Be More Effective at Recruiting with These Hiring Statistics

If your employer isn't attracting the right talent, try looking at the recruitment process from a candidate's point of view. What steps are you taking to make the company appealing to job seekers? High-performing employees have standards and hold out for jobs that offer fulfilling work and competitive benefits. Find out how recent job seeker trends are shaping the employment landscape, so you can develop effective recruitment practices.

A Good Reputation Matters

From review sites to word of mouth, job seekers have plenty of ways to learn the truth about what it's like to work for your employer. If the company has an awful reputation, it's going to take more than a nice benefits package to win top talent. Glassdoor for Employers compiled hiring statistics to help businesses get better at reaching the right people. In one study, 69 percent of job seekers said they aren't interested in companies with a bad reputation, whether currently employed or not.

Smart job seekers realize a healthy work environment is crucial to performance and mental wellness. In fact, 84 percent of respondents said they're willing to leave their current job to work for a company with an excellent reputation. If employee retention and recruitment are ongoing problems, consider how you can mend the company culture from the top down.

Online Engagement Is Essential

Businesses that don't use social media in the recruitment process are missing countless opportunities to connect with talented job seekers. Roughly 79 percent of people use social media for job hunting, and 54 percent use mobile devices to search for company reviews. On average, Glassdoor users read seven reviews to form an opinion about an employer.

If you aren't making any effort to build an employer brand, job seekers assume your company is outdated or has something to hide. Anticipate where candidates go for information online, so you can provide compelling information and engage with your audience in real time. Businesses that are transparent and approachable are much more successful at finding candidates who stick around. In a 2015 study, the Brandon Hall Group reported that companies are three times more likely to make quality hires when they develop employer branding.

Money Isn't Everything

While money tops the list of incentives, most job seekers prefer well-rounded benefits over high salary alone. The most important factors in accepting a job include salary, career development, work-life balance, location and company culture. However, 64 percent millennials said they prefer a satisfying job with a $40,000 salary over boring work that pays $100,000. About 46 percent of millennials previously left a job that didn't offer enough growth opportunities.

Stand out from other companies by showing how you promote employee development and an engaged culture. Do you provide mentoring and training resources? Work-from-home options? Highlight the success stories of current employees on social media to give job seekers incentive to learn more about the company.

Quality candidates want to work for companies that are invested in their employees' professional well-being. You can't expect top-tier job seekers to respond to lackluster recruiting efforts. Take time to understand what matters to your target audience, so you can design hiring methods that cater to their interests. In the end, employers and job seekers benefit when you work to improve hiring efficiency.

Photo courtesy of National Assembly for Wales at Flickr.com