Z,’ the age group following millennials whose members were born after 1996. Members of Gen Z are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation and are on track to be the most well-educated generation ever. 

How does this characterization compare to your existing staff makeup? Depending on your organization, chances are it’s at least somewhat different from how the majority of your teams look. Incorporating interns into focus groups and brainstorming sessions can yield surprising new insights that can be used to improve your services, strengthen your marketing strategy, and streamline your workflows. 

Free up time and energy of senior talent

We’ve already established that successful intern programs put participants to work on meaningful tasks–activities that build skills and provide industry exposure. Many of those activities are the same ones that senior team members complete every day but could easily offload to someone more junior. 

By assigning interns to important but time-consuming tasks like conducting research and drafting communications, you can free up more of your top performers’ time for business-driving tasks like presenting to sales prospects or doing deep dives into performance data. 

Invest in your industry

If you’re like most organizations, your goal is to establish a lasting position in your field. One of the best ways to do that is to invest in the next generation of talent. 

No matter what the industry, fresh young thinkers will be required to ensure sustainability and lasting success, not just for your own company but for the entire market. The energy field is a perfect example. It’s likely going to look completely different in 20 years than it does today. The people who will be leading the transformation are the same people who are interns in programs at companies like General Electric and Tesla right now. 

Investing in a high-quality internship program is an act of good faith in the future, both for your brand and your field.

Access tech-forward skills

College labs and lecture halls are the proving grounds for some of the most cutting-edge technology available. When you hire interns, you’ll bring on team members who have gotten their hands on tech that some of your full-time employees haven’t even used. 

What’s more, young people inherently possess a set of skills that might not come as naturally to more seasoned members of the workforce. Social media, video editing, and graphic design, for example, are great internship tasks because they’re done with tools that most people in Gen Z have been using their whole lives. 

Offer mentorship opportunities

Various studies have shown that mentorship is as rewarding for mentors as it is for mentees. An intern program offers more opportunities for members of your workforce to take on a mentorship role, either via a formal matching program or through informal interactions like job shadowing. Even just getting face time with young, enthusiastic intern recruits can provide engagement and breathe fresh air for longtime staffers. 

Generate positive PR

A well-established intern program is good for your organization’s public perception. It shows your commitment to giving back, developing skilled workers, and investing in the youth of your community.  

The activities of your interns also make for ideal PR material. A group of young faces donning construction hats on a job site or pitching a creative idea to the company president would look great on your social media channels or in the local paper’s Business section. 

Recruit Interns for Future Growth with 4 Corner Resources

Looking for new places to source qualified talent? Need to hire for niche skills or leadership roles? The team of staffing experts at 4 Corner Resources can help. With over 15 years in business, we’ve helped organizations of all sizes overcome their staffing challenges and build teams that withstand market changes and ensure future growth. 

We take hiring tasks like attracting, screening, and interviewing candidates off your plate so you can focus on coaching your staff and running your business. Our convenient onboarding and payroll services make getting new hires up and running a breeze. Schedule your free consultation with our team today to discuss your unique staffing needs.

Recruiters, however, especially innovative ones, can learn a thing or two from their marketing colleagues since many of the same principles used to attract customers can also be applied to attract talent. I know I have.

For too long, we at 4 Corner, like many traditional recruiting and staffing firms, didn’t pay much attention to marketing. In fact, our annual marketing budget was exactly $0. Maybe that’s just what happens when a career sales professional is the founder, but I now realize that to understand marketing is to experience its power and effectiveness. There is no need to repeat my mistake—read below for ideas you can leverage immediately to improve your recruitment efforts.

12 Marketing Strategies You Can Apply to Recruit Top Talent

1. Think of candidates as customers

It’s common knowledge in the marketing world that companies must sell their customers not just a product but a solution to a problem. To do this, marketers create a value proposition—a brief statement that describes how their product serves customers’ needs. 

For example, the value proposition of a meal delivery service might be that it saves you the time and energy that goes into meal planning. The value proposition of an app like Uber is that it offers the convenience of a car service at an accessible price. 

To clarify your recruiting efforts, create a value proposition for how your company fits into a candidate’s career and life. What are candidates looking for that your company can deliver on? Perhaps your value proposition is that you offer an award-winning training program that gives new employees a fast track to advancement. Maybe you offer the opportunity for candidates to gain experience working with Fortune 500 clients. Perhaps you offer unlimited vacation time. 

