The Best Source for Qualified Applicants

As recruiters, we all look back on the times we could just post a job ad in a newspaper and suddenly we have stacks of ideal, qualified applications to sift through.

If only that was still the case!

Today, we all know that hiring is stressful, time-consuming and costly.

So don't we all want to make the right hires, the first time?!

You want applicants that are qualified. Applicants with promise. Applicants that fit the company cultures and values.

Two words.

Employee. Referrals.

Your greatest advocates are your employees and the more they talk... the better!

In today's article, I'll show you how employee referrals are the BEST source for finding qualified candidates and how to encourage your team to make those referrals.

While career sites and job boards definitely collect the highest number of applications. Employee referrals produce, by far, the highest number of qualified hires.

Your employees have contact with an immense number of possible candidates within their respective social networks and personal connections.

In a social recruiting survey, they found 73% of companies that have a referral program confirm that the overall cost-per-hire is lower than any other recruiting source. 67% of recruiters say that the recruiting process was shorter than any other source of hire. They also found that 47% of applicant referrals stay for over 3 years.

Numbers don't lie! Recruiters that utilize employee referrals are more successful AND more efficient.

Employers and recruiters NEED to recognize the value of these applicants.

Consider my 5 ways of bettering and expanding your referral program if offering or increasing payout is not a current option.

1. Talk about how important job referrals are to the company - The more it is talked about and WHY it's so important and beneficial for the company, the more it will trigger all the people that want to help the company.
2. Make it easy - The more hoops employees have to jump through, the less chance they'll go through with it. Make the process easy, one click and they can share the job ad on social media.
3. Show them how to do it - As you're reminding your employees of the importance of referrals, create a video and train them about how to refer and get credit for it.
4. Constant communication - Keep talking to them about it. Don't let too much time pass by before you're mentioning the importance and the process again.
5. Celebrate the wins - Celebrate the people that are helping, stand up those that made a referral and THANK THEM! This will drive re-engagement into the process. People want to help the company and they want to be recognized for that.

As your employees are going out and sharing what your company has to offer, they provide extensive information about the job, the team and the company. Allowing candidates to know more about the company than what a job board has to offer... They are able to make a more thorough decision about the job. This leads to not only higher satisfied candidates but it also increases retention rates.

An employee won't just refer anyone.

I believe there is an element of trust that guides the entire referral process and guarantees that no damage will come to the referrer's reputation. They recommend those they see qualified and those who fit the companies values and culture.

In turn, watch as your hired referrals... make referrals.

Sell your company as an employer of choice and everyone will WANT to work for you.

You'll be the Cybertruck of Jobs and everyone will be talking about you.

Download my top 5 ways to increase applicant flow for more tips on acquiring qualified applicants!