Successful recruiters know that building a strong professional network is key for sourcing qualified candidates. In fact, according to LinkedIn Talent research, approximately 56% of professional recruiters depend on their network for hiring new talent.
Here are some creative ways to leverage professional – and personal – relationships to boost your talent acquisition outcomes.
#1 Follow New Hire Announcements
Competition for good jobs is still a factor even during the pandemic. A new hire announcement on LinkedIn and in other media outlets is the result of the company interviewing several candidates for the position. While only one candidate got the job, other applicants were similarly qualified. Reach out to the recruiter at that company and ask if they would share their “runner ups”. Offer reciprocity for their future talent searches.
#2 Follow Your Followers
Comments by professional colleagues on your company social media postings can source active and passive candidates. Cultivate these relationships with follow-up communications about your company and your talent needs. They may become candidates themselves for current or future openings.
#3 Turn References into Hires
Every new hire requires connecting with a candidate’s references. Developing a rapport with these new professional connections broadens your network and can lead to another hire by letting the candidate’s reference know you are searching for applicants to fill openings in the coming months with a similar background to theirs.
#4 Turn Friends into Referrals
Star recruiters are always wearing their recruiting hat. Add your personal network to your professional network for sourcing candidates. In addition to friends and family, explore your personal relationships – banker, insurance agent, volunteer partners – to expand your sourcing capabilities.
#5 Look Beyond Your Industry
Expand you networking efforts to include colleagues in other industries. The pandemic is causing some business sectors to shrink resulting in great employees facing layoffs. Reaching out to HR peers at varying types of companies can result in referrals of separated candidates with transferrable skills that match your talent needs.
#6 Look Within Your Company
Work alongside your company’s managers to source candidates and search their professional networks for prospects and peers. Ask them if any of the individuals you identify through their connections as possible candidates are worth pursuing. Then continue to develop your own relationships with these prospects and peers to broaden your network.
While in-person networking activities are at a standstill during the pandemic, there are still great ways to cultivate your networks to generate leads. And remember to add MassHire Cape and Islands Career Center to your network if you haven’t already. Our Staffing Executive has an awesome network of her own that she can put to work on your behalf to fill your open positions.
