3 Strategies for Talent Attraction

According to Statistics Canada, job vacancies across almost all sectors are reaching record highs. While this is challenging for employers, opportunities are at an all-time high in this “job-seeker’s market”. Standing out among the crowd of employers is key for any organization looking to attract top talent.

Here are 3 tactics that will give your business the edge when it comes to talent attraction:

1. Write an engaging job description – Job seekers will likely scan dozens of job descriptions in the pursuit of the best job. Create something catchy that will appeal to a high number of applicants. Use descriptive experience requirements that don’t shrink your candidate pool.

Remember:

Women are 16% less likely than men to apply to a job after viewing a posting, tending to screen themselves out of applying to a job (LinkedIn 2022)
The best candidates will be selective in what jobs to apply for due to the time it takes to complete applications – A local Employment Ontario Office, FOCUS Employment Services recommends including salary or rate of pay as well as benefits, vacation time and any other compensation you offer.

2. Emphasize your company’s values – 77% of adults would consider a company culture before applying for a job at a company and 79% would consider their mission and purpose (Glassdoor, 2019).

3. Employee Referral Program – Who better to sell your organization than those who already love to work there? Consider creating brand ambassadors among existing employees. Ambassadors capture new talent and boost existing employee morale while increasing employee retention and reducing turnover. 45% of employees that are referred by someone stay with the company more than four years (Apollo Technical, 2021).

The County of Simcoe Economic Development Office collaborates with area municipalities and stakeholders on several workforce attraction and retention initiatives. Here are 3 local free resources or programs in our own backyards to help you:

1. Work in Simcoe County is a one-stop shop featuring local jobs, resources and career exploration tools. The tool pulls from 20+ major job boards such as Indeed and Workopolis and shows thousands of Simcoe County jobs in one easy-to-use location. In other words, if you post your jobs on any of the following job boards, it will automatically be posted on Work in Simcoe. This website is actively promoted to attract job seekers to come live and work in the region. On Work in Simcoe County, registration is open for the upcoming Work in Simcoe County virtual job fair, which is a great opportunity to connect with job seekers: https://workinsimcoecounty.ca/virtual-job-fair-april/

2. Showcase your company to local high-school students with the Edge Factor Community Hub. Showcase your business and opportunities to 25 local high schools by creating a free profile! https://edgefactor.com/simcoeON

3. Employment Ontario offers free employment services and training programs for workers and employers. Contact the Simcoe County office near you: https://workinsimcoecounty.ca/hiring-help/

Want to learn more about talent attraction and retention resources for your business? Join us on April 5th and 6th at the Workforce Connect Conference to hear from industry experts! To register, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/workforce-connect-conference-2022-tickets-264605099977

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