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to Fill? Finding Staff in a Sparse
Market...Affordably!By Heather Eigler of A Write Start The staffing market has become a tough game and specialty recruiting firms are raking in the bucks. It’s only going to get worse as baby boomers retire at an alarming rate causing vacancies in every industry. This problem affects all levels of staffing from executives to file clerks, and you’ve no doubt felt the pinch too. Not sure how to keep your business staffed effectively? Read on… The obvious fact is; if you have vacancies, you need to advertise them in order to see the resumes float in. As easy as that sounds, there are so many choices as to how you can accomplish this. Where should you begin, and how can you make it easy on your budget? Many jobseekers are relying on the web as a place to find and read help wanted ads. If you think Internet advertising is too expensive, think again. Your business can advertise for free! Just visit Canada Job Bank at www.jobbank.gc.ca or All Star Jobs at www.allstarjobs.ca and follow the instructions for employers. It’s easy, it’s free and most of all, it’s effective. If your business has it’s own website or blog, use it to it’s fullest potential and advertise your vacancies there as well. Carefully choosing the right keywords will help your publication rise to the top of a web users search and increase your chances of finding the right employee. This is also the perfect venue to tout your company as the ideal place to work. Not only will you find staff, but clients who click to your site will also be pleased to see that current employees are happy. When it comes to finding great staff you might need to look in some unorthodox places, particularly in today’s market where the unemployment rate hovers around 4%. Over the course of your day talk to everyone you come in contact with. Just because those around you are employed already it doesn’t mean they are happy with their current situation, even though, they might not be looking for alternate employment at this time. Maybe the girl serving you your latte has some administrative background and would love a change of pace from espresso to bookkeeping. Or, maybe the kid sitting on the bus next to you is looking for some part time work to supplement his student loan. Talk to people, get a feel for who they are and let them know you’d love to see their resumes. One of the best ways to find staff that will fit in with your existing corporate culture is to ask your current employees for referrals. Great minds think alike right? So consider offering a $250 bonus to any employee who refers a friend. Once hired, if that friend passes their probationary period, give the reward. Another option is to tap into the student workforce. Many colleges and universities offer a co-op work program where students receive credit for working in an industry related to their field of study. Some programs offer financial compensation and often students are happy to stay on as a permanent employee after their term is up. Student workers offer a fresh and vibrant enthusiasm that is hard to come by from more seasoned workers. Give them a chance - they might even teach you a thing or two. Contact the University of Calgary by email at coop@ucalgary.ca or Mount Royal College at studentjobs@mtroyal.ca Now that you’ve found the perfect candidate and offered them a job, what can entice them to accept your offer over hundreds of others? Take a good look at the salary rate you are offering. Is it enough to compete with other companies in your industry? What about companies outside your industry? If not, think about offering something to make up the difference like a benefit plan or gas allowances for travelling staff. Remember that cash is not always king and some issues cannot be solved by throwing money around. Transportation, location and working environments are big issues when it comes to finding an employee. Sometimes non-monetary incentives such as time off to spend with family or free parking make all the difference to your prospective star employee. Talk to them and find out what is important. People with small children might prefer flexible hours in order to pick their kids up after school. People with pets might require a longer lunch hour to take poochy for an afternoon walk. Now, I’m not saying you should let your staff dictate your hours of business, but give where you can and you’re sure to receive loyalty and appreciation from your employees. So, take the bull by the horns and go find your next star, your next family member, and your next employee! The right person is out there; you just have to change the way you look for them. And remember, if there is one thing you take away from this article, let it be this: Some of the best workers will not read your ad, and do not need to work for you. Why? Because they already have jobs. They are not scouring the want ads, they are not surfing the web. They have positions they enjoy and they are good at what they do. Figure out who those people are and contact them. You might be surprised at who you’ll find. Heather Eigler is a freelance writer & consultant who is new to the Calgary area. For more tips, visit her website at www.awritestart.com or call 403.860.7774. |