The article “6 New Talent Sourcing Tips You Need” by Spark Hire provided some key strategies that can help employers source new talent. Among them were using social media, job boards (like FlexJobs), employee referrals, and promoting employees among top ways to source new talent. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to talent sourcing in the modern era.
The article stated: “Before the Internet and social media dominated nearly every facet of life, hiring was fairly simple: you’d hang a sign in the front window of your business that read “HELP WANTED” in big bold letters. Then perhaps you’d post a short description of the job you were hiring for in your local newspaper. A day or two later, you’d be flooded with resumes.”
Marketing as a Talent Sourcing Strategy in the Modern Era
Oh, how times have changed. But if done correctly, talent sourcing changes are for the better.
That’s the case for the recruiting team at Blue Chip Marketing Worldwide, an independent, united marketing agency based in Northbrook, Illinois, that has grown from 50 to over 300 employees in the past five years.
Candace Washburn, a talent acquisition specialist for Blue Chip Marketing, says a fully integrated marketing approach has helped lead the drive to source new talent. The company has used LinkedIn and employee referrals to attract new talent.
They have also created networking events to meet with industry professionals and develop relationships with movers and shakers and others who are both active and passive candidates. “We attend networking events to promote Blue Chip Worldwide brand awareness,” says Washburn.
The company also offers a number of creative benefits and perks, including Metra Shuttle Service, a shuttle that picks up commuters from the train station, bringing Blue Chip employees right to the office from the station and vice versa. The shuttle service runs each morning and evening.
Amenities at company headquarters include an on-site fitness center, cafe, free parking, yoga classes, a bike-to-work program, and discounts to many local businesses. This is also in addition to generous paid time off, paid holidays, and personal time off packages.
And to stay competitive and an industry leader, Blue Chip Marketing offers a variety of flex work options that have made it an employer of choice and so successful in sourcing new talent.
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These are some of the flex work perks at Blue Chip Marketing:
- Work-from-home days: “They are becoming increasingly dominant in the industry, but having them is an absolute luxury,” says Washburn.
- Flexible work schedules: There are several core schedule options employees can choose from to fit their schedule or needs.
- Downtown satellite office: Many Blue Chip employees live downtown, and with headquarters about 30 minutes northwest of the city, it can be a convenient location for employees.
“A company can have the coolest clients, and the smartest people working under their roof,” says Washburn. “However, what’s most important is that candidates feel valued. By providing accommodations like this, it eases the schedules for commuters. This really helps employees to be more efficient once they are here. I feel proud when I list all the flexibility we offer, and candidates are very receptive.”
Washburn elaborates: “I think what’s most important in attracting and retaining talent is offering them flexible options. Our mission here at Blue Chip Marketing is ‘Employees First.'”
Flexible Work Options to Attract Talent
Providing flexibility and/or a flexible work schedule to employees has become extremely important in attracting top talent in today’s marketplace, says Joseph Sos, managing partner of Sanford Rose Associates – JFSPartners, a company that specializes in mid-level management and executive leadership searches. His clients include Fortune 500 Companies as well as emerging startup organizations.
“We have seen a wave of large and small companies begin to offer these types of benefits to employees,” says Sos. “Both passive and active candidates are asking about these flex-benefits before considering the more traditional benefits employers may offer.”
More so now than ever, employers and human resource departments are also leveraging recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) firms for talent sourcing, says Dr. Steven Lindner, executive partner of The WorkPlace Group, a leading think-tank recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) firm specializing in talent assessment and acquisition.
His company has first-hand experience advising companies from small and mid-sized businesses to Fortune 500 firms throughout the country. Many employers turn to RPO firms like The WorkPlace Group to assist them throughout the recruiting and screening process for all types of positions, ranging from seasonal employees to experienced professionals with advanced skillsets, says Lindner.
“The growing trend of millennials and older workers opting to work gig jobs over traditional 9-5 jobs has resulted in employers offering job opportunities that are project based or part-time to compensate for the lifestyles of their talent pool,” says Lindner. “Millennials are attracted to gig jobs that allow them to hone their skills and further advance their careers through knowledge and business acumen. While older workers desire gig jobs to align with their personal passions. For some, it’s about coaching, mentoring and directing; for others it’s more about assisting, helping and doing less stressful work. More importantly, it’s about having flexibility and choosing a field of work that peaks their interest.”
Here are three ways employers are sourcing talent, according to Lindner:
- Through niche job search boards such as FlexJobs
- Establishing talent communities of ready-to-be-hired gig-based workers
- Leveraging recruitment process outsourcing (RPOs) to recruit and screen job candidates
If a company offers a flexible work schedule, it’s important to continuously promote that, as it can be a recruiting tool in and of itself, adds Sos.
Employers can promote these benefits through social media, hold live industry events at their offices so potential candidates can see the environment, and interact with managers. Employees can also encourage their management teams and key employees to become active in industry and local events, training these individuals to speak openly to others they encounter about the flexibility they offer as an employer. Use current staff to spread the word about the great flex work options at your company.
Becoming an Employer of Choice
“The main factor is to offer benefits that create a reputation for the company as an ’employer of choice’ by first clearly defining the flexibility they are able to offer and then promoting these benefits through lots of different mediums,” says Sos.
Talent sourcing has changed over the years. Today, to attract, and retain, top talent, flex work must be a part of the package.
Find Top Talent
Readers, what are you doing to bring your talent sourcing into the modern era? Share your tips below!
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