While using these things as “selling points” may seem like a no-brainer, crafting them into a direct and compelling value proposition will give you a clear anchor point for your recruitment messaging. 

2. Use a funnel approach

Most modern marketing strategies are built around the concept of a funnel. Customers start at the top of the funnel, where they’re just beginning to become aware of a problem they must solve. As they move down the funnel, they research options to help them solve their problem and learn more about your company through a series of touchpoints. Finally, when they reach the bottom of the funnel, they (hopefully) become customers. 

Thinking of the customer journey in this way helps marketers create the right content and use the right language to make a compelling argument that fits where the customer is in the funnel. You can increase the effectiveness of your recruitment efforts by thinking of the candidate journey in the same way. 

Sure, some candidates may be chomping at the bit to work for you right out of the gate—but that’s not typically the case with the most competitive talent or if you’re hiring for a niche role. Instead, they go on a journey down a recruiting funnel, learning more about different companies and weighing their options for the best place to work. In the end, they make the best decision by accepting an offer. 

By approaching the candidate’s experience as a journey rather than just a one-time decision in the form of a recruiting funnel, you’ll be better able to speak to their needs, address their concerns, and nurture the relationship in a way that makes their final decision an easy one.  

3. Speak their language

Hiring employees who share your core values and believe in your mission is part of building a strong company culture. Employees who feel aligned with their company’s values engage more, which drives productivity and retention. 

Still, attracting talent who shares your values is not always straightforward. One strategy for achieving this is to speak their language. 

Marketers who are trying to reach suburban moms use different language than those trying to reach 20-something urban professionals. This is especially true since the two groups have different needs, wants, challenges, and lifestyles. Your approach to your candidates should follow suit.

Suppose you want to attract seasoned professionals who value stability, reputation, and conservative values. In that case, you’ll need to use different language than if you’re looking to attract progressive change-makers who value independence and risk-taking. Always craft your written and verbal recruitment messaging with the ideal candidate and their values in mind.

4. Build a strong brand

As consumers, we all have a handful of brands we’re loyal to. Maybe it’s a trusted skincare line, a favorite breakfast cereal, or the bath soap you’ve used since childhood. You know the packaging so well you don’t even have to read the label to find it on the shelf; purchasing is an instinctive decision.

Marketers live to create these household names, and employers can benefit from building recognizable, trustworthy brands similarly. When your reputation for being a great place to work precedes you, convincing a candidate to apply for your vacant positions requires much less effort. 

Searching for your next great hire?

Our recruiters are ready to deliver.

Hire Someone

5. Leverage the power of content

One highly effective strategy for building a strong employer brand? Content marketing. Traditional marketers use content like blogs, social media posts, videos, infographics, and white papers to spread awareness of their products and services. The goal isn’t usually to convince people to buy. Rather, it’s to build rapport with the target audience and increase brand recognition in the marketplace. 

Recruiters can leverage content marketing to highlight what sets their companies apart. Here are a few examples:

• Employee testimonials describing the favorable company culture
• Infographic detailing the superior benefits package
• Photos and videos of team events and ‘day in the life’ activities 
• Email campaigns to share new job openings 
• Podcasts to answer frequently asked candidate questions

6. Eliminate friction

Digital marketers are always working to eliminate friction—anything that gets in the way of a customer making a purchase—from the checkout experience. This means having a site that works just as well on a smartphone as on a desktop and doesn’t require the user to jump through a ton of hoops like creating an account to check out and so on.  

Your recruiting process has friction, too. Maybe it’s a clunky application system all candidates are required to go through or an antiquated personality test they’re required to pass. We’ll bet you can think of a few things that not only slow you down when hiring but can also be a turnoff to candidates. 

Identifying and removing these friction points will help you cut down your average time-to-hire, which will ultimately help you save on costs and provide a better candidate experience.

7. Ask for referrals

The best marketing doesn’t come from a company itself. It comes from the company’s raving fans via positive word of mouth. That’s why brands always ask you to share their posts on social media and refer a friend in exchange for a coupon. 

Likewise, employee referrals are the best source of qualified candidates recruiters can come by. Institute an incentive program to encourage current employees to refer people in their network to your open jobs. You can also gain referrals by asking for them on other channels like social media and email, as well. 

