6 Ways to Improve Recruitment in Your Cambridge Business

Recruiting the right people is crucial for any Cambridge business looking to grow and succeed. With a competitive job market and limited talent pools, finding and hiring top candidates can be a major challenge. Improving your recruitment strategy takes time and effort, but implementing even a few of these tips can significantly impact your hiring results.

1. Get Your Branding Right

A strong employer brand goes a long way in recruitment. Candidates want to know they’re applying to an appealing workplace with a positive reputation. Make sure your website, job posts, meet the team template, and other materials properly convey your company culture, values and employer strengths. Highlight benefits, career growth opportunities, work-life balance policies and other differentiators.

Keep honing your branding as the company evolves. Feature team testimonials and behind-the-scenes content to tell an authentic story. Reinforce messaging consistently across channels. Monitor review sites and mentions to address issues. A stellar reputation as a great place to work is your most valuable advantage over competing openings.

2. Clearly Define the Role You’re Hiring For

Before you start recruiting, take time to think through exactly what skills, experience and attributes you need for the open position. Outline the core responsibilities and qualifications so you have a clear picture of the ideal candidate. This helps you craft better job descriptions, but more importantly guides your entire hiring process so you find people truly suited for the role.

Take a collaborative approach here – involve other team members and stakeholders to build alignment on the required competencies. Review similar past and existing roles to identify must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Adjust the specifications based on current business priorities and projected needs. The more precisely you can define the target, the better your chances of hitting it!

3. Leverage Your Networks

Don’t just post the job ad and wait for responses. Tap into your professional and personal connections to spread the word. Reach out to former colleagues, check with industry associations and relevant groups on social media. Many strong candidates won’t actively browse job boards but may be open to a new opportunity. Spreading the word through trusted networks improves your chances of connecting with qualified, passive candidates.

Make it easy for associates to share openings in their circles by providing postable content and messaging. Customise pitches for different channels – a friendly personal request on LinkedIn, an upbeat eye-catching image for Instagram. Track clicks and engagement to see which networks deliver the best return. Maintain the relationships so your brand ambassadors keep vouched referrals coming.

4. Make Applying Easy

Cumbersome, lengthy application processes deter good candidates. Streamline your procedures to reduce barriers. Use simple application forms, and allow uploading resumes or profiles from LinkedIn, Indeed, etc. Provide clear guidelines on required documents and timeline. Automate screening and communication to speed up response times. The easier and more transparent the process, the more (and better) applicants it will attract.

Go beyond just making it simple – make it mobile-friendly and personalised. Allow candidates to save progress and return seamlessly to incomplete applications. Remember details so repeat applicants don’t have to re-enter everything. Thoughtful user experience touches like these show that you value and respect candidates’ time and effort.

5. Be Proactive in Campus Recruitment

For graduate roles and internships, take steps to boost your presence on nearby campuses. Sponsor programmes, host speakers, or have open house events to interact directly with students. Build relationships with professors and societies in your industry. Offer work experience opportunities like tours and workshops. When students already know and like your brand, they are much more likely to apply for openings.

Campus recruitment is about planting seeds early on. Some initiatives may have delayed returns, like sponsoring an annual case competition. But persisting over time builds awareness and loyalty with cohorts of students. They see you actively supporting their community and aren’t just a stranger sending job ads. You become the first choice employer students and fresh graduates seek out.

6. Follow Up and Provide Feedback

At every stage, from initial response to offer letter, follow up promptly and provide feedback to candidates. Thank early applicants for interest and let others know once the role is filled. For interviewed candidates, call to share constructive feedback after decisions are made. This basic courtesy leaves everyone with a positive impression of your recruitment process and company. They may reapply directly in future or recommend others.

Don’t underestimate the value of maintaining goodwill, even with unsuccessful applicants. Take time for respectful closure conversations. Be transparent about reasons for rejection and provide supportive suggestions for improvement. You never know when paths may cross again, and word gets around about how you treat candidates. Leaving each person with a great experience builds your reputation and future talent pipeline.

With some focus on the above tips, you can markedly enhance recruitment even with limited budgets and resources. Taking the time to refine your strategy will enable your Cambridge business to consistently attract and hire the very best talent over the long run.