What are the Different Types of IT Recruitment Tools?
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IT Jobs and Recruitment Insights
Choosing what recruitment channel to use can be difficult as you need to consider some factors before deciding such as budget and resources, employer brand, skill gaps in the current team, labour market conditions and the role, time to hire and number of vacancies etc.
A key part of resourcing talent is to communicate the opportunity available to the talent pool while presenting your organisation in the best possible light. However, the approach to communication needs to be thoughtfully targeted so that the right people are reached which are those that are most likely to meet the needs of the organisation (as set out in the job description and person specification). To ensure this, careful consideration needs to be given to the type of recruitment channels used. There is a wide range of potential recruitment channels to choose from both internal and external recruitment channels and these have expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth of technology.
I have tried many different recruitment channels while working in GemPool and have explained the different methods that I have tried but also some that I have yet to try. I have found that each situation is different, for example, if you are hiring a full team you may need the help of a recruitment agency, if you are looking to hire graduates then a careers fair, automated hiring process or corporate days could be your best bet. But if you are looking to add one or two senior people to your team then headhunting is a good route to take.
Social media for recruiting
Professional social media services such as LinkedIn can provide an effective way of reaching a wide audience One thing to keep in mind with online advertising is that communication needs to be short and sweet as candidates often view this on mobiles and this needs to be considered when posting jobs and adverts. Shorter sentences and greater use of bullets and white space can make it easier to read. Also having active links to your organisation’s careers web pages can be very useful.
Such services can also offer employers the opportunity to search for potential candidates themselves and make initial personal approaches. This can be done on a free Linkedin account. Of course there are membership options available such as LinkedIn Recruiter but this is an extra cost. Below is an example of one of our job ads that was posted on LinkedIn.
Corporate open days
This is an opportunity for you to give potential recruits a taste of what life is like in your organisation. There needs to be a mix of structured talks from different departments with tours of the workplace and time for candidates to mix with current staff. As this may not be as feasible as it once was, you can try doing this virtually and maybe host a webinar with talks from team members.
Job fairs
There are many different job fairs to attend and organisations need eye-catching ‘exhibition’ stands to stand out. Using branded free gifts such as USB drives or even pens, and informative, well-written hand-outs reflecting your employer brand are all essential. Connecting with friendly, professional and affable current employees from your organisation can leave the longest lasting impression on potential recruits. They are there to discuss the company directly with candidates, the culture, the career development etc. This has also changed recently due to Covid-19 but there are virtual job fairs still happening and opportunities to join. Virtual Recruitment Ireland have had virtual job fairs the last few months and the next one is in November.
GemPool has also taken part in job fairs in the past and have had success by finding great candidates and meeting them face to face and discussing potential roles for them.
Internal databases
These are files of previous and/or speculative applicants whose details have been retained for future vacancies. A database needs to be carefully organised so that you can easily pull relevant candidates from your files efficiently for discussion with line managers. This requires on-going maintenance to ensure that all applications, from all sorts of candidates, are screened and filed as soon as they come in. This can speed up your sourcing if you have an up to date database. You will have their CV, contact details and any information from when you previously spoke with the candidate.
Job site databases
Searchable databases of large volumes of candidates who have logged their CV with online job websites. Usually accessible to employers in return for a membership fee. The more precise the filters available, the more appropriate the candidate results returned will be, e.g. by specifying location, required salary, industry experience etc. You can post job adverts and also search for candidates.
The top 3 websites that I have personally used for sourcing are Indeed, Monster and CV Library, which have been fruitful!
Employee Referral System
All employees, both, present and past can be a good source of referral for potential recruits. Some employers offer a ‘finder’s fee’ for current staff which can range from tens to even thousands of pounds for employees who recommend a candidate who secures a vacancy and passes their probationary period. You will need to make sure that all staff are aware both of current vacancies and any rewards involved in making a successful recommendation.
Corporate websites
Dedicated careers pages on a corporate website can offer a great way of allowing potential recruits to learn more about the role and your organisation. You will need to consider the ‘web journey’ that candidates will take, from how they learn about the site, to the navigation once on the careers pages. Ease of reading is also important. These can also provide convenient links to online application forms.
Hackathons
Also known as a hackfest or codefest is an event where software developers collaborate on a certain project and this is usually hosted by a tech company. You can use a hackathon as a recruitment channel as you eliminate underskilled candidates much faster than an interview process. It assesses their software development skills but also their time management and you can assess how they work under pressure. This can attract a lot of candidates to take part as they enjoy taking part!
Recruitment agencies/consultants (including ‘head-hunters’)
A good recruitment agency will work with you to fully understand the job description and person specification and then consider the pool of existing candidates they are aware of, as well as undertaking their own advertising routes to draw upon a wider pool of talent. They will also usually conduct the first interview with applicants they deem potentially appropriate, only sending through candidates they view as having sufficient calibre. There are many benefits of having a recruitment agency by your side.
Head-hunters will take a more direct approach and will search for and attempt to contact candidates who have not registered as actively looking for work, but whose profile and achievements are a good fit with your job description and person specification.
Recruitment agencies can help with both permanent and contracting needs. By providing contractors, this offers flexibility for our clients. If you need to increase headcount for a certain project then contracting may be the best option for you.
Learn more about GemPool’s permanent and contract recruitment processes.
Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO)
Organisations may choose to outsource all of their recruitment activities to a third-party provider. This provider will then be responsible for choosing routes via which vacancies can be communicated and may also be involved throughout the recruitment and selection process. This can also be done by recruitment agencies. You can find more information on GemPool’s RPO service here.
If you would like more information on GemPool’s services then contact us today at info@gempool.ie .
