However, the hiring process can take a significant amount of time and resources, which can slow down your regular business operations. This can be especially difficult for small businesses, with employees already wearing several hats, including standing in for the role you’re trying to fill.

If you’re looking to fast-track the hiring process in your growing business, you have to focus on strategies that will speed hiring and ensure you get the best candidates before other companies. However, for small business owners, this process can feel overwhelming. Here, we discuss four ways you can streamline recruiting to find stronger candidates and deliver exceptional results.

#1. Establish Realistic Hiring Goals

With the unsteadiness of the recruitment market, many small businesses have had to adjust their hiring practices continuously. But before you improve time-to-hire, you need to analyze past performance and hiring analytics. This includes measuring:

• Speed of recruitment: First things first. How quickly does it take to hire and onboard a recruit? Do you have any areas that bottleneck your recruitment processes?
• Candidate reach: Take a look at where you find candidates and determine the success of those channels and platforms. Is there an avenue that shows potential in which you could devote more resources? On top of this, analyze your applicant completion and quality of hire rates.
• Cost of recruitment: In addition to cost per hire, examine the cost of each sourcing channel against its effectiveness.
• Employee and candidate satisfaction: You can determine the overall satisfaction trends across your current and new hires using key metrics, such as employee survey results and offer acceptance rates.

Time to hire may be a priority, but other recruitment metrics sometimes highlight a larger problem. Consider what simple changes you could make to your hiring process that will make an impact right away.

#2. Focus on Soft Skills

At the top of the list for growing companies is finding talent that helps move the business forward. But this is often easier said than done. The Employ Recruiter Nation Report found that 32.7% of HR decision-makers in SMBs indicated their biggest challenge is finding enough qualified talent to fill open positions, which naturally slows your time to fill.

If someone’s qualifications and experience don’t align perfectly, remember it can be more impactful to find candidates with the right knowledge, skills, and abilities.

This isn’t to say that hard skills are not important, but candidates with soft skills typically make more reliable employees who stay for the long term. Make sure your job descriptions list relevant soft skills and identify how you can assess them during the interview process. For example, consider:

• Asking your candidates directly: Be specific. During interviews, ask them what soft skills they possess and identify examples of how they have used those skills previously.
• Testing them online: Another mechanism for identifying candidate’s soft skills is requesting them to take an online assessment. The JazzHR Marketplace offers a variety of assessment providers that specialize in candidate assessments.
• Seeking a second opinion: Get in touch with a candidate’s references and ask them to describe their soft skills. This can validate or flag anything your candidate says within the interview stage.

#3. Invest in Passive Candidates

According to LinkedIn, 70 percent of the world’s workforce are passive candidates, while only 30 percent actively seek out new opportunities. This makes passive recruitment a gold mine of an opportunity. However, it requires a different approach.

In passive recruitment, the desired candidate is the person with the control. Unlike active recruitment, where you wait for candidates to apply for your open job roles, you reach out to
your desired candidates. You have to persuade them to join you.

Passive recruitment demands excellent research skills to find the right candidates and outstanding relationship building. Your outreach should be personable without being overbearing. Once you find potential passive candidates to reach out to, ensure you maintain a talent pool of those passive job seekers. By having a pool of pre-screened and qualified candidates, your company can save time by quickly finding qualified talent to fill roles quickly.

Additionally, having a robust talent pool can lead to higher-quality hires. Applicants who have previously shown interest in your company or have been recommended by current employees will better understand your work culture and values.

#4. Leverage Affordable Hiring Software for Small Businesses

Many small business owners have recognized the value of investing in recruitment software that makes their hiring process smoother and faster. But it has to be affordable and effective.

Automating your recruitment process is one of the most effective ways to reduce repetitive hiring tasks and streamline hiring costs in your company. It also empowers your hiring managers to focus on high-quality, strategic hires by spending more time nurturing candidates.

However, it’s important to choose the right recruitment tools that make sense for the volume and complexity of your hiring process. It’s also important to make sure you strike a balance between automating tasks that don’t add value and focusing on areas that still require a human touch, like nurturing candidates.

JazzHR offers small business recruiting software that empowers your growing company to find and hire talent fast, at a cost you can afford. Automate repetitive, manual tasks, centralize candidate information and data and better compete for top candidates — all from a recruiting solution built specifically for SMBs.

Hit the Ground Running

The practical strategies highlighted in this guide allow growing companies to focus on improving their hiring process and practices. By automating tasks, developing a strong employer brand, and adapting to the changing hiring environment, you can improve hiring outcomes despite your small business’s challenges.

The tips offered here can take your business to the next level and ensure you improve the speed of your recruiting process, find stronger candidates, and deliver incredible results.

If you’re a small business owner or hiring manager looking to streamline your hiring process, JazzHR can make a big difference. Contact JazzHR today for a free demo today.

From partnering with specialized recruiters to providing relocation assistance packages, discover how these leaders tailor their recruitment efforts to bring in the best talent.

• Target Fresh College Graduates
• Engage Local Expat Communities
• Optimize Job Listings for SEO
• Create an Employee-Employer Charter
• Host Virtual Open House Events
• Sponsor Local Project Contests
• Publish Free Listings on LinkedIn
• Market Company Culture on Social Media
• Showcase Company and Candidate Value Alignment
• Provide Relocation Assistance Packages

Target Fresh College Graduates

At KIS, we’ve been looking for fresh college graduates who are willing to work. These young, enthusiastic people may lack certain skills, but with a willingness to learn and educate themselves, they can quickly catch up on the hard skills.

