• Job sites are great for spreading the word about open roles to large groups of potential hires.

• Social networks can increase candidate engagement and help communicate your culture through pictures, videos, and even employee testimonials.

• Reduce hiring time and costs by encouraging your team to refer candidates. Use incentives – like cash reward, tickets, or vouchers – and make sure the referral process is easy to navigate. 

• Consider tapping former employees, colleagues, and even previous candidates (at your discretion) to help build your referral pipeline.

• Engage non-digital candidate audiences through traditional approaches like newspaper ads and help wanted signs. A LinkedIn survey found that 43% of small businesses in the retail/wholesale industry that have hired in the last twelve months relied on local newspapers or business journals. In contrast, manufacturing only relied on this tactic 21% of the time.

• Use the job post to highlight the position’s goals and most important responsibilities. Convey experience, technical skills, and soft skills necessary for success in a detailed, but concise way.

• Use standardized behavioral and situational interview questions:

• Behavioral questions share insight on a candidate’s past successes and challenges, their working style, and their ability to recognize opportunities for improvement.

        Here are some examples of behavioral interview questions:

• Tell me about a time when you felt you led by example. What did you do, and how did others react?
• Describe a situation where you needed to help someone understand your perspective. What steps did you take? What were the results?
• Tell me about a time when you had to confront a colleague or manager for inappropriate behavior. How did you handle the situation?

• Situational questions challenge candidates’ comfort zones while giving them the chance to showcase their problem-solving skills and express their values. 

        Here are some examples of situational interview questions:

• Let’s say you had to juggle several projects from multiple managers at the same time. How would you organize your time?
• Tell me how you would deal with an upset customer from one of our least valuable accounts. 
• Walk me through your process for building out the team in Springfield over the span of a year with a million dollar budget. 

The tools slow hirers use to make part-time hires:

1. Referrals from investors, advisors, or business partners
2. Referrals from their personal network
3. Colleges/trade schools/grad schools
4. Referrals from current or former employees
5. “Help wanted” signs

The tools medium hirers use to make part-time hires:

1. Recruiters
2. Colleges/trade schools/grad schools
3. Referrals from investors, advisors, or business partners
4. Referrals from current or former employees
5. Online job sites

The tools fast hirers use to make part-time hires:

1. Referrals from their personal network (e.g., friends and family)
2. Referrals from current or former employees
3. Local newspaper/city business journal (e.g., job ads, classifieds, etc.)
4. Colleges/trade schools/grad schools
5. Online job sites