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Learn more about how the Trakstar platform is revolutionizing talent management through integrated, flexible solutions.
Learn more about how the Trakstar platform is revolutionizing talent management through integrated, flexible solutions.
In Hiring Software & Tools — by Noel Diem
If you want to hire someone new, you know that the process starts a long time before the initial job posting, and it can take a long time to find the right person. Many recruiters and HR leaders have been vocal about the sheer number of applicants they are getting to their jobs, but there’s a big problem: These applicants aren’t qualified for the job. According to SHRM, if you want to find 5-10 applicants to interview, you must have an applicant pool of at least 30 qualified people.
How can you find more gems in 2023? Trakstar helps companies optimize and streamline their hiring processes, and we have some tips that can help you get more qualified applicants in 2023.
In the “war for talent,” you have to sell your company to applicants as much (if not more) than they have to sell themselves. To do this, you need to be very clear about the benefits that come along with accepting a job offer at your company. Some companies will list this on their own jobs pages at the top, but they won’t include it in their individual job descriptions – but you should. You can copy and paste the same text every time (as long as it is applicable) to make it a little easier, but you should list it.
Not sure what to include? Here are some things that might sell your company:
One of the most effective ways to increase job applicants and candidate engagement is to write a compelling job description. Use your copywriting skills to bring that job description to life (or have your company’s copywriter help you!) But be sure that your job description is optimized for the job.
When you optimize, you must focus on clarifying the job, role, and qualifications. LinkedIn has found that people spend an average of 14 seconds looking at job descriptions before moving onto the next one – you want them to stick around.
While you should optimize your searches, you also need to be careful with your wording. Many studies show that certain words are big turn-offs to potential applicants. Another interesting find from LinkedIn is that men are 13% more likely to apply for a job than women because of the word choices within job descriptions. Job postings that included phrases like “outspoken manager” or “sales rockstar” tend to prevent women from applying for these openings.
Eliminate masculine or aggressive-sounding words from your job descriptions to increase your chances of getting more qualified applicants.
What job boards give you the best results? What exactly is your speed-to-hire? Who are the best interviewers and hiring managers? If you can’t answer these questions, you aren’t setting yourself up for success in 2023. When you know your data, you can see your efforts’ real-time impact. Did the tips on this post actually help you? You’ll never know if you don’t know what your baseline is.
People leaders need to utilize data to understand where they are and show their impact across the board, particularly in hiring when it is so competitive. If you need more resources for better hiring programs, having data to back you up is extremely helpful. Within Trakstar Hire, you can find an integrated dashboard, Insights, that helps you understand your data and gives actionable tips on improving your numbers.
If your company is focused on DEI and you want to know how to get more diverse applicants, you need to make it clear that you are a safe company for all employees. You don’t need to add something overly wordy to your job postings, but a sentence reaffirming your commitment to a safe workplace is always helpful and comforting.
Google has a great example:
“Google is committed to continuing to make diversity, equity, and inclusion part of everything we do – from how we build our products to how we build our workforce.
Google is growing to fulfill that vision. In the past few years, we’ve doubled in size. Today, we have more than 100,000 employees in 170 cities spanning nearly 60 countries. Operating at this scale brings an elevated level of responsibility to everything we do, including a workforce that’s more representative of our users and a workplace that creates a sense of belonging for everyone. Thank you for joining us on this journey.”
Many people ask how to get more applicants on LinkedIn, for example, but we’re encouraging you to think broader. Have a big following on Instagram or TikTok? Use your reach! Post about an opening you have at your company, and encourage your employees to share and like the post to reach their networks as well.
When you share the post, use hashtags and key terms to get an even wider organic audience. Don’t worry (too much) about oversharing. If people see the same job posted over and over again by different people, they may be inclined to take a look at their profiles and decide to join the team.
How much are you willing to pay this new hire? If you don’t list your budget, potential applicants will likely skip over your opening and move on to something else. Why? Applying for a job takes a long time! Writing a cover letter, filling out forms, making tweaks to a resume, and interviewing are time-consuming and people aren’t willing to do that if they feel like their current job pays them more.
List a range that you are comfortable with and know there are opportunities to bargain.
One easy way to increase applicant flow? Use the word “remote” in your job postings if the job is truly remote. This will increase candidate engagement in the process and open up the job to people from diverse backgrounds and areas.
One caveat – if the job is remote but requires employees to come into the office one day a week, it is hybrid, not fully remote. You may still get more applicants, but someone from Georgia won’t be able to apply for a job in New York City.
If you’ve been trying to get more applicants on Indeed and it isn’t working out, it could be that your ideal talent isn’t looking in Indeed. Maybe they’re on LinkedIn or looking to apply via your website. Don’t be afraid to try something new! The workforce has changed, and what job boards worked a few years ago may have shifted and won’t work anymore.
You aren’t the only person who gets a case of the Mondays – job applicants do too. The best time to post your job openings is a Monday morning. Why? People are more willing to take time out of their busy workdays to look for a new job than use their weekends to look for and apply for new jobs.
If your company isn’t a good place to work, no matter what you do, there will always be an issue with getting more applicants for your open positions. In a world of social media, people talk. An organization with a toxic culture can increase employee turnover and reduce the number of people applying for your openings.
We all know that getting a job applicant is only the first step in the hiring process. There are many steps to go before someone becomes an employee. If you want to learn more about Trakstar Hire, a streamlined applicant tracking system that makes the hiring process smoother and easier on you and your potential hires, schedule a live demo today!
Trakstar Hire is considered the most user-friendly hiring software on the market. If you’re ready to take your recruiting and hiring to the next level, request a Trakstar Hire demo today.
Trakstar Hire is considered the most user friendly hiring software on the market. If you’re ready to take your recruiting and hiring to the next level, request a Trakstar Hire demo today.
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