8. Collect positive reviews

If you’ve ever debated whether to try a new restaurant that just opened in your town, you’ve probably seen the power of online reviews firsthand. A few bad reviews will make you stay far away, while a handful of glowing ones will have you booking the next available reservation. 

Capitalize on the power of reviews to enhance your recruiting efforts by actively managing the company’s presence on sites like Glassdoor. Respond to negative reviews, address concerns, and thank happy reviewers for their feedback. Boost your score by encouraging your most engaged staffers to leave (presumably positive) reviews. 

9. Employ SEO

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a must for getting products and services in front of customers who are primed to buy. But why should it be a tactic that’s limited to making sales?

Optimizing your job postings and career pages with relevant keywords can improve your visibility in search results, helping you reach more qualified applicants faster. The added organic traffic can reduce recruitment costs, too. 

Related: How to Use SEO for Job Postings to Increase Visibility

10. Acknowledge that everyone is not your target market

In order to market a product or service successfully, your target customer can’t be ‘everyone.’ When you try to speak to everyone, your messaging becomes so generic that you’re not saying anything meaningful to anyone. Instead, marketers know that the greatest business success lies in finding your niche and blowing the competition out of the water in that specific market. 

In recruiting, you’ve probably seen this concept in practice when you cast your net too wide for a job opening. When your listing appears on every major job board, for example, you’re likely to be so inundated with applications that it’s hard to cut through the noise to the ones that are actually a good fit for the role. Your post would be much more effective—and cut down on a lot of screening time—if you posted it to one or two job boards specific to the industry or role you’re hiring. It boils down to quality over quantity. 

When deciding where to publicize a job opening, do it with the classic marketing maxim in mind: everyone is not your target market. 

11. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Like many business segments, marketing is often subject to the 80/20 rule. The 80/20 rule states that in any given endeavor, 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. This also frequently applies in sales, where a few bestsellers drive the majority of revenue, and in staffing, where a handful of top performers are responsible for the majority of a department’s results. 

The danger in this principle, though, is that it means you’re overly reliant on one factor to make or break your success, whether that’s a single product category, a handful of all-star employees, or when it comes to hiring, one recruiting channel. If that channel suddenly goes kaput, you’re in a bad situation. 

That’s why marketers diversify their efforts. While they might prioritize the channel that performs best, like PPC ads or Instagram posts, they don’t simply turn off the switch everywhere else. Instead, they allocate a smaller segment of the budget and resources to alternate marketing efforts.

Your recruiting efforts should be similarly diversified to avoid having all your eggs in one basket. 

12. Measure, analyze, and optimize

As the old saying goes, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Marketers can’t make reliable strategy decisions without a strong data set that includes key information like sales numbers, website traffic, ad spend, and return on investment. Solid recruiting decisions require a parallel data set. 

The metrics that are most meaningful to you will vary based on factors like your industry, annual revenue, and company size, but some of the most common ones to watch include the source of hire, cost per hire, time to hire, and pass-through rate. These numbers help you understand which recruiting channels and strategies perform best for your organization so you can allocate future resources accordingly. Measure, analyze, and work to optimize them consistently. 

Related: How to Leverage Recruiting Metrics to Improve Your Hiring Process

Build an Effective Talent Acquisition Strategy with 4 Corner Resources

Even the most seasoned hiring managers can get stuck in a recruiting rut. Breathe new life into your staffing strategy with creative solutions from 4 Corner Resources. We’re a staffing firm with over 15 years of experience helping companies hire for skill and culture fit. We can help you implement a talent acquisition plan that reduces costs and saves you time. 

Whether you’re looking for extra help to support your internal hiring team or want to outsource your staffing needs completely, we have a solution that suits your business. Schedule a call with our team today to get started. 

Whether you’re totally flying by the seat of your pants when it comes to hiring, or you’re a seasoned hiring pro taking the reins at a startup for the first time, follow these startup recruitment strategies to win top talent.

Startup Recruitment Strategies to Attract Candidates

Get specific about your roles and responsibilities

While early employees at a startup commonly wear many hats out of necessity, don’t fall into the habit of looking for unicorns who can do it all. Ever heard the phrase “jack of all trades, master of none?” That’s exactly what you don’t want.

