2020 has been a monumental year for job losses around the world. With millions of people feeling the impact of Covid-19 related redundancies and the markets moving into a recession, it is safe to say that in 2020, recruitment is one area in which business will be booming.

 Applications to jobs are up tens if not hundreds of applicants on previous years, and with many people using the COVID-19 lockdown to build upon their skills set and to further develop their CV, the hiring process will be more competitive than ever before.

So why then, with all this change and advancement in the hiring process, are many businesses recruitment habits stuck in the past? Why is it that during a time in which the world has become more dependent and reliant on technology to connect us than ever before, businesses are ignoring the potential to give their recruitment process a complete upheaval and truly open the door to a global candidate base?

To help you and your business utilise this time of global transformation and to ensure you make the most of your hiring process, we have provided a guide to current recruitment habits and their 2020 alternatives. To show you that there is no time like the present to take advantage of the tools available in this digital age.

Current Method: Publishing newspaper/job board ads

Alternative Method: Recruiting via social media

In 2020, if your business does not have an active social media account, it is likely that you are struggling to connect with your target demographic. Social media management is as important to promotion and marketing as any other method of communication, so we are hoping your social media accounts are up to date and flourishing.

Newspapers and job boards not only charge – at times extortionate – fees for you to post your advert, but they mean you are opening up your candidate base to people who may have never even heard of your business before. By using a public job board anyone can apply and businesses can often be inundated with bogus or time-wasting applications which mean finding the authentic applications uses up precious time which could be put to better use.

By using social media to recruit, you are reaching out to people who already follow you and therefore, already know exactly what your business is about. Furthermore, you can tailor your post to your exact needs and requirements for the role. Need someone with a specific set of skills? They can connect via their social media page and you can see examples of their work immediately. This saves time in the long run as you no longer have to wait for them to deliver on projects you have already commissioned before getting an idea of their work.

Current Method: Hiring recruitment agencies

Alternative Method: Recruiting via cold emailing

There’s a reason recruitment agencies are struggling in 2020. For years, recruitment agencies have dominated the recruitment process, charging huge commissions to those using their services and to candidates for whom they secure a job. Using a middleman to sort through your hiring process can certainly have its benefits, especially for short term roles that need filled as soon as possible. But handing over control of your recruitment  on a long-term basis for a major role to someone that does not know your business and its needs could prove to be an unprofitable investment of time and money.

Recruiting via cold emailing not only allows you to reach out to a base of people already familiar with your business, from say, an email newsletter/subscription list, it enables your business to come into direct contact with those who may have the exact skills that the job requires.

Additionally, from a candidates perspective, if your business is receiving emails on a regular basis from people keen to get their foot in the door with your company, then you can be sure they are passionate about what you do. Paying attention to people that come to you, as supposed to working hard to find them, can prove to be a more fruitful and ultimately more compatible paring of employee and employer.

Current Method: Hiring based on direct referrals and networks

Alternative Method: Recruiting freelancers via freelance marketplaces

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” This old adage may have meant something in the times prior to the internet dominating the global marketplace but with social media being our No.1 method of communication, ‘what you know’ is exactly what makes you stand out from the crowd. Whilst direct referrals may work for smaller, family run firms, for business trying to connect with customers around the world, having a truly knowledgeable global team is the best way to ensure your business reaches the audience it needs to.

Hiring freelancers through freelance marketplaces means you can view a freelancer’s abilities, as best fitting to your job requirements. Moreover, hiring within a small pool of people can often drive diversity and inclusion down and with most companies now implementing diversity and inclusion policies – hiring freelancers is a great way to gain valuable insights from many experienced candidates around the world.

Ureed.com offers business the chance to view a freelancer’s profile, which includes a full breakdown of their skills and capabilities. With listings available to show the jobs they have completed as well as reviews from every employer, you can be sure to know exactly what you are getting when you hire directly through a freelance marketplace like Ureed.com.

Lastly…

Of course, freelancing can take many forms and many businesses could benefit from hiring freelance recruiters to take care of the above stages from start to finish. With most freelance recruiters working in highly specialised areas, hiring a freelance recruiter with a developed industry knowledge will prove less costly than using a recruitment agency and will result in having a pool of dedicated, specialised vetted candidates to choose from.

Ureed.com is a valuable resource for any business or individual recruiter looking to find talent in their niche quickly and effortlessly. Reach out to Ureed.com to hire a freelancer now.