6 Modern Recruitment Approaches You Should Master

82% of talent leaders believe that a strong employer brand helps businesses attract and hire exceptional candidates[1]. As companies strive to secure the best people for the job, they are turning to innovative recruitment methods to stand out from their competitors.

Throughout this read, we will delve into various innovative approaches to recruitment, each designed to attract top talent and ensure a successful match between candidates and organizations.

By the end of this article, you will learn innovative approaches to recruitment that have proven to be highly effective in today's dynamic landscape. You will be equipped with actionable strategies to attract the best talent, foster a culture of continuous learning, and drive the growth and success of your organization.

Let's dive in.

6 Modern Recruitment Strategies To Attract Valuable Talent

As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, traditional recruitment methods may not be enough to attract and secure the best candidates. Head towards our 6 recruiting strategies to help you overcome your recruitment challenges and find the exceptional employees who will drive your company forward.

1. Gamification

Gamification means using game elements, such as challenges, rewards, and competition, in non-game contexts. This approach creates an interactive and engaging experience for candidates, allowing them to showcase their skills and abilities while enjoying the process.

Some examples of gamification in action can be:

• Gamification can transform online assessments from monotonous tasks to exciting games.
• Interactive scenarios can be designed for candidates to navigate through rather than typing answers to questions
• Gamification can be used in technical recruitment to evaluate programming skills.
• Coding games can be created to assess problem-solving abilities and coding prowess.
• Vocabulary games like Scrabble, bingo, and word association can assess language and problem-solving skills.
• Gamification can be used in situational judgment tests to assess decision-making abilities.

Case Study: Marriott

Consider the example of Marriott Hotels which implemented a gamified recruitment approach with their virtual hotel simulation game called "My Marriott Hotel." Job candidates were tasked with managing a virtual hotel, and making decisions related to staffing, inventory, and customer satisfaction. The game allowed candidates to showcase their skills and get a taste of the hospitality industry.

The game also incorporated game-like elements such as challenges, rewards, and a leaderboard, creating a competitive and engaging experience for candidates. As a result, Marriott successfully increased employee engagement and attracted a wider range of applicants.

Source: @GamesTalent on Twitter. [2]

You can leverage gamification into your recruitment strategy by following these actionable insights:

• Ensure that the gamified elements accurately assess the desired skills and abilities.
• Analyze the data collected during gamified assessments to make informed hiring decisions.
• Incorporate challenges, rewards, and competition to increase engagement and motivation.
• Collect feedback from qualified candidates to continuously improve the gamification experience.
• Design interactive and game-like experiences that align with your organization's values and requirements.
• Identify the stages of your recruitment process where gamification can add value, such as online assessments, coding challenges, or situational judgment tests.

2. Data-Driven Recruitment

Leveraging the power of data analytics and artificial intelligence tools can optimize the recruitment process and improve decision-making. Analyze vast amounts of candidate data to identify patterns, make data-backed decisions, and streamline your recruitment efforts.

Google is a prime example of a company that uses data-driven recruitment strategies. They analyze candidate data to identify patterns and trends. Google assesses candidates' suitability for different roles for more accurate hiring decisions via leveraging predictive algorithms. This improved their overall recruitment efficiency.

Leveraging these technologies saves time, reduces biases, and identifies candidates with the skills and qualities that align with your requirements. For instance, the AI powered recruitment software from Manatal is used for:

• Applicant Tracking
• Collaborative Hiring
• Candidate Sourcing
• Performance Analytics
• Talent Pool Management
• Compliance & Diversity
• Resume Screening & Parsing

3. Remote Hiring & Onboarding

Embracing remote hiring and onboarding practices allows organizations to tap into a wider pool of applicants and provide a seamless experience for remote candidates. The rise of remote work made it important to adapt recruitment and onboarding processes accordingly.

Case Study: GitLab

Let's consider GitLab, a fully remote company that successfully embraced remote hiring and onboarding practices. They conduct video interviews and use online collaboration tools for assessments. They also provide virtual onboarding programs. This approach allows GitLab to attract top talent from around the world and provide a seamless onboarding experience.

To implement remote hiring and onboarding effectively, consider the following effective recruitment strategies:

• Modify job postings to highlight remote work opportunities and required skills in the application process.
• Leverage a video interview process to assess candidates' suitability for remote positions.
• Utilize online assessments to evaluate technical skills and capabilities.
• Maintain regular and transparent communication with candidates using communication and collaboration tools.
• Clearly outline expectations about remote work, communication channels, and availability.
• Provide pre-boarding materials, including necessary paperwork, access to tools, and company resources.
• Pair qualified applicants with experienced current employees who can provide guidance and support.
• Facilitate virtual meet-and-greet sessions to help new hires connect with their team members.
• Develop online training modules or video tutorials to help new employees learn company processes and tools.
• Offer access to digital resources like knowledge bases and collaboration platforms, to foster remote learning and collaboration.
• Schedule virtual training sessions or webinars to enhance skills specific to remote work, such as effective communication and time management.
• Organize virtual team-building activities to create a sense of camaraderie and collaboration.
• Provide continuous feedback and guidance to ensure remote employees understand expectations and have growth opportunities.