As a brand-new operation, you need candidates with specific expertise and knowledge that will enable you to grow in different areas of your business. To find them, get ultra-specific about the business need each position will serve. Outline the goals you expect the right candidate to meet within their first 90 days on the job as well as a broader vision for what long-term success will look like in the role.

Establish a hiring funnel

It might sound complicated, but a hiring funnel is simply a standardized framework you use to attract, assess, and hire candidates. Just as you have systems for other parts of your business, like manufacturing your product, having a system for hiring helps you get the job done consistently each time while optimizing resources like time and money spent.

It’s much easier (and more cost-efficient) to think through and establish a hiring funnel early on rather than trying to fix an ineffective system down the road. Remember, you can—and should!—analyze and tweak your hiring funnel often as your business grows to maximize its results.

Employ automation

The earlier you can incorporate automation into your hiring processes, the better. Automating things like candidate assessments and scheduling will save you time and energy that can be spent on other areas of your business, like operations. Plus, once your hiring team starts to grow, it’ll help ensure consistency between multiple team members.

Be realistic with staffing plans

While a goal like “hire ten people in the next 60 days” might sound reasonable, but is it achievable? Don’t leave it up to chance. Find out whether you’re setting realistic staffing goals by taking a microscope to your hiring process and how long each component of it takes.

For example, let’s say reviewing applications, screening candidates, and setting up interviews takes an average of 20 hours for each open position. For ten roles, that’s 200 hours—or five full work weeks—just to get to the interview phase. At this pace, hiring ten people in 60 days is quite ambitious, even if you have a full-time HR manager.

To avoid a staffing snafu, be sure to calculate and factor in your actual hiring metrics as you create your future staffing projections.

Write compelling job descriptions

If a candidate is scrolling through a job board and sees an opening at a well-known company like Apple or Toyota, they will probably take a closer look. Those are reputable employers, so the companies don’t have to work too hard to get job seekers’ attention. 

When you’re a new company, though, you don’t have an established reputation to rely upon. You need to make it so that when candidates come across your job posts, they’re compelled to click through and check them out. This requires strong job titles and descriptions.

Job titles should be direct, stating the name of the position and the most relevant details, which could include your location, the seniority level, or a succinct description of the company. Here are a few examples:

Social Media Manager – Dallas, TX

Manager, Social Media Marketing

Social Media Manager for Fast-Growing Technology Company 

Job descriptions should provide a clear summary of the key duties, a list of qualifications, and a blurb about the company. This last part–your elevator pitch–is critical for startups, and we’ll cover it next. 

Related: A-Z List of Sample Job Descriptions

Refine your elevator pitch

When you’re trying to woo investors, your elevator pitch should explain in a concise way what you do and why you’re worthy of an investment. You should also have an elevator pitch for candidates who work the same way, which will spark interest in working for you.

Lead with your mission—the guiding statement that explains why you’re in business—and focus on what sets you apart. As a new company, you’ll want to include some version of this elevator pitch in your job listings and other materials you use to reach out to prospective candidates.

Seek the right kind of experience

When it comes to startup hiring, not all experiences are created equal. A candidate whose resume boasts 20 years of operations experience at an established industry juggernaut might look great on paper, but that corporate background may bring its own set of pitfalls. In the startup world, agility is key, and someone who’s used to doing business at a careful, measured pace may slow you down.

That doesn’t mean everyone you hire must have previous startup experience; however, some corporate know-how can be useful. Yet it’s a great asset to have someone on your team who’s been there before and knows what it takes to bring a startup from conception to success at scale.

Recruit your evangelists

In Keurig’s early days, the coffee company was growing so quickly that it was hard to maintain a steady stream of high-quality candidates with the right expertise. The company’s solution? Recruiting candidates who were similar to its die-hard fans. Then-president Michelle Stacy told Harvard Business Review that the company focused on hiring employees who matched their customers’ affinity for coffee.

“That our employees loved a wide variety of coffee like our consumers [did] made it easier to trust they would do the right thing,” she said.

Your superfans already know your products well, so they bring authentic ideas drawn from real-world experience. They’re likely already onboard with your mission and values, and since they already follow your brand, it may be easier to get in front of them, which can contribute to lower hiring costs.

Get face-to-face time

One of the biggest hurdles to overcome when recruiting for a startup is the existing knowledge vacuum. Most job seekers–and most people in general—won’t have heard of you, so you have to start from scratch with each interaction to educate them on your brand. Though it’s time-consuming, the most effective way to build a lasting impression is through face-to-face interactions. 

