What is one unconventional way your company recruits fresh talent?

Recruiting fresh talent for my brand, NOTIQ, often involves unconventional methods that align with the core ethos of our company - sustainability, innovation, and empowerment. One unique approach we use is our global entrepreneurship workshops, like "Master Your Start". These events attract aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners from around the world, providing a diverse talent pool. We've discovered promising individuals during these sessions who not only have a strong entrepreneurial spirit but also align with our values. Another strategy is our 'Plan for Success' initiative, where we provide planners and success bags to women who have experienced setbacks in life. This endeavor allows us to interact closely with resilient, ambitious women eager to rebuild their lives. We've been able to identify potential recruits through this initiative who bring a unique perspective and tenacity to our team. Additionally, we leverage our strong online community. With a vocal presence on social media and an active blog, we are exposed to a wide variety of creative and driven individuals who engage with our brand. Several team members were initially ardent followers and fans of our brand, demonstrating that thinking outside traditional hiring methods can yield passionate team members. Through these methods, we’ve successfully built a team that not only possesses the requisite skills but also deeply resonates with NOTIQ's mission of empowering women and promoting sustainable practices. Instead of relying solely on traditional hiring processes, we actively seek out potential candidates in the communities we impact and interact with daily.

One unconventional way companies need to be doing to recruit fresh talent is to use the power of social media. Gen Z is 30% of the workforce now and you need to recruit where they are hanging out, which is social media. That way your position will be front of mind and they will be familiar with your company brand.

We have seen success in recruiting based on who looks at our content and reads our newsletters. In the coffee industry, baristas and coffee connoisseurs often look at the work and recommendations of others with similar qualifications, so what better place to recruit from than a pool of users who already have a passion for coffee? This isn’t to say we send a ‘We’re Hiring’ message to every single subscriber, but we leave an email and an invitation to chat with us if coffee is something you’re really passionate about and are looking for employment. We hire quality writers and professionals who know what they’re talking about and are dedicated to sharing their knowledge with those interested. I believe it’s a unique way to attract talent because we are dipping into a pool of potential candidates who already love working with coffee. You can teach skill, but you can’t teach passion, and that’s why hiring from our newsletter has been very successful.

As of now, there is a huge number of junior developers on the market. The popularity of the developer positions keeps growing as people are promised high income and remote work, and online-schools and universities advertise the simplicity changing qualification. We believe that it is not necessary to already have an experience or to have a university degree in engineering in order to get a position of a junior developer. So, there is no other recruiting criteria but the level of candidates’ knowledge in our company. It is impossible to determine it by reading resumes, therefore, we just ditched resume screening process for this position. We give test tasks to each and every candidate, and, if they are successful in solving them, we schedule the first interview. This approach helps us choose the best people available on the market without caring about their education or experience.

One strategy that we have found success with is to offer a free workshop or seminar that will appeal to the types of fresh talent you’re trying to attract. This is taking a page out of the modern digital marketing playbook, where it’s common to use a free webinar or masterclass as a marketing vehicle for a high-ticket item like coaching or a full course. This same strategy can be easily adapted to a recruiting context. Granted, not all of the people who sign up for a workshop or seminar will be actively looking for a job, but that can be another advantage of this approach—it is a way to get in touch with passive candidates you may not find through other means, and that can be beneficial for building a talent pipeline in addition to recruiting for a currently open role. What’s great about this approach is the type of potential applicants you’re likely to connect with using it. People who take advantage of this free learning are those who are dedicated to their career development and eager to gain new skills and knowledge. These are also likely to be motivated and driven individuals who are proactive self-starters when it comes to their career advancement. All of these things are positive indicators of their ability to thrive in a workplace. As a side benefit, conducting a workshop can also be a chance to see professionals utilizing that particular skill or applying that knowledge, which can also be useful in identifying the right candidates for your role.