We are as transparent as it can be with how we work and what our core values are. We have realized that many Gen Z employees care much more than older people about DEI, about the company culture, approach to modern problems, and it’s something we find extremely valuable. Candidates who do their research, candidates who know what they want, and what they expect from the company, show great dedication towards their work hygiene.

Susan Andrews, HR Consultant, KIS Finance

Engage Local Expat Communities

A small yet widely international business like mine is always a bit tricky when it comes to recruitment, simply because the needs are diverse enough to make having one single source of talent not feasible, especially without a massive recruitment budget.

Something that has worked quite well in the past for me, however, has been turning to the local expat communities on various social media and local meetup platforms. These groups are usually absolutely packed with experts in various fields who are receptive to being snapped up for the right offer, since they’re in the country to develop their careers. This isn’t a very formal process, and you do need to spend time chasing people, but it is an excellent way to find rare skill sets in my experience.

Dragos Badea, CEO, Yarooms

Optimize Job Listings for SEO

We attempt to rank for job titles related to our open positions on Google. Localized SEO also offers the option for targeting potential candidates close to your area of business.

For example, our job descriptions are SEO-optimized and show up on Google for things like “Email Marketing Strategist” near me. SEO can be a free way to garner talent that is localized and niche-specific as well.

Erin Siemek, CEO, Forge Digital Marketing, LLC

Create an Employee-Employer Charter

We created an employee-employer charter, signed by myself as the CEO. It has two sides: for every promise we make as an employer, there is a reciprocal side we expect from employees. What that does is it takes away this idea that employers get to make all the demands.

In fact, it’s a two-way street. We say, ‘We create a workplace where you can be your authentic self,’ and your obligation, as an employee, is to simply ‘be yourself.’ We say, ‘We don’t tolerate bullying, in any form, for any reason,’ and the other half of that promise is, ‘You are kind, avoiding the pitfalls of office politics, cliques, or ganging up. This is a grown-up workplace, not a playground.’ We send this charter in emails to prospective candidates, and we have it linked on our website. It also forms part of our onboarding, in case people missed it the first time around.

This attracts the type of candidates who are willing to engage beyond the paycheck and who want to make the absolute most of their time at Articulate.

Matthew Stibbe, CEO, Articulate Marketing

Host Virtual Open House Events

One effective strategy we’ve employed is hosting virtual open houses that showcase our studio’s culture, projects, and career growth opportunities in 3D animation, game art, and character design. These events not only provide a transparent view of our creative environment but also allow potential candidates to engage directly with our team and understand our commitment to pushing creative boundaries.

We tailor these events by incorporating interactive demonstrations of our latest work and offering insights into upcoming projects. This approach not only attracts top talent but also fosters a community of passionate artists eager to contribute to our innovative storytelling ventures at Pixune.

Mohammad Goodarzi, Co-Founder, Pixune Studios

Sponsor Local Project Contests

Running a small locksmith business isn’t exactly known for attracting a massive pool of applicants. Most folks wouldn’t think of it as a hotbed for talent! But you know, security is a growing concern, and keeping up with the latest technology in locks and access control systems is pretty darn important. So, we’ve got to get creative to find the right people.

One thing that’s worked wonders for Keyzoo is sponsoring local tinkering contests. These events bring together tech enthusiasts, inventors, and just plain curious folks who love taking things apart and putting them back together—sometimes in really ingenious ways. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who are naturally handy and have a knack for problem-solving.

Now, these contests aren’t exactly filled with applicants with ‘Locksmith’ on their resumes. But what they do have are passionate, quick learners who are eager to get their hands dirty. We can train the technical aspects of lock repair and key cutting, but that tinkering spirit and dedication? That’s hard to teach.

So, we set up a booth at these events, show off some of the higher-tech locks we work with, and chat with folks about the challenges they love tackling. We even offer a special prize—a paid internship at Keyzoo, where they can learn from our experienced locksmiths and see if this path is a good fit.

It’s a win-win. We get to meet some truly talented folks who might not have otherwise considered a career in locksmithing, and they get a chance to explore a new field with a growing company. We’ve found some absolute gems this way, people who bring fresh ideas and a whole lot of enthusiasm to the team. It’s not your typical recruiting strategy, but for us, it’s unlocked a treasure trove of top talent.

Eli Itzhaki, CEO, Keyzoo

Publish Free Listings on LinkedIn

We were surprised to see how many skilled candidates applied to our opening published on LinkedIn. We didn’t pay a single penny for the listings and averaged 73 candidates across five different positions, with the most—183—applying for a junior marketing specialist.

Since a big part of our team is remote, we were open to candidates from across the entire country, which I believe made the biggest difference. LinkedIn has this cool feature where you can automatically reject candidates if they do not meet the criteria. Although we reviewed all the instant rejections manually, because sometimes it was a difference of two months of experience, the vast majority of them were indeed people who had absolutely no chance of progressing in the recruitment process.