When you’re talking with someone in person, it’s much easier for them to get a sense of who you are and the type of company you’re trying to build (and for you to get a sense of their personality, too). A live conversation is a valuable opportunity to dispel any qualms a candidate might have about joining a startup, like concerns about job security or an unmanageable workload. 

Seek out opportunities to meet prospective candidates face-to-face whenever possible, such as recruiting and networking events, industry meet-ups, and even informal gatherings. 

Take advantage of technology

When you can’t connect in person, technology like Zoom offers the next best thing: connecting virtually. Leverage video conferencing tools to host virtual events like online job fairs and candidate Q&As. These events are inexpensive, have a low barrier to entry, and allow you to reach a wide pool of talent in a short amount of time. 

Enlist a support team

It takes a village to build an all-star team, but as a startup, it may not be feasible to have more than one person heavily involved in the hiring process. Still, you can harness the “two heads are better than one” philosophy by enlisting a board of consultants to step in during your interview process. These might be trusted industry colleagues you call in as a favor or hired consultants with a more niche knowledge of the type of role you’re looking to fill.

Offer flexibility

How can you compete against industry powerhouses who can easily one-up you in the salary department? By offering something modern candidates find even more valuable than money: flexibility.

Whether it’s unlimited time off, the ability to work remotely, or some other non-traditional work arrangement, making flexibility a core selling point can boost your startup recruiting game.

Sell the potential

It’s important to strive for buy-in among all employees, but it’s absolutely critical among your earliest hires. These are the people who will serve as the foundation of your company, and if they’re not onboard with the direction you’re taking, it could quickly throw the whole operation off track.

To hire startup employees who are aligned with your core mission and excited about the work it will take to get there, sell them on the potential of working for you. This might include discussing the ability to tackle challenging projects, pursue work with a deeper impact, play a foundational role in building a company, and so on. As much as you’re selling the role you need them to fill today, you’re also selling them on the vision of the company you’re building for tomorrow.

Build your employer brand

When you’re focused on keeping your business running, thinking about anything outside your own four walls can be difficult. But if you want to win at startup hiring, don’t neglect the opportunity to build a strong employer brand from day one.

Create a positive image among would-be candidates by being present at industry events like conferences and trade shows. Likewise, work to build recognition as a steward of your community by getting involved with social initiatives that are aligned with the company’s mission.

Related: How to Elevate Your Employer Branding to Attract Top Talent

Focus on the candidate experience

A strong candidate experience is one more way to set your startup apart among the many companies vying for the same top candidates. Remember, the experience a candidate has when applying is often their first impression of your organization and may play a role in their decision to accept or decline an offer.

Work to create a seamless application and interview process, one that moves along steadily, eliminates needless steps, and maintains communication with the candidate through every phase. This post explains how to create a flawless candidate experience.

Follow the data

Recruiting produces an immense amount of data, which can be used to hire faster, more accurately, and less expensively. We can’t overstate the importance of examining your recruiting data regularly, especially in your company’s early days. 

Measuring and tracking key recruiting metrics like your time to hire, cost per hire, application completion rate, and offer acceptance rate will shed light on where your efforts yield success and where you’re allocating resources without producing results. It will also help you pinpoint key bottlenecks or dropoff points in the hiring process, which can be corrected to improve the candidate experience and get more of your offers accepted. 

Related: How to Leverage Recruiting Metrics to Improve Your Hiring Process

Hire the Staffing and Recruiting Experts

Your early hires are a fundamentally important part of your organization. Hiring the wrong people can cost you precious cash, slow your growth, and potentially put the very survival of your business at risk. Don’t wing it when it comes to your startup recruitment strategy. Instead, hire the staffing experts at 4 Corner Resources.

4 Corner Resources is your trusted partner for startup hiring. Our headhunters will help you refine your job requirements and harness our proprietary staffing technology to find candidates who are a perfect fit to help you thrive. As your business expands, we’ll expand with you, helping you navigate the growing pains of staffing a dynamic, innovative organization.

Ready to get started? Contact us today and get on the fast track to startup recruiting success.

You don’t have to be an SEO specialist to apply these techniques to your job listings. We’ll cover a few of the top things any recruiter can do to make their job openings more visible in search results. 

What Is SEO?

