The tightest labor market in more than three decades is forcing employees to use crafty, creative and sometimes downright bizarre measures for finding enough qualified workers. Fortunately, often at least some of a company’s recruiting problems can be ameliorated in-house–by networking with the employees already within the company.
Below, five tips on starting your employee search in your own backyard:
- Always pay above your industry average. Low salaries are an invitation for employees to look elsewhere.
- Post all new job opportunities internally. Someone you might not have considered could be perfect for the position. This also shows employees you’re giving them an opportunity to get ahead.
- Recruit spouses of current employees, or look to them for referrals. Don’t forget referral bonuses.
- Call your company’s job hotline and critique it. Is it easy to use, or does it waste the caller’s time? Does the voice on the other end of the line sound friendly? Bored? Indifferent?
- Ask employees for names of people they loved working with at their previous jobs. Then find out if those people want to work for you.