Since our employees are one of our biggest ambassadors, they have published these openings and gained thousands of impressions on their posts. Although it was only the first step of the recruitment, we’ve sourced tens of great candidates this way and hired the top of the talent pool, while not spending a single dollar on the promotion of these positions.

Martin Kanaan, Head of Marketing and Business Development, Makolab

Market Company Culture on Social Media

Marketing isn’t just for external users—it’s a great way to attract top talent and viable candidates. One of the best ways to do so authentically is through social media because it gives prospective candidates a genuine peek behind the curtain while attracting even more great people your way. We like to share our team ‘in the wild,’ like candid shots during a team happy hour or product offsite. Highly talented people have plenty of options, so we like to showcase our culture so they can see everything they’ll experience as a part of our team, including camaraderie, fun events, and more.

We also like to use word-of-mouth advertising and let employees advocate for the company, sharing their positive experiences through their own lenses.

Elisa Montanari, Head of Organic Growth, Wrike

Showcase Company and Candidate Value Alignment

One effective strategy that we’ve utilized at Or & Zon to source candidates is direct outreach to individual artisans and studios globally. Given the nature of our business, focusing on luxury handcrafted goods, it’s essential for us to partner with individuals who are masters of their craft. To attract top talent, we tailor this approach by aligning it with our commitment to sustainability and ethical business practices.

I believe potential employees or partners are more likely to be interested if they see that their values align with the company’s. For instance, we discovered a family-owned ceramic studio in the heart of Tuscany using an age-old technique that was at risk of dying out. By directly reaching out and partnering with them, we gained unique products for our lineup, while they received support to continue their craft. This win-win model has not only helped us source top talent but also to preserve traditional crafts and techniques.

Guillaume Drew, Founder & CEO, Or & Zon

Provide Relocation Assistance Packages

To attract candidates from a broader geographic area, we provide comprehensive relocation-assistance packages. This includes covering moving expenses, temporary housing, and helping with the transition to a new city.

By removing the barriers associated with relocation, we attract top talent who might otherwise be hesitant to consider opportunities outside their current location. This commitment to support and ease their transition demonstrates our dedication to employee well-being.

Roman Zrazhevskiy, Founder & CEO, MIRA Safety

From partnering with specialized recruiters to providing relocation assistance packages, discover how these leaders tailor their recruitment efforts to bring in the best talent.

• Partner with Specialized Recruiters
• Utilize Passive Sourcing Methods
• Showcase Authentic Employer Brand
• Highlight SMB Advantages in Messaging
• Leverage Employee Referral Programs
• Conduct 360-Degree Recruitment Sessions
• Invest in Long-Term Employer Branding
• Promote Career Growth Internally
• Offer Remote Work Opportunities
• Recruit Freelancers for Projects
• Emphasize Work-Life Balance

Partner with Specialized Recruiters

One effective strategy we’ve used to source candidates is partnering with recruiters who specialize in tech and SaaS. These recruiters have a deep understanding of the specific skills and qualities required in our industry, and they maintain extensive networks of highly qualified professionals. By leveraging their expertise, we’ve been able to attract top talent that not only fits our technical needs but also aligns with our company culture.

To tailor this strategy and ensure we attract the best candidates, we work closely with our recruiters to clearly define our job requirements and ideal candidate profiles. We provide detailed insights into our company values, work environment, and the unique opportunities we offer. This collaboration ensures that the recruiters can effectively communicate our brand to potential candidates, making our roles more appealing to top-tier talent.

We also stay engaged throughout the recruitment process, offering feedback and maintaining open communication to refine our approach continuously. This partnership has significantly enhanced our ability to attract and retain high-caliber employees, driving our growth and success in the competitive tech and SaaS landscape.

Blake Smith, Marketing Manager, ClockOn Australia

Utilize Passive Sourcing Methods

Passive recruitment is a fantastic sourcing method, if you have the time to wait for the ‘right’ fit of staff who align with your processes and the output required from your team. Passive sourcing means that you’re essentially reaching a talent ‘pool’ that otherwise might not apply directly for a job, so it’s often worth the patience that the process definitely requires to find the right person or people!

Wendy Makinson, HR Manager, Joloda Hydraroll

Showcase Authentic Employer Brand

Unlike enterprise companies, SMBs have a leg up when it comes to building a much more authentic, cheeky, fun, and frankly human employer brand. It’s all about highlighting your culture, the amazing people on your team, and what it’s really like to work with you. Use social media like TikTok and Instagram Reels to showcase behind-the-scenes content, team events, and everyday work life. This helps you stand out from the big players and engage with potential candidates on a more personal level.

While enterprise companies tend to be very buttoned-up, SMBs can create a more intimate, friendly, and welcoming atmosphere. Share stories, celebrate successes, and show the human side of your business. This approach not only attracts top talent but also makes them excited about joining a company where they feel they can make a difference. After all, people care deeply about who they are working for and why. By being genuine and engaging, you can build a strong, appealing employer brand that draws in the best candidates.

Vivian Chen, Founder & CEO, Rise

Highlight SMB Advantages in Messaging

When sourcing passive candidates for our SMB clients, we successfully attract top talent by focusing our outreach messaging on the many strengths SMBs have over larger companies.