SEO stands for search engine optimization. It’s the process of strategically creating and improving a website’s content to improve its visibility within search engines. 

SEO best practices are constantly evolving alongside search engine algorithms. These algorithms aim to serve relevant, high-quality content to the search engine’s users. So, content creators–in this case, recruiters–must stay abreast of the latest trends and guidelines in order to achieve desirable placement in search results. 

Benefits of Using SEO for Job Postings

Increase visibility

The primary objective of using SEO for job postings is to ensure your listings appear in search results. When a person is looking for a job, one of the first things they do is go to Google and type in what they’re looking for. SEO helps those searchers find your opening. 

Capitalize on free traffic

Search engines are a huge driver of organic (read: free!) traffic. Optimizing your organic search performance allows you to spend less on paid channels like advertising to get the same number of views. 

Connect with the right candidates

One of the main signals Google uses to rank a website is the relevance of its content. As a result, specific content performs better than generic, broad content. This encourages recruiters to create more tailored job descriptions, which can weed out unqualified candidates and simplify the screening process. 

Improves overall website quality

Google likes high-quality web pages that keep people on them, which is exactly what you can achieve by optimizing your job listings. This boosts the presence of your entire website, not just your Careers page, which benefits your employer brand. 

How to Use SEO for Job Postings

1. Use an effective page title

In this case, we’re talking about the title of the webpage your job listing will be placed on, not the title of the job itself (though the two will be similar). The page title is what appears in bold in search results, like this:

Clear, simple titles work best. Don’t lead with your company name since it’s not as likely a person will be searching for jobs with a specific company. It’s much more common to search ‘job title + location.’ So, make sure both of these are prominently featured in your title. Here are a few good examples:

Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Denver (Job title, location)

Assistant Store Manager, Stewart’s Shops, Poughkeepsie (Job title, company, location)

Pharmacy Intern, Part Time, Philadelphia (Job title, type of position, location)

2. Write a compelling meta description

The meta description is the short caption that’s displayed under the page title in search results. The meta description gives searchers a quick summary of what they’ll find if they click the link, and it gives the search engine additional context that supports prominent search placement. 

Your meta description should be under 160 characters. It should summarize the key job requirements, incorporating the most relevant keywords–more on those next. 

3. Leverage Keywords correctly

The keywords you use for SEO purposes differ slightly from those you look for when screening a resume. 

When reviewing resumes, you’re looking for keywords that describe the most important skills and qualifications for the job. While these are important to incorporate into your job description, you need to think like a job seeker for SEO purposes. What terms are they most likely to be searching for?

In addition to the job title, company name, and location, SEO keywords for job posts include:

• Alternative titles that can be used to describe the same job, like ‘receptionist’ and ‘administrative assistant’ 
• Descriptors of core job duties, like ‘organizing files’ or ‘scheduling meetings’
• Key benefits candidates are likely to be seeking, like ‘health and dental insurance’
• Credentials like CPA, MBA, CNA, etc.

Incorporate these keywords throughout your job description–but not too much. Search engines recognize and penalize keyword stuffing. Your keywords should only make up around 2 to 3% of your total word count. 

4. Write a succinct job description

Aim for around  250 words summarizing the position’s primary duties and requirements. Clarity is key, both for search engines and for real humans who are reading the page. 

Try to avoid “walls of text” and instead break your description into short paragraphs of no more than two or three sentences. Bullet points are encouraged to break up large chunks of text and make the listing easier to skim. 

Use straightforward language. Avoid phrasing that’s meant to make your listing seem clever or creative, like ‘marketing Jedi’ or ‘sales wizard.’ These types of descriptions have become so commonly used that they’re cliche and can cause confusion for search engines. 

5. Include a company description

Secondary to the job description, include a company summary of around 100 to 150 words. This should briefly describe what the company does and the key benefits of working there.

6. Incorporate rich media

Video, images, and interactive content hold a visitor’s attention longer than text alone, and Google knows this. Keep interested candidates on your page and entice them to want to apply for your opening by engaging them with rich media. 

Here are a few ideas:

• A slide show walk-through of your headquarters
• A video mash-up of testimonials from happy employees
• An infographic that highlights your employer value proposition 
• A chatbot that allows candidates to get answers to frequently asked questions 

Don’t overdo it–choose only one or two of the above to ensure the page is user-friendly and keep the primary focus on your job description. 

