How do you zero in on finding candidates that are best suited for the job? One of the best (and too often overlooked) ways is by using an employee referral program.

What are employee referrals? First and foremost, they are a way for a company to fully leverage its single greatest asset: its employees.

Employee referrals are when a member of your current team recommends someone within their own network and outside of your company for a job opening. Effective employee referral programs not only help businesses find appropriate and qualified candidates, they also reduce the average cost-per-hire. They can also boost employee retention because candidates recruited through other employees typically remain with a company longer than those recruited without connections within the company. 

Employee referral programs have been called the “Holy Grail of Hiring” by Forbes because of their effectiveness. And with the help of the right talent acquisition software, your company can also benefit from employee referrals. To help you get started, here are seven ways your company can begin implementing a successful employee referral program. 

7 Tips for Creating Effective Employee Referral Programs

#1: Establish Your Goals for the Program

When it comes to creating an employee referral program, the first item on your hiring process checklist should always be to set a series of concrete goals. It’s important to be ambitious, but also realistic. Try to set goals that follow the SMART guidelines: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based. For example, a good goal might be to receive a certain number of employee referrals by a certain date.

#2: Collaborate with Your Management Team

Essential to any employee referral program are, of course, your existing employees. Make sure that leadership and managers are actively involved in the process of developing your program, and also actively involved in communicating your goals to the rest of your workforce. Using software like Jobvite’s Evolve Talent Acquisition Suite is a good way to keep everyone on the same page at all times.

#3: Clearly Define the Job Requirements

One of the most important factors in achieving success when starting an employee referral program is making sure that your employees are fully informed about and clearly understand the requirements for the positions you’re hoping to fill. Your employee can only recommend appropriate candidates if they know exactly what it is you’re looking for.

#4: Offer a Variety of Employee Incentives

Keeping your employees motivated is key to maintaining a healthy referral rate. So, how do you keep your employees motivated? The answer is with employee referral program rewards. If your employees are going the extra mile to help you recruit promising candidates, they deserve a pat on the back for their efforts, either in the form of cash bonuses, gift vouchers, or extra time off. With Jobvite’s built-in incentive management tool, you’ll always know who is going above and beyond.

#5: Create an Easy-to-Use Referral Process

No matter how motivated your employees are, it doesn’t amount to much if the process for referring candidates is complicated or confusing. You want to make it as easy for them as possible. Jobvite technology provides SSO-enabled referral portals, automatic referral status updates, and AI-powered chatbots, which allow employees to make referrals even when on the go.

#6: Develop an Interview Training Program

Getting employee referrals is only one part of the puzzle when it comes to recruiting great candidates. Once the applicants have entered your recruitment pipeline, the next step is to interview them. For this, your hiring managers should be trained ahead of time. Make sure the interview questions are the same for all applicants. This will make it easier to choose the right candidate because it will allow you to compare and contrast everyone’s answers.

#7: Closely Track and Evaluate Your Results

No employee referral program is perfect at the very beginning. It’s likely that you will have to make alterations and updates to your referral process as time goes on, and you learn more about what does and doesn’t work. Fortunately, with Jobvite, you have access to robust referral analytics data, which can help you see exactly where your system is lacking and where it is thriving.

Optimize Your Employee Referral Program with Jobvite 

Employee referrals are the gold standard of candidate recruitment strategies, and now with Jobvite’s Evolve Talent Acquisition Suite, it’s never been easier to start your own effective employee referral program. 

With a limited number of qualified and available candidates, it’s difficult to navigate a crowded applicant pool. At Jobvite, we strive to help businesses streamline and optimize that process to ensure they have the candidates they need to achieve lasting, sustainable recruiting results. 

With incentive management, referral tracking, referral analytics, and more, our Evolve Talent Acquisition Suite is the employee referral solution you’ve been looking for.

To learn more about Jobvite recruitment software, watch our on-demand product tour. Or subscribe to the blog and resource library to stay up to date on the latest in talent acquisition technology. 

The post 7 Ways to Implement an Employee Referral Program first appeared on Jobvite.

With the country in the midst of economic uncertainty, an unemployment rate at roughly 8%, and 2.5 unemployed individuals for every job opening, a better understanding of how recruiters think can transform into job search success. What is important in the eyes of the recruiter based on the 2020 Recruiter Nation Survey? 