Small-to-medium-sized businesses often outshine large bureaucratic companies in terms of career growth opportunities, the ability to have a more significant impact, more visibility from upper management, and many other advantages. Our outreach messaging is short, with the main focus being three to four bullet points that specifically highlight the benefits of joining a smaller organization.

Mike Basso, Founder & CEO, salestalent.com

Leverage Employee Referral Programs

It might not be anything groundbreaking, but in my experience, the most consistently effective method to source high-quality candidates is leveraging the power of employee referrals. This isn’t always the method that will bring you the highest number of applicants, but in terms of the percentage of applicants who meet your qualifications and are likely to not only get the job but stay in it long-term, referrals are the winner.

What I find especially great about referrals is that they’re far more likely to be a fit both in terms of skills/knowledge/experience and when it comes to culture fit and personality. This is because the employees who are making the referrals understand your culture already, to a much deeper level than you can achieve by describing the culture in a job posting. Because of this, they’re able to do some initial selection, only referring those individuals in their network that they see matching the role on all points.

Employees also already have a vested interest in referring people who will excel. For one thing, they know they’ll have to work with this person if they’re hired, so they won’t refer someone who will make their life more difficult by failing at their job. Employees also recognize that their reputation is somewhat at stake when they refer a friend or network contact.

I’ve found an incentive system can be an effective way to promote more employee referrals. A cash bonus is often an effective and simple incentive, though you can also use PTO days or other perks for this. I like to use a system where the referring employee will earn the incentive after the person they refer is not only hired but has been with the company for a specified length of time (I usually make this six months). This way, employees are encouraged to not just refer a lot of people, but specifically to refer those individuals who have a strong chance of being hired and excelling in the job long-term.

Matt Erhard, Managing Partner, Summit Search Group

Conduct 360-Degree Recruitment Sessions

One effective strategy our SMB employs to source candidates is through our 360-degree recruitment sessions. These sessions provide an opportunity for candidates to engage not only with our team but also directly with our clients and partner organizations. By offering this view, candidates gain insights into our company culture, work environment, and the broader impact of our operations. This transparency fosters more enthusiasm and a deeper understanding among candidates, leading to a higher likelihood of them choosing to work with us.

To tailor this strategy for attracting top talent, we emphasize clear communication and highlight our organizational values and mission during these sessions. With the sessions, the candidates can see that we practice what we preach. Personalization is key, as we customize interactions to align with candidates’ career aspirations and interests. By integrating feedback and continually refining our approach, we ensure that our recruitment process is not only inclusive but also compelling for candidates seeking meaningful alignment with our company’s vision and values.

Stijn van der Vat, CEO & Founder, Deepler

Invest in Long-Term Employer Branding

While there are numerous effective strategies for sourcing candidates, an increasingly effective and often overlooked element is the power of employer branding. The clients we work with who have a long-term talent acquisition strategy are becoming a magnet for great, highly motivated candidates who are genuinely interested in their brand. While this is a longer-term strategy, over time it makes sourcing candidates both cost-effective and highly targeted towards the best talent in the market.

Additionally, retention rates of candidates sourced through effective employer branding are often improved as they are emotionally invested in the brand and are already well-versed with the environment and company culture.

Chris Percival, Founder & Managing Director, CJPI

Promote Career Growth Internally

We promote from within whenever possible, encouraging our employees to apply for open positions and advance their careers within the company. This internal mobility program is highlighted in our recruitment materials, showcasing success stories of employees who have moved up the ranks.

By emphasizing our commitment to career development and internal promotions, we attract ambitious candidates who are looking for long-term growth opportunities. This approach not only retains top talent but also demonstrates our investment in our employees’ futures.

Our transparent promotion process and support for continuous learning make us an attractive employer for high-potential candidates. This strategy fosters a culture of loyalty and motivation, driving overall company success.

Shawn Plummer, CEO, The Annuity Expert

Offer Remote Work Opportunities

One powerful strategy we’ve used at GoPromotional to source top talent is offering remote work opportunities. This approach significantly broadens our candidate pool, allowing us to tap into skilled professionals across the UK and beyond. With the flexibility to work from anywhere, we’ve seen an increase in applications from individuals who may not have considered us if a physical presence in our office was required.

We customize this plan by offering flexible work arrangements and providing extensive tools and resources to our distributed workforce members. The use of project management software, video conferencing facilities, and messaging platforms ensures that communication between employees proceeds seamlessly, such that projects are completed through collaboration with each other successfully. Remote staff should feel like part of the team no less than those who work out of an office building; hence, regular virtual team meetings as well as social events sustain strong team dynamics within companies.

Another important element is clarity in communication, as it helps remote employees integrate themselves right from the start by ensuring that they understand how we do things. New hires appreciate openness, which facilitates quick adaptation regardless of their location.

Jessica Bane, Director of Business Operations, GoPromotional

Recruit Freelancers for Projects

We use a strategy where we recruit freelancers by first hiring them for specific projects. This gives us the chance to assess their performance and fit. If everything works out well, we then offer them full-time opportunities.

Recently, we hired a developer on a freelance basis to work on a specific module of our eLearning platform. During this project, we evaluated his technical expertise, communication skills, and ability to meet deadlines. Since this individual excelled in all these areas, we discussed the possibility of him joining our team full-time. Initially, this person was not interested. It took offering a generous salary package, highlighting growth opportunities, and offering him work-from-home days.

