Even when the school year has just begun, hiring should be on your mind.
The academic year is well underway for HigherEd and hopefully, your institution was able to hire the faculty and staff needed to start off the semester. Still, the tough thing about hiring season is that it never truly ends. Human resources teams, recruiters, and hiring managers are always prepared for the next open role and thinking about their recruitment strategy for the next HigherEd hiring cycle.
To help you prepare for your next open role, we spoke to internal PeopleAdmin expert Jennifer Reese about her top tip to take your hiring to the next level in today’s market.
Highlight your assets.
Jennifer Reese, Account Executive for PeopleAdmin, says that one helpful thing she’s seen more of recently is institutions highlighting their campuses and offering resources for candidates interested in visiting or relocating.
“In order to attract candidates, some institutions provide sections on their website that detail different areas of town, offer connections to realtors, and list other resources to make moving to the area easier,” says Jennifer. “Your institution could share information on the local school system or daycare options to appeal to candidates with children, or offer links out to local employment sites for partners and spouses. Some colleges and universities even offer sponsorship opportunities for local business to be featured on their website. This can bring in money to the institution, bring business to local retailers, and provide a starting point for someone new to the area.”
As many as one in five job candidates will drop out of an application process if it takes too long. This is just one indicator of how easy it is to lose job seekers at any stage of the application process. Jennifer’s advice for HigherEd hiring is to remove as many barriers as possible for job seekers and for candidates.
Once your team has sent a job offer to an applicant, you know that you’re committed to them—so why not make that clear? Offering a robust resources page about your local community shows that you’re invested in supporting new hires, bringing them into your community, and helping them settle in. Don’t be afraid to talk about the unique quirks and qualities of your campus and your community—there is so much to love about your institution, and you want your job candidates to be invested in the mission and culture of your college or university (and the surrounding area).
You can make your website and even your application portal more dynamic with video resources. Consider what would attract the right candidates, and take a page from your counterparts on the student admissions team—include a video campus tour, a town walking tour of the best coffee shops, a video from your leadership team, or video testimonials from current faculty and staff talking about your institution or your culture. These personal touches can make you stand out from the crowd.
Interested in learning more about attracting candidates with recruitment marketing and a modern, mobile applicant portal? Reach out to our PeopleAdmin experts!