So you’re in charge of culling the chaff and producing the wheat for your company. You want to find superstar hires, but it seems like, too often, they don’t work out or they end up leaving too soon. What if there were some way to significantly improve your system so that the people you hired stuck around and performed beyond your wildest dreams? Okay, not your wildest dreams, but maybe your regular dreams? Here are six recruiting best practices to help you get there.

Define The Ideal Candidate In-House

You can’t hire the right person if you don’t know who that person is. It’s your responsibility, not the candidate’s, to ensure that you’re working with a clear vision of whom you want to hire. So get really specific, working with other department heads, stakeholders in your own department or, if you’re in HR, affected members across the company. It is a common procedure to hold a “kick-off meeting” for each new role you are trying to fill. Create an internal guide to ensure stakeholders are totally aligned on the company’s needs and expectations for the role.

Fine-Tune Job Descriptions

One of the easiest ways to ensure you get the perfect candidate for the job is to tailor the job description even more closely. What exact skills would they need? List them out in their entirety, and make sure those requirements are un-fudgeable if you will. Instead of “solid computer skills” try more detailed requirements like “90 WPM” or “a thorough understanding of PHP.”

Keep Up With Trends

Understanding recruiting trends and how to leverage talent pools is important, but it changes all the time. If you’re out of the loop, you might also be out great candidates without knowing it. Stay apprised of these trends either by following industry news or by seeking the help of a knowledgeable recruiter.

Be Active On Social Media

Staying active on social media is not only a good way to highlight your employer brand and make people want to come work for you, but it’s also an awesome way to find great candidates. Just put the word out over the social airwaves about a description listed on your website or job boards, and watch them roll in.

Don’t Wait For The Candidate To Come To You

Want the ideal candidate? Don’t wait; go find them. Utilize your company’s referrals and networks. Whether the connection is professional or personal, reach out to the potential candidates introducing yourself and the connection. You’d be surprised at how often a passive candidate will become active in response to the right offer.

Use A Many-Pronged Approach

If you take just one track, you’ll find only disappointment. You must use all recruiting resources available. That includes employee referrals, social media, job boards, listings on your own websites, the help of recruiters, industry fairs, and more.

It’s Go Time

Of course, all the tricks in the world won’t ensure you never hire a dud or that your perfect-beyond-perfect candidate won’t leave you for greener pastures. But this is a numbers game; you don’t have to be flawless. Instead, your goal is to reduce turnover and increase your targeting skills, and if you can do that, you’re doing mighty well indeed. So get started!

At Premier Talent Partners, we’ve refined these strategies to help companies like yours build stronger, more resilient teams. By defining the ideal candidate, fine-tuning job descriptions, staying on top of industry trends, and actively seeking out potential hires through multiple channels, you can sharpen your recruitment process and reduce turnover. Remember, it's not about perfection, but about continuous improvement. Let Premier help you take your hiring strategy to the next level and find your next superstar hire. Learn more about how Premier can help find your next great hire.