This strategy has helped us recruit multiple talented individuals who are great assets for our team.

Farhan Siraj, Chief Executive Officer, OSHA Outreach Courses

Emphasize Work-Life Balance

As an SMB, you need to understand what your advantage is over the larger firms.

Running a bookkeeping company, there are many Big 4 firms that will attract top talent based on brand name and salary alone. However, the trade-off is that work-life balance suffers, and there’s quite a lot of politics involved in getting promoted.

We make sure to put that at the forefront of our interviews, and while we don’t always win out, many long-term and qualified individuals are content, preferring us over the big companies.

Taryn Pumphrey, President, Ledger Lift

To remain competitive in securing top talent, SMB hiring managers must explore unconventional strategies and incorporate innovative methods into their hiring processes. Are you ready to explore fresh ideas? “7 Sourcing Hacks: The How-to Guide to Streamline Your Talent Search” presents seven distinct strategies tailored to enhance your hiring efforts and capture the attention of top-tier candidates. Let’s delve into a few of these hacks to kickstart your search for exceptional talent.

Hack #1: Hyper-Personalize Your Emails

No one likes spam — so why would you send generic emails to potential candidates? If your goal is to create more meaningful connections, attract more candidates, and improve your conversion rates, then you need to customize your communication to a candidate’s specific interests or needs. We call that hyper-personalization, and while it may take more time at the outset, any increase in overall response rates will cut hours off your search down the road.

Pro Tips:

Join the candidate’s conversation. See what candidates are talking about on social media and find something that resonates with you personally, with the opportunity, or with the company culture. Use that as an introduction to engage with them.

Throw in an element of surprise. Break out of the typical template that most candidates expect and craft your emails creatively. Ask yourself: What would grab your attention?

Speak about the opportunity rather than the job. Remember, your search isn’t limited to people who are actively seeking new employment. Employ research shows that at least 50% of people are open to new opportunities even though they’re satisfied with their current positions. If you’re courting a passive candidate with specialized skills, then be sure your emails are tuned to possibilities for development or career growth.

Hack #2: Utilize Social Networks

People want to network, either in-person or online. Think about where your ideal candidate is online. What are they reading? Look at where they are talking to other professionals and join the Conversation.

Pro Tips:

Be helpful first. It’s tempting to immediately yell to everyone in a group that you have an amazing opportunity for them, but that often turns people off. By offering guidance or helpful suggestions on candidates’ issues, you are beginning to build a relationship first. Once even a modest relationship is built, they will be more open to a job pitch.

It helps to be where your candidates are. And if you’re looking for GenZ, they’re on TikTok. So try a new network! Create a company account and see if you can add it to their career section. Again, if you are helpful, candidates will remember you.

Hack #3: Referrals Are the Best Source of Hire

Referral programs are on the rise, according to Employ research. 79% of organizations offer employee referral programs — an eight-percentage point increase over the past year, and 48% are seeing higher participation in employee referral programs. Why? Because they work. Referrals reduce both time-to-hire and cost-of-hire.

Pro Tips:

Control where you want to generate referrals within your organization by creating an internal focus on high-growth and hard-to-fill positions.

Gamify your process. A little friendly competition through leaderboards and recognition will supercharge your results.

Continue to Hack the System

Get the remaining hacks for candidate sourcing in the latest eBook from Employ: 7 Sourcing Hacks: The How-to Guide to Optimize Your Talent Search. Download your free copy today.

The Inc. 5000 list, renowned for showcasing some of America’s fastest-growing private companies, is a coveted achievement that numerous U.S.-based businesses strive for each year.

Employ Inc., a leading provider of people-first recruiting and talent acquisition solutions including JazzHR, Lever, Jobvite, and NXTThing RPO, — has been fortunate enough to make this annual list and be deemed one of the most successful companies today.

What Making the Inc. 5000 Means to Employ

Being named to the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies is a significant achievement for Employ Inc., reflecting our rapid growth and the strength of our innovative approach to talent acquisition. This recognition underscores the effectiveness of our people-first strategy, which integrates the unique strengths of JazzHR, Lever, Jobvite, and NXTThing RPO to deliver unparalleled recruiting solutions.

This accolade not only highlights our successful revenue growth but also validates our commitment to offering customized, cutting-edge solutions in a challenging economic landscape. Our inclusion on this prestigious list signifies that we are not just keeping pace with industry demands but leading the way in transforming how organizations approach hiring and talent management.

This recognition reinforces our position as a trusted and forward-thinking partner in talent acquisition for our clients and partners. It confirms that our comprehensive suite of services and our dedication to prioritizing people over products are driving real, measurable success. This award is a testament to the hard work and innovation of our team and positions Employ Inc. as a continued leader in delivering impactful, people-centered recruiting solutions.  

As we continue to innovate and introduce new solutions to market, we will remain focused on delivering a recruiting experience that begins, and ends, with the people served.” – Steve Cox, Employ CEO

About Employ

Looking for purpose-built recruiting technology to empower your talent acquisition team? Visit the Employ website to learn all about our solutions for companies of all sizes and recruiting complexities.

• However, with the right tools and strategies in place, you can attract top talent without breaking the bank. The answer lies in a strategic hiring approach that focuses on cost-effective strategies. Here are some tips to get you started.