Social Media, Social Media, Social Media 

Nearly 80% of recruiters say social media is the area most likely to see increased financial investments in the next 12 months. No surprise, since social media has risen over the last three years for recruiting purposes. Social media channels most used for recruiting are LinkedIn (72%), Facebook (60%), Twitter (38%), Instagram (37%), Glassdoor (36%), and YouTube (27%). To a smaller extent, newer social media outlets such as TikTok and Snapchat have also been added to the mix, presumably for roles that might appeal to younger candidates.  

Job seekers should monitor sites like LinkedIn especially if they’re looking to work for a larger organization. Recruiter Nation Survey results show larger companies (500+ employees) are more likely to invest in recruiting through LinkedIn than smaller companies. 

And remember, recruiters are not just using social media to advertise jobs, but also to screen candidates. What job seekers post online can have a negative impact on a company’s decision to move forward with them as a candidate. The biggest recruiter turn-offs? Spelling and grammar errors in posts or tweets (53%), references to marijuana (45%), alcohol consumption (42%), political posts (32%), and pictures of body showing skin (30%). Before you apply for a job, audit your social media accounts to put your best foot forward. 

Making a Great Impression on Video Interviews  

Job seekers, it’s time to prime your video interviewing skills if you haven’t already. In the pandemic job market, 67% of recruiters are interviewing using video, and 40% of recruiters believe virtual interviews will be the default moving forward. The transition from in-person interviewing includes trip-ups to avoid in practice. What are some of the biggest video interview mistakes recruiters see from candidates? Poor internet connectivity (37%), inappropriate attire (25%), and poor eye contact (23%).  

We recommend candidates do a test-run with a friend or family member on a video-conferencing application. Make sure your internet speed and connectivity can support a video interview. If not, find another location that can, like a friend’s house or quiet café with WIFI.   

Even with video, the fundamental rules of interviewing remain the same. The interviewer can still see you, at least from the waist up, so dress to impress even when you’re in a more relaxed home environment. Not sure what to wear? Ask the recruiter what ensemble would be expected for the particular company—it tends to differ.  

Recruiters want to feel job seekers are engaged and interested in the position, so eye contact throughout is a must. Job seekers should practice looking at their camera, not the screen, beforehand. These video interviewing skills will also show the recruiter that you can communicate well in a remote setting, a skill to highlight since one-third (32%) of surveyed recruiters report that 50% or more of open roles at their organization are being hired as remote workers.  

Employee Referral and Internal Mobility Programs May be Missed Opportunities  

Employee referral programs are the second–highest hiring source (29%) for recruiters behind internal candidates. So, ask your friends and professional network about opportunities within their companies and see if they can refer you for a job via their company’s referral program. Because there are often incentives given for top-quality referrals, it can be a win-win for both the referrer and the referee. Over 70% of recruiters say their organizations offer employee referral programs and 88% incentivize referrals, but 2/3 of employees in a previous survey had never participated in their company’s referral program. This is a huge missed opportunity for employees to help connect their friends and colleagues with jobs.   

Another often overlooked opportunity is internal job postings. Internal hires remain recruiters’ top-rated source for hiring, with 36% of them saying it’s their best source for high-quality candidates. While some organizations may be forced to rethink talent strategies and reduce their workforce these days, others are actually growing or looking for new talent. Sixty–two percent of recruiters say that at least 25% of open roles include an internal candidate. But 65% of workers rarely or never check their internal postings. 

What a missed opportunity, especially in this job market. Don’t overlook great jobs available in your own backyard.  

Most Employers are Committed to Candidate Diversity   

Inquiring about an organization’s diversity and inclusion initiatives has become more common for job seekers. One-third of recruiters reported that applicants are doing this more than in the previous year, as many desire a company culture that promotes a diverse workforce and supports inclusion.  

The good news for job seekers is that a majority of surveyed companies have specific goals for diversity in hiring with respect to race/ethnicity (63%), gender (54%), age (37%), veterans (33%), LGBTQ+ (29%), immigrants (28%), and disability (25%). Organizations are being held to higher standards accounting for how they source, recruit, hire, and employ with increased diversity.  