7. Use search-friendly URLs

Your URLs aren’t just the online address of your page. They’re an additional chance to help search engines understand and categorize your content. 

Instead of using generic URLs like this:

www.company.com/job-listing-12345

Use URLs that incorporate your keywords in a readable string separated by hyphens, like this:

www.company.com/full-time-marketing-manager-sacramento

Your URL structure can be configured within your website’s CMS. 

8. Link to other site pages

Well-established websites are structured like complex websites. They link out to other sites, link amongst their own internal site pages, and have other websites linking to them. This builds credibility in the eyes of search engines. 

Achieve this ‘web’ effect by linking from your job posting to other website pages, like your Careers and About Us pages. Likewise, link to your job posting from other pages of your website. 

9. Share your listing on social media 

Another way to achieve the ‘web’ of links that search engines favor is to share your job listing pages on social media. Share them soon after they’re first published to begin driving traffic to the pages, which search engines view as a signal of interest. After that, share them regularly and any time the listing is updated. 

10. Update job postings regularly

While high-quality content is arguably the most important ranking factor, search engines also like content that’s fresh. The good news is that regular updates are also a best practice for effective job descriptions. 

Any time you’re hiring for a job you’ve previously posted, refresh the listing by changing up the content. You might try leading with a new value proposition, revising the description of job duties, or updating the post to include recently added/changed requirements.

Additional Tips to Improve Your SEO

Here are a few more technical factors to help your site rank higher in search results. If you’re serious about using SEO to gain more visibility, enlisting expert help with these items may be worthwhile. 

Accelerate site speed

In 2021, Google made website load speed one of its Core Web Vitals–the metrics the search engine uses to measure a site’s performance. Google is always looking to prioritize sites that provide a superior user experience, and fast load times are a big part of that. Slower sites may be penalized with lower search placement. 

Optimize usability 

Usability is another big factor in how long a visitor stays on your site and how good the experience is. Are your site’s pages easy to navigate? Are they mobile-friendly? Do all of the links, buttons, and features work as expected? All of these contribute to optimal usability. 

Build domain authority

This tactic can’t be achieved with a few simple page edits. In fact, it can take years to build a high level of domain authority. Still, it can greatly boost your site traffic in the long run. Gaining backlinks from other high-quality sites, creating frequently shared content, and having a well-structured site map can all improve your domain authority. 

Employing the SEO strategies we’ve covered here will increase your visibility and lead to a better experience for candidates. Optimization helps search engines correctly categorize your content, promoting higher search placement and more targeted visitors. Ultimately, leveraging SEO for job listings optimizes recruitment, saving time and resources while ensuring the right candidates discover and apply to relevant opportunities.

Understanding Today’s Job Market

The unemployment rate remained stable for most of 2023, and the year closed out with 2.7 million total job gains. Though some indicators show the tight labor market is loosening a bit, consistent job growth and a persistently low unemployment rate mean the job market remains resilient. 

For companies looking to hire, this means the stiff competition for talent isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Employers are pulling every lever to get qualified candidates in the door, offering appealing benefits and enticing perks like flexible work arrangements and sign-on bonuses. 

Failing to have a recruiting game plan for the current job market puts unnecessary pressure on your margins as you’re forced to spend more to meet your hiring needs. It also puts your employer brand at risk of damage if you develop a reputation for having trouble hiring. This is why deploying recruiting strategies built for a challenging labor market is beneficial. 

Strategies for Recruiting Employees in a Competitive Job Market

Today’s competitive job market makes it difficult for employers to stand out from other companies that seek to fill their roles with top talent. Here are a few ways you can make your business stand out from others in the current job market:

1. Build a strong brand image and reputation

One great way to help boost your brand image and reputation in the competitive labor market is by capitalizing on your employees. When considering or applying for jobs, candidates and applicants often turn to online resources such as Glassdoor, Great Place to Work, and Indeed to learn about employers.

Keep your company’s information on these websites up-to-date and as accurate as possible. Additionally, encourage your employees to voluntarily write honest online reviews about your business to help build your reputation.

2. Offer compensation that matches the competitive economy

Two main ways to make your business stand out in our competitive job market are through reputational differentiators and pay. Although some employers may not like candidates inquiring about the salary or benefits of a position, salary is an integral consideration for any job applicant and something heavy on the mind of many individuals in the current economy. 