#1. Build Your Employer Brand

Your employer brand is what sets your company apart from the competition and represents your company’s reputation in the market. It’s the way you communicate your values, culture, and mission to potential candidates. To build a strong employer brand, start by defining your company’s mission and values. Then, make sure your website, social media profiles, online engagement, and job listings reflect those values. 

Showcasing your company culture with pictures and testimonials from current employees doesn’t cost a thing. But the more you can show candidates what it’s like to work at your company, the more likely they are to imagine themselves joining and thriving on your team.

#2. Leverage Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for attracting top talent and promoting your job openings to a wider audience. Even better, it’s free. Use platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and more to share job listings, company updates, and employee stories. You can also use social media to connect with potential candidates and build relationships with them before they even apply. You may even be familiar with this strategy to engage new clients.

#3. Write Compelling Job Descriptions

Your job descriptions are one of the first impressions candidates have of your company, so it’s important to make them count. Make sure your job descriptions are detailed, accurate, and engaging.

Use language that reflects your company culture and mission. Be clear about the responsibilities of the role and the qualifications you’re looking for. And don’t forget to highlight the benefits of working at your company, such as flexible hours, stipends, professional development opportunities, or examples of a fun company culture.

#4. Streamline Your Recruitment Process

A long, complicated application process can repel top candidates. To keep them engaged until you can determine whether they’re your next great hire, make sure your recruitment process is streamlined and easy to navigate.

#5. Leverage Affordable Recruitment Software Built for SMBs

JazzHR is a powerful recruiting software that’s perfect for small businesses on a budget. With plans starting at just $75 per month, JazzHR gives you all the tools you need to attract and manage top talent. From customizable job listings to automated interview scheduling, JazzHR makes it easy to streamline your recruitment process and find the right candidates for your team.

With JazzHR’s recruiting software for SMBs, you gain access to:

• Mobile Friendly Job Boards
• Customizable Job Applications
• Posting Jobs to Free Job Boards
• Purchasing Premium Job Listings
• Searchable Resume Database
• Custom Job Workflow Stages
• Email Messaging Templates
• LinkedIn Recruiter Integration
• And so much more

Start your free trial today and see how JazzHR can help you build your dream team in your small business. 

And despite high levels of job satisfaction, 86% of workers are at least somewhat open to other job opportunities, including 46% who indicate they are very open. Companies should respond to these perceptions by focusing on areas within talent acquisition that can speed the hiring process, better nurture candidates, and reinforce worker priorities.

The 2024 Employ Job Seeker Nation Report dives into the motivations, mindset, and perceptions of both active and passive candidates. Let’s take a look at some of the findings captured in the report on both types of these job seekers.

Active Job Seekers

A significant percentage of U.S. workers are actively looking for a new job right now, with 4 in 10 workers indicating they are seeking new employment. But what motivates job seekers to look for new employment? Beyond compensation, active job seekers are primarily motivated by career advancement and greater work flexibility or remote work opportunities.

Employers should recognize that candidates are looking for opportunities to progress and to stay flexible in their approach to work. By emphasizing advancement and flexibility in recruitment messaging, companies can differentiate themselves to job seekers in the market.

Company culture and better company leadership also rank high in importance to candidates. Organizations must take an active role in managing their employer brand and ensuring they have strong leaders who can effectively lead the workforce.

When it comes to looking for new roles, 50% of active job seekers believe that finding a job in the current labor market is easy, and 56% believe that the current job market favors candidates. Nearly two-thirds believe it will take them less than three months to find a new job.

Passive Candidates

For the 52% of workers who are not actively looking for a job, 54% would consider applying for a new role if approached by a recruiter. Their top motivations for considering a new job include greater work flexibility or remote work opportunities (43%) and career advancement (42%).

Of these more passive candidates, 55% believe it would be easy to find a job in the current labor market, 49% indicate the current hiring environment favors candidates, and 73% believe it would take them less than three months to find a new job. However, despite these beliefs, only 18% of passive candidates would feel comfortable quitting their jobs without having another job lined up.

While there are distinct differences between those workers actively seeking a new job versus those who are not, there are also similarities. These commonalities point to shared motivations for seeking new positions and beliefs that the labor market still offers plenty of opportunities to find new roles quickly.

Between 2022 and 2023, more than one in five workers (22%) had left a job. During the past 12 months, this number dropped to just 17%. Workers indicate that beyond seeking increased compensation, they left their current position for career advancement (33%), better company culture (27%), change in location/geography (26%), better company leadership (25%), and greater work flexibility/remote work opportunity (24%).

Motivations for Leaving or Declining Jobs 

Most alarming for employers, 24% of workers have left a job within the first 90 days of starting a new role. While this number has decreased by several percentage points over the last three years, it is still concerning that nearly one in four workers acknowledge leaving within three months of beginning a role.

The primary reasons for leaving within this three-month period include poor company culture (47%), disapproval/distrust of company leadership (31%), and limited career advancement (28%). It is essential for companies to ensure that the transition from new hire to new employee is seamless and that the experience promised as a candidate matches the experiences delivered as an employee.

When it comes to declining job offers during the last year, less than one-quarter (21%) of workers have turned down a new role. Contributing to their decision to refuse a new job are poor location or geography (38%), limited career advancement (33%), and limited flexibility to work from home or remotely (30%). While declining offers are limited to one in five candidates, it’s essential that talent teams continue to nurture candidates through the recruiting lifecycle from the first look to the first day.