Turn Your Silver Medal into Job Gold  

Have you ever come just short of getting a job? Well, it turns out that 77% of recruiters have circled back to hire a candidate who was the second or third choice on their list, or who had a great resume, but just wasn’t quite a fit for the opening at the time. Recruiters keep these silver medalists in mind, so job seekers should wrap up every interview process on a professional and courteous note leaving the door open. It may lead to a call back in the end. 

On the topic of good impressions, we leave job seekers with one final piece of advice from our findings—take time to minimize recruiters’ stress. Everyone’s stress levels are on the rise today including recruiters, 61% of whom report at least somewhat increased stress levels since the onset of the pandemic. When job searching, help make recruiters’ jobs easier by being responsive, transparent, on-time, and positive, and increase your chances of making a good impression along the way.  

Jobvite’s Recruiter Nation Report will be published soon. Sign up today for Jobvite’s email subscription to get immediate access to all of the important findings and analysis. 

The post What Every Job Seeker Should Know: Jobvite’s 2020 Recruiter Nation Survey first appeared on Jobvite.

Start a conversation about company culture and most people will point to examples like Google or Facebook—massive tech companies where employees have free food available around the clock, closets full of company swag, and off-the-wall perks like nap rooms. But company culture is every bit as important for small businesses, where everyone knows everyone else. The only difference is that, instead of a dedicated “culture team,” leaders from the CEO to the HR manager set the tone for the rest of the company. 

Company culture is essential to creating a great employee experience and attracting the best candidates.— even if you don’t have a Google-size budget to work with. Here are some tips to get started. 

Identify Core Values 

As you try to determine what kind culture you want to build, there’s a temptation to simply let things evolve naturally. After all, culture is a big deal and there’s no “right” answer. But as a leader, articulating your company’s core values is a valuable exercise. It forces you to really think about what’s important and take a hard look at who you are as a company—and who you want to be.   

If you’re struggling to define your company’s values, talk to your team! Include people from a variety of roles, and ask them why they chose your company. Find out what they like about working there, and how they view the organization. These insights should help you to refine your ideas into clear, compelling values that can serve as a touchpoint for your everyday operations, your employees’ experience, and your recruiting.  

Hire for Attitude with Room to Grow 

Once you have your values in place, you need to apply them across your organization—starting with the hiring process. Candidates are more than just a resumé. Sometimes, we get so caught up in specific skills and qualifications that we ignore the actual people.  

Instead of focusing solely on a degree or work experience, consider whether the candidate has the qualities that will help them succeed in the culture you’re building. Do they have the personality, mentality, and attitude that will mesh well with your existing team? Even without the perfect skill set, a good “culture fit” can be a diamond in the rough. And a happy, comfortable employee is more likely to stay and grow within your company rather than moving on to greener pastures. 

Remember the Little Things 

Assembling a fabulous team is a step in the right direction, but small details can take a working environment from good to great. The little things matter! For example: do you have a good coffee machine and microwave? What does your physical office space look like? Would some wall art or plants help to liven it up? Are you maximizing the natural light in your building? These may seem like minor issues, but they can make a big difference in your employees’ work lives without spending a lot of money. 

Keep it Fresh 

Great culture is tough when every day is exactly the same, so make a conscious effort to shake things up. You might not have the budget for a corporate retreat, but simple outings like a summer picnic or happy hour can provide a welcome change of scenery. Even if you can’t get out of the office, give your employees an opportunity to bond over non-work activities, whether it’s a book club, potluck lunch, or even a community jigsaw puzzle. Adding a little variety to the workday can help employees feel refreshed and refocused. 

Be Transparent and Inclusive 

Remember, a good company culture depends on employees buying into a shared vision. Today’s workers want to be part of something bigger than themselves—no matter the size of the company—and they want to feel included. Set clear goals and be open about where you’re steering the company. That doesn’t mean every decision has to be unanimous—or even up for discussion—but bringing people into the conversation builds trust and commitment, from executives to entry-level employees. 

Company culture is arguably even more important for a small business, because you’ve got to find a way to stand out among the giants that woo candidates with free dry cleaning and dazzling corporate campuses. By staying true to your values—and knowing what those values are—you can find and hire the people who share those values and want to help you succeed. 

Learn More 

Another reason to build a strong company culture is to avoid negative public company reviews which, according to the 2020 Job Seeker Nation Survey, is a reason 38% of respondents say they have preemptively rejected a potential employer. 

