SECTION 2.60  LOW-COST RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES

Last Update:  11/03

 

 

Low-Cost Recruitment Strategies, Including Targeted Recruitment of Minorities

 

 

Recruitment is a long-term proposition

 

Develop a recruitment plan for the specific vacancy, for like positions, for the unit or the agency as a whole.  Develop a long-term recruitment plan with input from managers, supervisors, and employees as well as specialists in the areas of human resources and EEO/civil rights/special emphasis.  Be creative.

 

Know the competition and their recruiting needs

 

Issuing one vacancy announcement is no longer an effective method of finding candidates.  Learn where the candidates go to find jobs and information about finding jobs – make sure the agency’s message can be found.

 

Develop a high-quality recruiting team

  1. Select a diverse cadre of recruiters that includes representatives from program areas as well as staff areas such as human resources or EEO.  They should have the ability to deliver the recruiting message effectively.
  2. Ensure that senior managers are involved in planning and conducting recruitment activities.  As leaders who are familiar with their agency’s cultures and needs, as managers who understand competency needs, and as selecting officials.
  3. Design a training program for recruiters that includes information about internal hiring procedures, personnel flexibilities, effective recruitment techniques, affirmative action goals, and appropriate questions and behavior.
  4. Include recent graduates to whom college students can relate when recruiting team visits colleges and universities.

 

Engage new hires

  1. What attracted them to the job?
  2. What concerns did they have?
  3. Do they know others (at their school or elsewhere) who should be contacted?
  4. Do they have additional suggestions where or how to recruit?
  5. Could they mentor other new hires?

 

Enlist assistance of AA/EEO/Diversity Committee

  1. Suggestions for how to recruit.
  2. Suggestions of contacts, recruitment resources.
  3. Assessment of current recruitment process.
  4. How can they help recruit?
  5. Ask for regular time on their agenda to discuss recruitment and staffing.
  6. Offer to do special session on recruitment.

 

Engage current staff

  1. Ask them to pass along job information to qualified friends and contacts.
  2. Ask for recruitment suggestions – how to improve the process.
  3. Ask them to watch for people they’d like to work with.
  4. Ask them to help promote the Department in a positive light with outside contacts.
  5. Ask them to identify potential negative aspects the Department should be aware of when recruiting.
  6. Provide them with cards they can share with others listing recruitment information.

 

Retain connections with former staff

  1. Encourage exit interviews with all staff; when appropriate, encourage them to keep in touch, consider returning (but don’t promise things you can’t deliver).
  2. When appropriate, ask if you can put their name on your job announcement distribution list.
  3. Stay in touch.
  4. Ask them to refer others.

 

Maintain an informative, attractive website

  1. Be sure to include current vacancy information, provide easy link to obtain more information.
  2. Write informative vacancy announcements that grab interest.
  3. Keep the application process simple.
  4. Review your website periodically to assure it’s still current and includes needed information.
  5. Ask others for their input on website.

 

Market the Department

  1. Include short, informative description of the department/Iowa on website that would make others want to work there.
  2. Make sure vacancy announcements provide a realistic preview of the jobs and that they highlight points of interest.  Think about what would make an exceptional person want to work for the agency.
  3. Contribute articles to professional journals, newsletters, etc., to get the department’s name in front of potential applicants.
  4. Identify related websites on which to place a link to yours.
  5. Periodically, review all brochures, announcements, and other written materials for attractiveness, simplicity, layout, currency, and redundancy.
  6. Identify locations to send/display your written materials where potential applicants will see them.
  7. Are there opportunities to appear on panels, guest lecture, etc. that would interest potential applicants in your department?

 

Treat applicants as a precious resource

  1. Candidates must feel there is a match between their personal goals and the agency’s goals.  To create and foster a positive image, state the agency’s goals and mission clearly and include an inspiring vision.  Develop a theme for the recruitment message and craft it to fit each audience.
  2. Respond promptly to all inquiries.
  3. Respond promptly to all applicants you have screened out.
  4. Be sure your application process is clear and non-confusing.
  5. Maintain electronic lists of non-selected applicants you would consider for future appointments. Stay in touch with them as appropriate.

 

Learn how placement offices operate

  1. Develop and maintain long-term partnerships with academia for the purpose of recruiting high-quality candidates.  The goal of partnering is to start the process ahead of the actual recruitment schedule.  Relationships with these sources can afford both sides opportunities for increased awareness and opportunities.
  2. Identify key schools that offer the programs for the type of applicant you are seeking;  Who is your key contact?  How is the placement office organized?  Does a specific college or dean or others do most of the placement?  How do they display/distribute your vacancy information? What other ways do they have for getting information out?  What is the most advantageous season for recruiting?  Do they hold on-site events?  How long do they maintain your information?
  3. When appropriate, separate key schools into regions (surrounding states, Midwest, rest of USA, international).
  4. Does the school have a minority placement officer?  Name?  What special services can this office provide in your recruitment efforts?
  5. Are there student organizations you can use as a resource?  Who are the contacts?  What are the major ways they can help in your recruitment activities?
  6. Are there minority student organizations on campus/national that you can use as a resource?  In what ways can they help you recruit?

 

Enlist the support of professional organizations

  1. Will they take vacancy announcements?  Is there a fee?  Will they allow you to put a link on their website?
  2. If they advertise in their newsletter, how many applicants does this tend to generate?
  3. Do they maintain salary surveys?  How does Iowa compete?
  4. Do they/can they hold recruitment workshops as part of conferences?

 

Set up cooperative arrangements with similar units in other states or public jurisdictions

  1. Do they experience similar recruitment issues?
  2. Would they consider sharing applicant information with staff who are relocating?
  3. Could a group form a consortium to hold a regional/national recruitment fair?

 

Enlist the assistance of local minority recruitment resources

  1. Pinpoint the community in question and go through their phone directory and newspaper to identify potential resources.  Do these resources maintain websites?
  2. Contact these resources to determine what types of assistance, if any, they would be willing to provide.
  3. If they are willing to distribute vacancy announcements, how will they do it?  Bulletin boards? Through newsletters and periodicals?  Word of mouth?  As announcements at meetings?

 

Revised:  November 2003

 

Note:  Some of the above suggestions have been taken from or adapted from “Building and Maintaining a Diverse, High-Quality Workforce:  A Guide to Federal Agencies,” U.S. Office of Personnel Management, ES-DO-05, June 2000.