Uncover More Insights in the Full Report

Understanding the dynamics of today’s job seekers in the labor market is crucial for both recruiters and employers alike. The Employ Job Seeker Nation Report provides a comprehensive look into the motivations, aspirations, and challenges faced by workers in the U.S.

Stay ahead of the curve, understand market trends, and make informed decisions to cultivate a thriving workforce in the ever-evolving job market. Download the Employ Job Seeker Nation Report now to unlock more insights on job seekers today and elevate your hiring function to new heights.

To understand the perspectives of job seekers in this complex market, Employ conducted its annual survey of U.S. workers, exploring job satisfaction, career motivations, preferences for workplace flexibility, experiences during the job search process, and recruiter-candidate interactions.

 The 2024 Job Seeker Nation Report, conducted in partnership with Zogby Analytics, surveyed more than 1,500 U.S. workers in April 2024, and the results may surprise or even alarm employers.

The survey found that while 79% of American workers indicate they are either very satisfied or somewhat satisfied in their current roles, 86% are at least somewhat open to other job opportunities, including 46% who are very open. Additionally, 40% of workers are actively looking for new employment, with a majority (58%) looking for new roles within their current company.

Beyond compensation, active job seekers are primarily motivated by career advancement, greater work flexibility, and remote work opportunities. Company culture and better leadership also rank high in importance to candidates. The report also reveals that candidates are feeling confident in the current labor market, with 50% of active job seekers believing that finding a job is easy and 56% believing that the current job market favors candidates.

For employers today, understanding job seeker mindset, motivations, and behavior is critical to connecting with candidates more effectively and staying competitive in a tight labor market.

The full 2024 Employ Job Seeker Nation Report provides an in-depth, data-driven look at:

• The complexity of job seeker realities in the current market
• Motivations for leaving jobs or declining new offers
• Preferences for workplace flexibility
• Experiences during the job search process
• Recruiter-candidate interactions

Employers can use this information to optimize and improve their recruiting functions, informed by the realities job seekers face right now. Here’s a peek at what’s inside:

Complexity of Job Seekers Realities

When it comes to levels of job satisfaction, U.S. workers are overwhelmingly satisfied in their roles. According to the Employ survey data, 79% are either very satisfied or somewhat satisfied, compared to just 10% of job seekers who are dissatisfied.

Despite these high levels of satisfaction, 86% of workers are at least somewhat open to other job opportunities, including 46% who indicate they are very open.

Similar to 2023, a significant percentage of U.S. workers are actively looking for a new job right now, with 4 in 10 workers indicating they are seeking new employment. The good news for employers is that a majority of job seekers (58%) have looked for a new position within their current company.

Active Job Seekers

So, what motivates job seekers to look for new employment? Beyond compensation, active job seekers are primarily motivated by career advancement and greater work flexibility or remote work opportunities.

Employers should recognize that candidates are looking for opportunities to progress and to stay flexible in their approach to work. By emphasizing advancement and flexibility in recruitment messaging, companies can differentiate themselves to job seekers in the market.

Company culture and better company leadership also rank high in importance to candidates. Organizations must take an active role in managing their employer brand and ensuring they have strong leaders who can effectively lead the workforce.

When it comes to looking for new roles, 50% of active job seekers believe that finding a job in the current labor market is easy, and 56% believe that the current job market favors candidates. Nearly two-thirds believe it will take them less than three months to find a new job.

Download the Full Job Seeker Nation Report

Stay ahead of the curve and attract the best talent to your organization. Download the free report and gain valuable insights into the job market and job seeker preferences.

The goal? To gain valuable insights into the hiring practices and recruiting benchmarks of businesses of all sizes.

The results of this in-depth survey offer indispensable information for employers seeking to navigate the current state of hiring and anticipate what lies ahead. This report provides a high-level analysis of the survey findings, capturing the hiring trends that cut across companies of all sizes and complexities.

With this report in hand, you’ll have a broader perspective on the current hiring landscape and be better equipped to make informed decisions. So, whether you’re a hiring manager or a small business owner, take advantage of this comprehensive survey and use the insights to elevate your hiring practices to the next level.

Small Businesses Recruiting Benchmarks

The findings show the majority of small businesses made between 0 – 25 hires in the last 12 months, with 27% making between 26 – 50 hires.

However, there is a positive trend in hiring volume for small businesses this year, with 42% of respondents reporting somewhat more hiring and 19% reporting a lot more. This indicates that many smaller companies are expanding at a steady rate and anticipate making somewhat more hires in the next 12 months.

It’s also worth noting that small businesses typically receive fewer job applicants than larger companies, with an average of 4 – 10 applications per role. However, 42% of small businesses reported that the number of applications per requisition they receive has somewhat increased in the last year, while only 2.6% reported a drastic decrease in the number of applications. This shows that the job market is still robust for small business hiring.

Get the Full Scope of Research

These findings offer valuable information for employers looking to understand the current hiring landscape. But the Recruiting Benchmarks Report offers so much more.

With comprehensive data on hiring practices and recruiting benchmarks for small businesses, medium-sized companies, and enterprise-level organizations, readers will gain a deeper understanding of the trends shaping the job market.

