Let’s think about this from the candidate’s perspective. Typically, when we think of places or activities that we would recommend to someone we know, we do so because as an individual, we had a positive experience. Whether that means the food was excellent, the show was entertaining or the service was top notch, we want others to have the same positive experience as we did. The same can absolutely be said in the job market. Candidates are only going to refer their colleagues or acquaintances to a company or Recruiter if they feel the experience they had was a positive one. So how do hiring managers ensure that we have a pool of talent that we can garner referrals from? Simple, make a positive candidate experience a top priority for your hiring strategy.

Check out these simple and seemingly straight forward tips provided by RecruitingDaily.com to give your team the upper hand in creating a positive and welcoming candidate experience.

1. Engage job seekers in enjoyable conversation. This seems like a no-brainer but surprisingly many hiring Managers and Recruiters tend to keep conversations with prospective candidates as impersonal as possible. Where there can be a benefit to keeping the candidate relationship like any other business transaction, there is also a huge downside. It is basic human nature to trust those that make you feel at ease. Having easy and light conversations with your candidates can instantly make them feel more comfortable around you. This can even be achieved through personalized emails. Try to communicate in a friendly manner and ensure the candidates that you are always looking out for their best interest.
2. Respect the job seeker’s time. Time is valuable to everyone, including your job seekers. We all know how annoying it can be when we have an appointment set and it has to be cancelled or rescheduled last minute. If you make an appointment with a candidate, keep it. As you will be interviewing more and more candidates that are currently working elsewhere, it may be difficult for them to make the appointments or interviews in the first place so rescheduling or cancelling last minute can certainly put a bad taste in their mouth.
3. Keep job descriptions consistent. It is important to provide as much information up front in a job description posted online as possible. However, whether you include everything in the online ad or not, you must stay consistent with job details throughout the entire process. The information provided online should reflect what is discussed in the interview and pre-screenings. If something with the job changes, update your ads accordingly. This way the candidate already has a really good idea of what to expect when the interview process starts and isn’t in for any surprises along the way.
4. Respond clearly and within one week. Responding to candidates in a timely fashion may be the most important tip that is offered here. You have to remember that you are not the only person seeking out passive talent. It wouldn’t be a surprise to learn that your candidate has actually been contacted by 10 or more companies at the same time you reached out. With that said, staying in touch with your candidate is imperative. In the two extra days it takes for you to offer them the job, your competition may have already swooped in. Basically, you need to land the candidate before your competitor does.

By following these tips to improving the overall experience of your prospective candidates, you will find it much easier to not only fill current openings but also to fill your pipeline with experienced and eager referrals.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, and Trillium Technical. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2017 and 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

But don’t take my word for it! Check out these stats to see just how important referrals can be to your bottom line!

• Customers are 4x more likely to buy when referred by a friend. (Source – Neilsen)

• 43% of consumers are more likely to buy a new product when learning about it from friends on social media. (Source – Neilsen)

• About 47% of top performers ask for referrals consistently, versus only 26% of non-top performers. (Source – HubSpot)

• 73% of executives prefer to work with sales professionals referred by someone they know. (Source – IDC)

• 32% of buyers post a review on social media. (Source – Avande)

Now, what does all of this mean? Plainly, referrals should never be a last resort. If you are a Recruiter who has a group of hardworking individuals you know you can count on, chances are they know people! These connections can, in turn, result in increasing your pipeline and filling orders. On the other side; if you are a Sales Professional seeking out your next lead, look to your current book of business, first. If you’re providing an exceptional sales and customer service experience to your current clients, they will be much more inclined to spread the word and provide valuable FREE promotion on your behalf!

Simply put, as long as you are continuing to offer a valuable service or product to your current customers, clients, candidates, etc.; the availability of relevant leads through referrals will always be at your fingertips. It is up to you to take advantage of these resources before someone else does!

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, Trillium Hospitality and Trillium Techs. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Our strongest recruitment tools today are our job board and referrals. Ironically, referrals are one of the most traditional and longest standing recruitment forms that exist and our website incorporates state of the art technology and marketing including social media.

So how do the two co-exist? They have two common threads; trust and people.

With over 30 years of recognition as a leader in staffing and recruitment, people across the country have experienced the level of commitment our recruiters dedicate to their career search. We’ve become one of the most trusted recruitment firms in the country, allowing us the opportunity to speak with the referrals of our happy employees! The majority of these referrals learn more about us as an organization and our opportunities through our job board before contacting us.

Here is a snap shot of our website in 1998:

Here is what it looks like today:

Our job board houses approximately 1,000 job postings daily and allows candidates an added level of confidentiality that they don’t receive from major job boards. How is that? Your current employer likely has access to your state job board and the major online job boards, giving them the opportunity to locate your resume.

Our candidates and employees take great comfort in knowing that their resume cannot be discovered by their current employer or anyone outside of our organization. That piece of mind is priceless for a passive or currently employed person seeking a change.

As such our clients get the benefit of our ability to attract and identify the best candidates in their industry, not just those who are willing to post their information for any employer to view or are actively seeking a career change.

Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of top level talent? Contact us today! If you are a stand out in your profession and seeking contingent or long term career opportunities, visit our job seekers section for more information!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

• Reach your audience. Making sure that you are reaching your key audience is the first step in the recruitment process. The majority of candidates still list job boards as their first resource to seek employment.
• Referrals, Referrals, Referrals. In a 2011 survey by Jobvite, 70% of employers reported feeling that referred candidates were a better fit for company culture and company values. If your organization does not have a referral program established, now is the time to start!
• Communication is key. Make sure that you are effectively communicating your recruitment needs. It’s been estimated that as many as 44% of resumes received by HR professionals are submitted by unqualified applicants. Creating a job posting that highlights the attributes needed for your position as well as sell the benefits of your organization can quickly attract top talent and help eliminate resume blasters.
• Build an employment brand. Rather than re-actively recruit, build an employment brand that constantly attracts talent to you! Building a strong employment brand that is true to your organization’s values and goals not only assists in recruitment but also with employee retention rates.
• Seek outside assistance. Some positions are just plain difficult to fill. Especially if it is a position that is in high demand or one that you only recruit for on occasion. An estimated 90% of companies partner with staffing agencies to assist them with recruitment efforts.

Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of top level talent? Contact us today!  If you are a stand out in your profession and seeking contingent or long term career opportunities, visit our job seekers section for more information!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.