The best candidates aren’t just applying to jobs—they’re being actively recruited. If you’re waiting for top talent to find your job postings, you’re already behind.
Here’s how to build demand for your roles before you even hit “Publish.”
1. Turn Employees into Brand Ambassadors
Your team is your best recruiting tool.
✅ How to leverage them:
- Encourage employees to share work wins on LinkedIn (not just job posts).
- Create an employee referral program with real incentives (e.g., $5K for senior hires).
- Feature day-in-the-life videos from different roles (engineers, marketers, etc.).
🚫 What not to do:
- Force generic “We’re hiring!” posts. Authenticity > scripted content.
2. Showcase Your Culture (Without the Fluff)
Candidates don’t care about your ping-pong table—they care about growth, flexibility, and impact.
✅ What works:
- Transparency: Share salary ranges, promotion timelines, and DEI stats.
- Real stories: “How I Got Promoted in 1 Year” blog posts from employees.
- Challenges: “Here’s the hardest problem our team solved this quarter.”
🚫 What fails:
- Stock photos of “happy teams.” Candidates spot fakeness instantly.
3. Build Talent Pipelines Before You Need Them
Top recruiters don’t start sourcing when a role opens—they nurture relationships year-round.
✅ How to do it:
- Host monthly virtual meetups (tech talks, Q&As with leadership).
- Engage with passive candidates on LinkedIn (comment on their posts, share insights).
- Create a talent community (newsletter with industry insights + subtle hiring hints).
🚫 Avoid:
- Ghosting past applicants. Even if they weren’t a fit before, stay connected.
4. Make Your Careers Page a Magnet
Most careers pages are boring, generic, and forgettable. Yours should be a destination.
✅ Must-haves:
- “Why Join Us?” video (max 60 seconds—real employees, not execs).
- Interview process breakdown (candidates hate black boxes).
- Employee testimonials (with names/roles, not anonymous quotes).
🚫 Kill these:
- Jargon like “fast-paced environment” (everyone says that).
5. Let Candidates Experience Your Work
Instead of just describing roles, show them in action.
✅ Creative ways to do it:
- Open-source challenges (for devs: “Contribute to our GitHub, get noticed”).
- Case competitions (for marketers: “Audit our funnel, win a mentorship”).
- Shadow days (invite top candidates to a team meeting before applying).
🚫 Don’t:
- Exploit free labor. Keep tasks short, fun, and rewarding.
6. Fix Your Glassdoor & Google Presence
92% of candidates check reviews before applying.
✅ Repair your rep:
- Respond to every Glassdoor review (especially negatives—show you’re listening).
- Publish salary bands (even if not legally required).
- Push positive PR (awards, culture spotlights) to dominate search results.
🚫 Never:
- Ignore bad reviews. Silence = guilt.