One unconventional way we recruit fresh talent is through our suppliers. Since we operate in the sticker printing business, our suppliers are also connected with other similar businesses in our industry. In this sense, they play a crucial role as a referral source, albeit not in the traditional employee-to-employee referral sense. Drawing from their industry insights and connections, they help us identify potential candidates who already possess experience in our line of work. This unique approach allows us to tap into a pool of talent that is already familiar with our industry's demands and dynamics.

Reverse Mentorship Luncheons In our company we follow one unconventional way to recruit fresh talent and that’s through Reverse Mentorship Luncheons. In this way a professional spends time with potential recruits for informal, knowledge sharing meals. Under this unconventional approach we’ve the chance to flip the traditional mentorship dynamic while leting us gain insights into the evolving ideas of upcoming talents. This method works as a two way learning street in which experienced minds benefit from the latest trends and innovative ideas brought in by the next generation. This way of recruiting ensures a symbiotic relationship, while continuously exchanging wisdom and innovation within our company.

Our company is home to our unique talent academies, the Schools of Development, which began over 10 years ago at a tech college. Most of our engineers graduated from these Schools where they could learn how to build a marketplace, a social network, or a mobile app. That's why our programs are 8 months long. It gives us time to keep up with what's new in tech and offer something that really draws in top talent. We also focus on helping all our employees grow. Everyone gets to make their own Personal Development Plan with their mentor. This approach ensures ongoing engagement, motivation, and a sense of belonging and care. As a result our turnover rate is only 6% a year, which is super low for our industry.

We do omnichannel marketing to highlight our company culture and the perks of working with us combined with posting job adverts on popular platforms like LI and Indeed. The omnichannel marketing helps us to spread good words about us. This ensures that we get noticed by the right talent and they reach out to us on their own whenever they see a job posting from our end. The marketing content is made to align with the struggles employees are currently facing and how we are a solution to that. Due to this often, even when we aren’t hiring, many people enquire if there are any job opportunities at our end. If there is no immediate requirement but the candidate seems a good fit we try to keep in touch with them. So when the need arises we can simply get going with the onboarding. This technique also helps us to maintain a standby talent pool. Plus, this process gives us enough time to assess the candidate. So that in crisis we aren’t clueless and don’t end up hiring whoever we see first.

We often host and participate in content creation competitions. This method aligns perfectly allows us to identify individuals who not only have exceptional writing and content creation skills but also a genuine passion for the craft. We gain insights into the candidates' creativity and ability to engage audiences through eveluation. I'd say it's a brilliant way to spot talent that might be overlooked in traditional recruitment processes. What sets this approach apart is its dual benefit. It offers participants a platform to showcase their skills while providing us with a unique lens to assess their potential fit within our team.

One unconventional method we utilize for recruiting fresh talent in our company is through "Skills Challenges." We host local events where participants solve real-world problems related to building inspections. These events allow us to spot talented individuals who might not stand out through traditional recruitment methods, offering them an opportunity to showcase their skills, practical knowledge, and problem-solving abilities in an interactive, engaging environment.

Instead of the usual job fairs, we at the company dive into community and environmental projects, like urban gardening or local clean-ups. This strategy does more than just find us potential hires; it connects us with individuals who share our passion for sustainability and the environment. Engaging in these hands-on projects allows us to observe firsthand the enthusiasm, teamwork, and commitment of participants – traits we value highly. It also offers them a real feel of our company culture. Many of our team members came onboard through these initiatives, drawn not just by the job but by our shared values.

Sometimes the task of finding new talent can be frustrating and exhausting. It takes a special kind of HR professional to swim through and evaluate countless resumes daily. I have a hand in such duties at my technology firm, but I know to find that one, extraordinary hire sometimes I must exceed ordinary methods. My company has found some of its best hires from those within our own business walls. Think about it, who best to suggest viable talent those the talent we deemed the best to hire in the first place? Granted, if someone says their uncle or cousin needs a job, we might take a cautious approach to such a recommendation (unless their resume and interview speak differently, of course). But more times than not, if a person's name is given through an employee referral, and we find credibility behind the candidate's suggestion, then it is a win for all involved. I suggest other companies use the strategy of an employee referral program, especially if their candidate pool is lacking in proficient prospects. Most people want to be seen as valued contributors to their organization, and what better way than to bring someone on board who can be considered a credit of their suggestion?

