Now Hiring? Q4 has many businesses scrambling to find employees.

Fourth quarter frenzy is here, and the holidays are right around the corner. If your business is short-staffed, like many small to medium size companies are right now, there might be ideas you can implement to recruit and retain the right employees.  The struggle to find and retain employees might be the biggest strife for businesses today. A 90% retention rate after hiring is considered “good”, but a 2021 Bureau of Labor Statistics report found the average annual turnover rate closer to 57%. This means finding the right employee and keeping them is harder than ever before. Whether you are recruiting for short-term seasonal help or long-term executive positions, here are some tips to use in your hiring process.

Write a clear recruitment ad and job description-Use vivid words to describe your company’s mission, vision, and values. (If you do not have a clear mission, vision, and value statement that the employees live and breathe by daily, see my contact below) In the description, list the job description duties and tasks as well as showcase your company. Job recruitment ads can be excellent Public Relations tools to better position your company’s products and services.  After all, job seekers are not the only people reading the ad. The ad should give a good understanding of your company’s culture based on the well-written posting. Lastly, it is exciting to be able to hire new employees who will become team members. Share the message with the world.

Post and customize the ad in multiple mediums-

Print Ad-Place a professional looking print ad in the local newspaper (or national/trade publications if attracting executive talent). The print ad should have a clear ‘call to action’ as how job seekers can easily apply for the position.

Digital Communications-Use social media to showcase your company culture and point job seekers directly to your website to apply. The digital platforms can showcase images, video and even a photo of the brick-and-mortar business.

Radio/Word-of-Mouth-Of course, word-of-mouth advertising is cost-effective. However, it is not the most reliable. Using radio with a clear message will compliment the ‘now hiring’ job announcement.

Be intentional about hiring and then offer training-Ask the right questions to ensure the employee is not only qualified to take on the job, but also aligns with your company’s culture. Finding the right employee might mean offering training to fulfill a skill set. Hire a professional firm to fill any gaps. Ask open-ended questions to determine if the candidate will meet and/or exceed the duties. Once hired, crystalize onboarding materials so the employee can quickly adapt and get to work!

Jennifer Bushong, MA is the owner of JBe Marketing Group, a full-service strategic marketing and public relations firm in Washington State. jennifer@jbemarketinggroup.com www.jbe-marketing.com