According to the BLS, the real average hourly earnings increased just 0.8 percent between December 2022 and December 2023. When you compare that against a 3.4% increase in the consumer price index (which measures how prices of consumer goods change over time), it’s no wonder why people are readily willing to leave their jobs for another that pays more. 

Show that you value your candidates’ skills, knowledge, and experience and are willing to pay realistic and competitive compensation and benefits. This will help to set you apart from other employers who seek to go the cheapest route possible.

3. Go after passive job seekers

Finding the right candidate for the job isn’t a simple or easy task, and it shouldn’t be left on the back burner. According to LinkedIn, a passive candidate is employed and not currently looking for a new employment opportunity but may be willing to discuss one when approached.

To recruit employees in a competitive job market, don’t wait for job applicants to come to you. Meet prospects where they are by actively seeking out active and passive candidates on LinkedIn and other professional social networking platforms. See who your competition employs; you may find your next systems administrator, field technician, or pharmacy technician among their ranks.

4. Treat job applicants and candidates like customers

A successful employer in our competitive job market treats prospective candidates and applicants like customers. A mistake some employers tend to make when hiring employees is treating job applicants and candidates poorly. While this may not be done intentionally by using rude language or other related mannerisms, this sentiment can be unintentionally conveyed through:

• Poor communication,
• Unresponsiveness, and
• Allowing things to fall through the cracks

Using strategic recruitment messaging can help you stay on top of candidate communications and maintain a positive experience for applicants all the way through the hiring process. 

5. Leverage social media

Social media platforms are the perfect medium for building organic relationships with candidates that make them want to work for you. You can use a platform like LinkedIn for active sourcing by searching for candidates based on their location, industry, job title, and skills, then reaching out to them with a tailored introduction message to share your latest openings. 

You can also use other social media channels, not just LinkedIn, for inbound recruiting by sharing materials that spotlight your employee value proposition. Content like videos, infographics, and blog posts can be consumed at a viewer’s leisure and introduce your brand in an inviting, low-pressure manner that can be appealing to passive job seekers. 

6. Emphasize referrals

Trust is of utmost importance when recruiting employees in a competitive job market. Not only is it necessary to be sure a candidate has the credentials they say they do, but you also want to be able to trust that an individual is accepting a job offer in good faith and intends to remain with your company for the long haul. Access a network of trusted candidates by leveraging referrals from your existing workforce. 

Referral programs let you tap into a pool of skilled, dependable professionals already known to the people in your organization. This approach accelerates the hiring process and increases the likelihood of hiring high performers. Referrals amplify the reach of your recruiting efforts by engaging employees in spreading the word about your open positions and promoting employee buy-in into your hiring process. 

Finally, referrals offer the added benefit of securing stronger cultural fits since candidates are being introduced by those already familiar with the company’s work style, environment, and values. 

7. Put your recruiting data to work

One of the easiest ways to find out how to recruit employees in a competitive job market faster, smarter, and more successfully is by looking at the data on your past recruiting efforts. Your hiring metrics can tell you where you’re doing well and where your work isn’t paying off so you can make actionable improvements that lead to better results. 

For example, if your recruiting data shows that you’re hiring for certain roles with increasing frequency but are not growing in net new positions, this indicates a turnover problem. Identifying which roles are affected and examining why your efforts are falling short in that particular department can help you avoid wasted resources and ensure every dollar you spend on hiring goes toward long-lasting, successful new hires. 

8. Use the services of a professional staffing firm

Many outstanding large, midsize, and small businesses choose to make themselves stand out by relying on a professional recruiting and staffing agency or a headhunter to handle the recruiting, screening, and qualifying of candidates. The right agency can help you recruit employees in a competitive job market.

Ultimately, the job of a professional staffing agency is to make your company look good while also attracting and screening the best talent faster and more efficiently than an in-house human resources team. Whether you are a large enterprise or a small to midsize business, the right staffing firm can help you not only find employees to hire in this tight job market but also find the right candidate for the job.

Named by Forbes Magazine as one of the most respected recruiting firms in the U.S., 4 Corner Resource has a long history of supporting businesses of all sizes — from the largest enterprise organizations across the Fortune 500 to small to midsize businesses (SMBs). Our relationship-focused approach allows our team to offer flexible solutions without sacrificing speed or quality.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can put our expertise to work for your business.