To get more stats about hiring and retaining quality employees through things like company culture, download the report today! 

READ THE REPORT TODAY!

The post 5 Ways to Build a Better Culture on a Budget first appeared on Jobvite.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it. The annual Job Seeker Nation report is in, and it gives an in-depth look at job seekers’ preferences and behaviors both pre– and post-COVID-19.  

In recent years, low unemployment rates kept job seekers firmly in the driver’s seat of the US labor market. A scarcity of available workers meant candidates often had their choice of roles when it came time for a professional change. 

But the COVID-19 crisis caused a sudden and dramatic shift in this balance. Since mid-March, the US has seen more than 30 million new unemployment claims, and some experts predict the unemployment rate may top 20% by the end of 2020. 

How are job seekers responding to this global disruption and the unexpected evaporation of job opportunities? How can recruiters and talent acquisition professionals continue to attract and hire the best talent in an environment with less human-to-human interaction?  

The 2020 Job Seeker Nation Report provides timely insights into the realities, challenges, and preferences of today’s workers. 

About the Job Seeker Nation Report 

For the past 10 years (we can’t believe how quickly the time has passed!), Jobvite has surveyed job seekers to learn more about their attitudes, behaviors, and processes related to the job search. The research covers everything from finding jobs and communicating with recruiters to selecting and starting a job. The resulting report provides valuable insights for employers, talent acquisition leaders, and hiring managers. 

Research for the 2020 Job Seeker Nation Report was conducted in February 2020 with a survey of 1,500 adults and job seekers in the US. Following the disruption created by COVID-19, Jobvite conducted a brief supplemental survey of 1,500 job seekers in April 2020. 

These are just a few big highlights from this year’s report! 

The Impact of COVID-19 

Not surprisingly, as the COVID-19 crisis continues, survey respondents believe finding a job has become more difficult. Workers also report feelings of insecurity related to their employment. 

Stress levels are also on the rise. One-third (33%) of respondents report a somewhat increased stress level at work, while nearly one-quarter (22%) report a dramatic increase in stress. Among workers with children at home, 62% report elevated stress over the past 60 days. 

PRO TIP! If you know someone looking for a job, direct them to our “Companies Hiring” blog. 

Inside the Mind of Today’s Job Seeker 

 While American workers are largely satisfied with their current jobs (63% in April, 66% in February), about half are open to other job opportunities (48% in April, 51% in February). 

For the second consecutive year, career growth is the most important factor when looking for a new job opportunity. 

• Career growth:                                   56% 
• Compensation:                                   54% 
• Health care/retirement benefits:         49% 
• Flexible schedule/telecommute:         33% 

However, compensation remains the leading cause for actually leaving a job in the past 12 months (16%). 

PRO TIP! Get 50+ low-cost perks and benefits to attract candidates and engage employees. 

A Look at the Candidate Experience 

An overwhelming 88% of American workers report their most recent candidate experience was mostly positive. The reasons?   

• 58% had great communication from the employer/recruiter 
• 49% report an easy job application process 
• 44% said it was easy to schedule an interview 

So what constitutes “great communication” in today’s recruiting environment? Email is by far the preferred channel for communicating with recruiters (44%), followed by phone calls (25%) and in-person meetings (17%). 

Approximately one-third (38%) have received a text message from a recruiter at some point after applying for a job, and 42% of candidates are open to texting. Social messaging is the least welcome method of recruiter communication — just 25% of respondents are open to communicating with recruiters via this channel. 

PRO TIP! Learn how text and automation can make communication faster and more meaningful. 

Salary, Benefits, and Perks 

The COVID-19 crisis seems to have little impact on respondents’ willingness to negotiate their salary. In April, 61% said they are “very comfortable” or “somewhat comfortable” with salary negotiations, compared with 60% in February. That said, one-third (33%) of job seekers would be willing to accept a salary that is less than their current/most recent salary. 

Health care remains the most important benefit for American workers. Expectations related to benefits and perks have remained largely unchanged throughout the pandemic, although a few experienced notable changes between February and April:  

Other expected benefits include 401k matching (38%), bonuses and stipends (37%), and casual dress code (37%). Among nice-to-have perks, free snacks/meals are the most popular (49%), followed by phone and internet subsidies (35%). 