4. Personalized Recruitment Marketing

Tailoring recruitment messages to individual candidates can enhance engagement and attract candidates who align with the organization's values and expectations. Segment your target audience and create tailored messages that highlight specific aspects of your company culture and career development opportunities.

Moreover, engaging with candidates on a more personal level increases your chances of attracting skilled employees. Recruiters can track and analyze potential candidates’ data by leveraging data pipelines into their websites and digital hiring platforms. This opens the opportunity for personalized marketing based on candidates' needs and preferences.

HR managers and recruitment agencies can incorporate the following personalized recruitment marketing strategies to attract top talent:

4.1. Crafting Targeted Job Advertisements

Analyze your candidate personas and identify their key motivations, career goals, and preferred communication channels. Use this information to craft personalized job advertisements. Make sure that you highlight the unique aspects of each role and appeal to the targeted talent pool.

For example, if you're targeting software developers, highlight the technologies they specialize in or the challenging projects they could work on.

4.2. Leveraging Social Media Targeting

Tailor your social media advertisements to potential employees with specific demographics, locations, and professional interests. This ensures that job postings and employer branding content are seen by the most relevant audience, increasing the chances of attracting top talent. Create personalized campaigns that align with your ideal candidate profile.

Experiment with different ad formats and messaging to optimize your recruitment marketing efforts. Moreover, using appropriate hashtags under your photos increases your chances of reaching the right candidates.

4.3. Building Talent Communities

Recruiters are investing in building talent communities, where potential applicants can engage with the organization. They can also access relevant content, and receive personalized updates about job opportunities. Nurturing relationships with passive candidates over time can maintain a pipeline of top talent and ensure a positive candidate experience.

Develop a talent community platform or utilize existing platforms such as LinkedIn or specialized talent community software. Provide valuable content, such as industry insights, career development resources, and exclusive job alerts. This will keep prospective employees engaged.

5. Artificial Intelligence (AI) In Recruitment

AI-powered tools can automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and enhance decision-making. It can be utilized in various aspects of recruitment, including resume screening, candidate matching, and initial candidate assessments.

Case Study: IBM

One example is IBM, which leveraged AI in its recruitment efforts through its platform called "Watson Candidate Assistant." This AI-powered tool screen resumes, conducts initial candidate assessments, and provides personalized feedback. IBM has significantly reduced time-to-hire and improved the efficiency of its recruitment process. This allowed their recruiters to focus on strategic activities and candidate engagement.

Let's explore how organizations and businesses can benefit from AI-powered tools in these areas:

5.1. Resume Screening

Using natural language processing and machine learning algorithms can analyze resumes, extract relevant information, and evaluate candidates against predefined criteria. For instance, an AI-powered tool can assess the qualifications, work experience, and skills mentioned in resumes to shortlist candidates who meet the specific requirements of a company. This streamlines the screening process, making it more efficient and unbiased.

5.2. Initial Candidate Assessments

AI-powered tools can conduct initial candidate assessments through automated online tests or simulations. For example,  recruiters looking for a software developer can employ coding assessment platforms such as Codility to evaluate candidates' coding skills and problem-solving abilities.

These tools can automatically grade coding exercises, identify correct solutions, and provide instant feedback to candidates. They can automate the initial assessment stage to save time, ensure consistent evaluation, and help identify top-performing candidates efficiently.

5.3. Personalized Feedback

AI-powered tools can provide personalized feedback to candidates based on their assessment performance. For instance, after completing an online assessment or simulation, candidates can receive detailed reports highlighting their strengths, areas for improvement, and suggested learning resources.

This feedback is generated by AI algorithms that analyze the candidate's performance data and compare it to predefined benchmarks. This personalized feedback helps candidates understand their skills gaps, encourages professional development, and enhances the overall candidate experience.

6. Video Interviews

Video interviews can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the role and attract candidates who align with the organization's expectations.

Companies can conduct initial video interviews as part of their screening process.  Video interviews also allow recruiters to assess candidates' empathy, communication skills, and ability to handle critical situations before the in-person interviews ever get scheduled.

Conclusion

The success of your organization depends on your ability to attract and retain exceptional talent. Now, armed with the right knowledge, it's time to put these innovative approaches to recruitment into action. Hunt for your desired candidates on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. It's an innovative and effective approach to attracting a pool of passive job seekers.

Consider the unique needs and recruitment goals of your organization and start applying these techniques today. The benefits are clear: a team of high-performing individuals who drive success, innovation, and collaboration.

To make your recruiting process even more seamless and efficient, visit Manatal, a leading recruitment software platform. Our user-friendly interface and advanced tools streamline your hiring process, from sourcing and assessment to interview management and analytics.

Contributing author:  Burkhard Berger, Novum™.

Sources:

1: https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/cx/2016/10/global-recruiting-trends-2017

2: https://twitter.com/GamesTalent/status/1640602151083819009/photo/1