This just in: there are unemployed people in the United States, and a large portion of them may just have the skills you’re looking for in a worker. The problem, of course, is finding a way to find them.
People still read newspapers, and the classified section is a great way to find people. Unfortunately, taking that road will severely limit the responses you receive for an open position. You could take out an ad in every major paper across the country, but by the time you found a match for the skills you need, you’ll most likely have bankrupted yourself because of the cost.
Staffing and placement agencies can be a fairly effective route, as well, but more often than not you won’t quite find the skills you need in the people they send you, or they may only be looking for temporary work.
The Internet has greatly expanded an employer’s capabilities to find workers. The collection of sites where employers can post job openings is astounding, and can often result in a large number of responses to your open position.
Sometimes, the response can be overwhelming.
There is a way to find a happy medium. One of the most effective tools for employers is to recruit new workers through their company’s Web site.
Because the Internet is global, you may find the perfect worker halfway around the globe. Obviously, if someone in China inquired about a position at your U.S. based company, they most likely are very serious about the opportunity.
That doesn’t mean an online employment opportunities listing can’t be effective in your hometown, though. You just may find that the best applicant lives two blocks away from your office. But when someone finds an open position through your Web site, it can mean they already knew about your company and they have a serious interest in working for you. It signals to employers this applicant specifically targeted your company for their job search and is enthusiastic about the position – a bonus for any employer.
With online listings, you also don’t have to wait for the local newspaper to publish your ads. Web site changes are effective immediately – which means you can change or add listings at 3 a.m., and someone can see it at 3 a.m. Listing positions on your Web site can also eliminate the added cost of advertising the opening in classified ads, or even compliment those ads by reaching out to even more people than just a newspaper will.
Listing your currently available positions on your Web site can be a huge help to your company. By both broadening and narrowing your scope of prospective employees, you can greatly reduce the time it takes to find the right person while weeding out those who may not be quite so serious about the opening. It can compliment or replace other methods of spreading the word. The amount of time it takes to maintain the listings is minimal, and you can do it on your own schedule, based on your own needs. Who knows, that perfect person may be trying to find job openings on your Web site this very moment.
*Originally published at LangDesign.com
Rebecca Lang is founder of Lang Design, Inc. an Internet web design and development with an emphasis on marketing website business. Serving businesses nationwide, we are located in Wilmington, Delaware, just south of the Philadelphia Metro area.
