Finding the right talent

Recruitment is a tricky business, at this time in particular, and it is becoming increasingly challenging for both internal and external recruitment teams. So we’ve compiled a few points that will help recruitment teams everywhere increase their odds of enticing the right candidates. 

Advertise jobs the right way

One mistake a lot of recruitment teams make is to believe that candidates are going to be interested no matter what; when in reality you are the ones selling the job to them. It is essential you show why they are needed and what’s in it for them. The majority of job advertisements out there can be summed up as wish lists, none of which explaining to the reader exactly why they should be applying; just outlining the requirements. 

When advertising, you are marketing yourselves to the applicants, so tell them how the company is doing, why they will have fun in the job, what the mission is and in which direction they and the employer will be going. Not only is this necessary but it is merely part of what should be done if you wish to profit the most from your advertisement. Location, salary, benefits and working hours are vital factors taken into consideration by applicants; if you can sell these straight away you’ll find it to be extremely beneficial, specifically for international candidates. 

Keep your website up to date

If you want your website visitors to feel invited and more likely to apply, then it’s key you keep your website updated and active. First thing’s first, list your studio benefits in an obvious place where they will be noticed regularly; this can drive people towards viewing your job listings, which is exactly where you’d like them to be. Secondly, providing a good amount of effective information on the location and premises is essential, specifically if you aim to appeal to applicants around the world. Finally, show the visitors you can have a bit of fun! Sharing pictures of studio social events is a great way to showcase a happy team and present potential happiness to applicants. Alongside this, sharing top employee profiles, with pictures, ‘day in the life’ and history of the employee, is a great way to top off promoting a content team, whilst introducing a personal insight into your company.

Be socially active

A company that thrives socially will naturally become attractive, both to consumers and candidates. Being fun and social outside of the working space represents a fun and social environment on the inside, and such draws interest from applicants. Great ways to do this are: post developer diaries & trailers etc. on YouTube, interact with followers on Facebook, keep your Twitter feed populated, and finally keep your LinkedIn page up to date so to keep your followers up to date. 

Build quality business relationships with agencies

There are vast numbers of benefits that come with working in partnership with a recruitment agency; most noticeably it will improve your image with professionals, displaying professionalism. Good first impressions work both ways, and both parties will profit from a partnership; you through displaying a strong connection with industry specialists, and on the other side the agency will benefit through displaying a strong connection with a prospective client. However this is not possible without a strong relationship and a lot of give and take. The better your relationship is and the more effective your communication; the better the results. This is why it is essential to pass on as much internal process and timescale information as possible.

Provide as much feedback as possible

Whether an application has come direct or through an agency, it is important you provide as much feedback as possible, as this can dramatically increase your chances of finding the right person. An agency may not know exactly what you are looking for in an average job spec, so when they think they’ve found the right person and s/he is in fact not, it is immensely useful to receive feedback in order to move on to finding the suitable candidate for you. Direct applications are also important when it comes to receiving feedback – successful or not, constructive criticism or general advice and tips on how to improve their application will leave them feeling good. And you shouldn’t ever forget that candidates will remember how you make them feel. 

To summarise, if you want to hire the best candidates you have to be very efficient with your recruitment process, make yourself attractive and try to stand out. An up to date and informative website will increase your applications, add to this a good social media presence and you could see candidates applying that may not have found you before. Sell yourselves to the degree that you want the right applicant; you will only get out as much as you put in or in this case as much as you can offer. Always remember to give feedback where you can and try and leave a good impression, never underestimate the power of word mouth.