Don’t miss out on this essential resource for HR professionals and recruiters. Download the Recruiting Benchmarks Report today and stay ahead of the competition.

Identifying the motivations and behaviors of job seekers across generations is crucial to attracting top generational talent for growing companies.

We’ve asked HR professionals and business leaders to share their insights on effectively attracting generational talent strategies. From offering remote work and professional growth to highlighting authentic employer branding, see how these approaches can align and attract generational talent for small- and medium-sized businesses.

• Offer Remote Work and Professional Growth
• Emphasize Work-Life Balance and Mentorship
• Use Passive Recruitment Strategies
• Implement Broad Flexible Work Options
• Maintain a Diverse Social Presence
• Feature Multigenerational Employee Testimonials
• Showcase Authentic Employer Branding

Offer Remote Work and Professional Growth

In today’s diverse workforce, offering remote-work options, opportunities for professional development, and support for work-life balance resonates with millennials seeking meaningful careers and experienced professionals looking for a fulfilling work environment. Recognizing each generation’s unique perspectives and contributions allows for a collaborative and innovative workplace where everyone can thrive and grow together.

April Cornell, Human Resources Recruiting Manager, Level 3 Audio Visual LLC

Emphasize Work-Life Balance and Mentorship

We found that a strong focus on work-life balance and professional development really resonated with younger generations. We implemented flexible work arrangements, like remote work options, and created clear career paths with mentorship programs. This not only attracted talented young individuals, but also boosted morale and retention. We saw a significant increase in applications from qualified candidates, and our new hires are energized and eager to learn, bringing fresh perspectives to the team. It’s been a win-win!

Kimberley Tyler-Smith, VP of Strategy and Growth, Resume Worded

Use Passive Recruitment Strategies

Passive recruitment is a fantastic way of finding candidates that you wouldn’t usually find via traditional methods, and often you’ll discover generational-spanning clients. Is it a quick approach to hiring? No, but it’s incredibly effective if you’re able to wait and put the work in to create a passive pipeline alongside your traditional hiring methods.

Wendy Makinson, HR Manager, Joloda Hydraroll

Implement Broad Flexible Work Options

For our small to mid-sized business, a successful strategy for attracting generational talent has been offering flexible work arrangements, such as flexible hours and part-time roles. This approach appeals to a wide range of candidates, from Baby Boomers seeking reduced hours without full retirement, to Millennials and Gen Zers valuing work-life balance and autonomy.

Implementing this strategy led to a broader talent pool and higher-quality candidates. It also significantly improved our employee retention rates because individuals felt more empowered to manage their work and personal lives effectively. Another positive outcome was an increase in employee satisfaction and loyalty as team members appreciated the trust and flexibility our company offered. This‌ fostered a positive company culture where diverse generational insights contribute to innovative solutions and a more inclusive work environment.

Ana Alipat, Recruitment Team Lead, Dayjob Recruitment

Maintain a Diverse Social Presence

For us, this is to be “everywhere” that our target candidates are, and how this can differ from generation to generation. For example, covering more traditional platforms like Indeed and LinkedIn, but also having a broader social presence for millennial and Gen Z hires, who may expect to see a social media presence more broadly to get a better sense of how an organization operates.

Tracey Beveridge, HR Director, Personnel Checks

Feature Multigenerational Employee Testimonials

At Ditto Transcripts, we’ve found success attracting multi-generational talent by showcasing our vibrant workplace culture and growth opportunities. One impactful strategy is featuring employee testimonials across ages on our career site and social channels.

For instance, a millennial transcriber shared how they thrive with our flexible schedules and innovation initiatives. A Gen X project manager highlighted our mentorship programs and commitment to work-life balance. These authentic stories resonate with candidates seeking an inclusive environment aligned with their values.

This approach has yielded a 35% increase in applicants spanning generations over the past year.

More importantly, we’ve experienced higher retention and engagement as employees feel understood and valued. By celebrating our multi-generational workforce, we continue attracting top talent unified by a shared passion for transcription excellence across finance, loans, and business sectors.

Ben Walker, Founder and CEO, Ditto Transcripts

Showcase Authentic Employer Branding

One strategy I’d recommend is to emphasize your culture and team dynamics in your employer branding. We are pleased to have a strong representation from all generations within our organization, and I believe our employer branding efforts have helped us to accomplish this.

We have also seen positive results for our clients using this approach. The most important part is making sure that potential applicants from any generation can see themselves represented in your branding, which can help them to see your workplace as somewhere they can belong and thrive.

Some things we do to emphasize culture and team dynamics through employer branding are:

• Include photos and/or videos of your actual team interacting in the workplace instead of using stock photos for social media posts, blog posts, website content

• Incentivize current team members to leave positive workplace reviews on sites like Glassdoor

• Include testimonials from employees from multiple generations, ideally at least one from each: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z in your employer branding

• Emphasize your initiatives aimed at diversity and inclusivity, and provide some measurable results of these initiatives, as well as strategies you employ to ensure your workplace culture is inclusive for all team members

• Ensure you’re building your employer brand across multiple platforms, including your company website, LinkedIn, and various social media sites that appeal to different generations

Rob Boyle, Marketing Operations Director, Airswift