Many companies rely on traditional methods like job postings and career fairs to recruit new talent. However, one unconventional way that our company has found success in recruiting fresh talent is through peer-to-peer referrals. We encourage our current employees to refer their friends and acquaintances who they believe would be a good fit for our company culture and values. Through this method, we not only get potential candidates who are already familiar with our company through their referral but also have a higher chance of finding individuals who share similar values and work ethic. This has helped us build a strong and cohesive team while also diversifying our talent pool.

Our most distinct and effective recruiting tactic at EchoGlobal is hosting low-pressure meetups rather than traditional interviews. Instead of a stiff one-on-one info exchange, we gather small groups of promising candidates for informal happy hours. This allows authentic personalities and potential fit to shine through organically sparked conversations. The rich peer interactions reveal soft skills hidden in stiff interviews. And it’s more fun! We shape activities around roles; engineers may collaborate solving playful challenges while account managers roleplay client meetings. This dynamic approach replaced lackluster interviews. The communal environment encourages vulnerable questions about company culture alongside impressive accomplishments. Disarming assumptions sparks connection. It takes more effort to coordinate, but injecting humanity and revealing candidates’ true selves proves invaluable for fit. The proof’s in our 93% one-year retention rate!

An unconventional way we recruit fresh talent at PinProsPlus is through "Community Challenges." We engage with local tech and design communities by organizing challenges or competitions related to our industry. This not only identifies passionate individuals but also demonstrates our commitment to community involvement. It's an unconventional approach that not only brings in new talent but also strengthens our ties with the local creative community.

One unconventional method we've embraced for recruiting fresh talent involves hosting online competitions and challenges related to our industry. These aren't just for coders or designers; we tailor them to various roles across the company. For example, for marketing roles, we might host a digital marketing strategy contest. Why this works: It's a win-win. Participants get to showcase their skills in a practical, hands-on way, and we get to see their actual work, not just what's on their resume. Moreover, it creates a buzz around our brand and attracts individuals who are genuinely passionate and proactive about their field. We've found some incredibly talented individuals this way, who might not have come through the traditional application process. It's a dynamic approach that brings out hidden gems.

An unconventional yet highly effective method we've employed at CodeDesign for recruiting fresh talent is hosting and participating in hackathons and coding challenges. This approach goes beyond the traditional job postings and interviews, allowing us to directly engage with and assess potential candidates in a real-world problem-solving environment. By organizing hackathons, we present complex, real-world problems relevant to our industry and invite participants to develop innovative solutions. These events attract a diverse range of talent, from university students to self-taught programmers, offering us a broad talent pool. During these hackathons, we observe participants' technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and how they work in teams, which are crucial factors for success in our industry. Participating in external hackathons as mentors or sponsors also gives us a similar advantage. It allows us to interact with participants, understand their capabilities, and introduce them to our company culture and the kind of work we do. This approach has proven successful for several reasons. Firstly, it enables us to identify individuals with practical skills and a passion for technology, which might not be evident through traditional recruitment processes. Secondly, it helps in building our brand among potential future employees. And finally, it fosters a sense of community engagement, showing our commitment to innovation and talent development.

Skill-Based Hackathons or Workshops Host hackathons or workshops focused on specific skills relevant to your roles. This allows candidates to demonstrate their expertise in a practical setting and collaborate with your team. You can then identify top performers and offer them positions or internships based on their performance.

In the competitive world of talent acquisition, thinking outside the box is key. One unconventional approach we've adopted is turning our customers into potential recruits. There was this time when we noticed that some of our most passionate customers had a deep understanding and love for our brand. They were authentic, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic - exactly the kind of fresh talent we wanted on our team. So, we decided to invite them to join us. The results were surprising and rewarding. We found not only talented individuals but also those who were already invested in our brand. By looking beyond traditional talent pools, we unlocked a wealth of potential right under our noses. It's proof that sometimes, the best candidates are hiding in plain sight.