Almost 70% of job seekers say remote work is “very important” or “somewhat important” when deciding to accept or reject a job offer. Among workers with children at home, 38% consider remote work to be very important. 

PRO TIP! Check out the best practices for working and recruiting remotely.  

Download the Full Report for More  

These are just a few of the key takeaways from the 2020 Job Seeker Nation Report. Download the report today for hundreds of additional statistics, insights, and action items to help talent professionals navigate the current recruitment market, understand the motivations of today’s job seekers, and optimize the hiring process to attract the best candidates for today and tomorrow! 

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

The post 2020 Job Seeker Nation: Key Findings from This Year’s Report first appeared on Jobvite.

The current state of remote recruiting has led talent teams to diligently consider reimagining their talent acquisition processes. Jobvite customers know that attracting the best talent is accomplished with a marketing-inspired approach, but how can candidates market themselves to help organizations pick them out of a crowd?  

We’ve outlined the top 5 ways for candidates to stand out during the recruitment process below. Because without top talent, our passion for talent acquisition would not exist!  

5. Be Game Day Ready, Digitally

Brianne Thomas, Head of Jobvite Recruiting tells us, “Remember: a personal brand is way more than just a resume and cover letter, so successful candidates should be thinking beyond that. Some ideas include producing short videos or developing a personal website that houses previous work samples. This helps recruiters get a richer snapshot of candidates as individuals.” Use your LinkedIn profile for easy linking to your Github if you’re an engineer, your personal website if you are a creative, or samples of project plans to highlight finance or product management experience. Keep it fresh so that, when the hiring manager checks out your profiles before your interview, you’re putting your best digital foot forward. 

4. Don’t Limit Yourself to Job Board Engagement

Given the high volume of prospective talent in flux at this time, candidates have to constantly be thinking beyond the obvious job-seeking channels. While job boards made up 69% of 2019 posted job openings according to our 2019 JSN report, more than 73% of people ages 18-34 have found jobs via social channels. Social engagement with employers can vary from pinging a recruiter to learn more about a role, to commenting on an Instagram post or story asking questions about what it’s like to work at a company. Part of getting noticed by talent teams is to make yourself accessible from multiple angles. 
  

3. Let 7 Degrees of Separation Work in Your Favor

No corner of your network should be left unexplored! Have a friend who knows someone who works where you applied? Reach out! Ask your mutual connection to tee up a conversation for you. There may be some stress associated with asking for help, but avoiding the ask is also wasting time. Michael Wright, Head of Global TA at GroupM says, “Abandon any anxiety you have about reaching out to people—just do it! You might be surprised at the level of empathy in the market right now.” Plus, recruiters love referrals. 40% of candidates who come through referrals are hired. 70% of employers say referred hires fit the company culture and values better than those that don’t. And referral hires tend to be more loyal. They also often come with perks for the employee who’s referring you. Get a little, give a little—sounds good to us!
  

2. Leverage, Leverage, and Re-leverage Recruiter Communication

Recruiters want nothing more than to fill their open roles quickly and with the best candidates. They are also in close communication with the hiring manager. Therefore, you should be in close communication with them! Ask questions to reduce uncertainty before embarking on an initial call or interview. Will this chat be via FaceTime? Conference call? Conference call with video? Do I need to download anything prior? What should I expect afterward? Texts? Emails? Carrier pigeons? Setting expectations prior to a scheduled connection will reduce scrambling and increase confidence before pitching all of the awesome ways you’re ready to impact their organization.
 

1. Do the Homework – Study the Job Description 

Take the time to read the job requirements and be ready to talk to them, line by line. Be prepared with lists of examples to articulate how you’ve demonstrated the required skills. Commit quick stories from your previous experience to memory to more colorfully share what makes you a great candidate for the new role. Show this both in writing and during the interview. Even if the role is not a perfect fit, you may be the ideal candidate because of the related experience you provide. Detail how you can bring a new perspective. That may just differentiate you from other candidates.   

We are in unprecedented times. It’s more important than ever to be resourceful, stand out from the crowd, and find your next great opportunity! Jobvite is updating a blog with companies hiring new roles every Friday, so be sure to check it out. 

FIND YOUR NEXT ROLE

The post 5 Things Candidates Can Do to Stand Out Today first appeared on Jobvite.