Candidates don’t grow on trees, but magically they do appear out of nowhere at times.

Often clients have the mindset that the successful candidate will appear from just running an advertisement. This is often not the case.

Our job as recruitment consultants is to manage the candidate souring, engagement and retention process. Here at Pinstripe Recruitment, we work with tried and proven processes and technology to find great talent.

As a consultant, it’s important to think outside the paradigm of advertising as the only source and means to find successful candidates, in fact we must be resourceful, creative, consistent and engaging with our candidates.

Strategies that you should have in place as a successful recruitment consultant are:

Use appropriate technology to manage and track candidates

• It’s important to utilise technology and platforms to manage applications, track candidates, maintain ongoing communication with candidates. Platforms such as:
  • Live Hire – an effective tool for talent management and talent communication.  Candidates applications via job boards can be linked to this platform, allowing at-a-glance updates on recent applications.
  • Bullhorn – perfect for tracking candidate submissions to clients.
  • VidCruiter – a recorded video interview platform, saving time for candidates and clients, plus speeding up the referral and interview process.

Create communities of talented candidates

• Often successful candidates will appear, but they might not be the perfect candidate for the current role that you are recruiting for. These candidates are perfect for placing into your talent community. By creating a community of talent, you are investing in your time now to create easy access to talented and successful candidates for the future.
• We manage our talent community by grouping candidates into talent pools. Talent pools can be created to group candidates by geographical location, skills set, job level for example Liability Loss Adjusters – NSW. We are then able to at a glance, identify successful candidates within this job category and location, update candidates about suitable opportunities in the market place and industry trends.

My other talent pools include:

• Public Practice Accountants
• Financial Planners
• Paraplanners
• Client Service Officers
• Commercial Accountants

If you’re looking for a new career opportunity in one of the above categories. Register your details here: www.livehire.me/join/pinstripe

Use professional body membership sites to locate potential candidates or advertise on job boards on these sites

• Professional bodies or associations can be a great source for candidate information (this is often sorted by location, skills set, qualifications or membership levels. This information can be used to create your talent communities.

Engage and reach out to candidates on social media (select the appropriate form of social media to attract the correct targeted candidate)

• Social media is about pitching at the right level. Entry and junior candidates often utilise social media platforms as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, while candidates seeking higher level opportunities may use LinkedIn. These platforms can be used for candidate searches, posting job opportunities and creating groups.

Ask existing or known candidates may know other suitable candidates (like minded individuals or other people in the same roles with suitable qualifications)

• Often the people that we know, know or have contact with other suitably skilled and qualified individuals. Ask existing candidates if they know of other potential candidates that are looking for new opportunities.  Additionally, use social media profiles to look at their connections or colleagues within the work place.

Above all search every day for new candidates, as the landscape and job market changes.

Be ethical, be truthful and to the point to the candidates, as you represent the candidates needs and interests too. Inform them of job opportunities, requirements (technically, culturally and otherwise).

Inform candidates of the recruitment process and timing, ensure that you request supporting documentation that is required for the role upon initial contact with the candidate. Follow your organisations process for recruiting and ensure that all processes, forms are completed along the way.

Most of all, not every candidate is going to fit the current role that you are recruiting. You should have long term strategies and partnerships in place to engage and create an awareness of you, as the “go to” recruitment consultant. Make regular contact with your good candidates by phone or via email, inform them of industry trends and requirements, advise them of new opportunities or reverse market them to appropriate clients (with permission).

If you looking for suitable candidates or if you are looking for your next opportunity and career move please let me know by contacting me via [email protected] or call Pinstripe Recruitment on 1300 980 578.