Peak is around just around the corner, folks. And yes, we know – it's only October! In a perfect world, you would have started prepping for it last year. But as this industry has been thrown more than a few curveballs lately, we understand if you've had to prioritise. That’s why we've developed a go-to strategy so you can handle peak like a boss.
If you wait until a role needs to be filled, you're likely to be left scrambling or under-resourced throughout peak. This time of year is too competitive for that carry-on, and when talent communities are a game-changer. We're not talking about a standard old database. We're talking about a community of enthusiastic, motivated and engaged candidates.
When you build a talent community on Weirdly, the approach is even more powerful. You not only make it easy to keep everyone engaged, but you can also filter it using your custom criteria. You’ll have instant longlists of people who live in the right place with the right skills and availability – no job ads. The companies that take this approach see a much shorter time-to-hire period and a lower cost-per-hire. If you haven't started a talent community already, use Weirdly's bulk invite to move your database onto the community platform.
During peak, it pays to remember that you're not the only company looking to boost your seasonal workforce. To stand out, your careers site should speak to your ideal candidate.
Ask yourself these questions: does your website show candidates exactly what your company stands for? Does it paint an accurate picture of work culture? And, is the careers page laid out intuitively, with, you know, good vibes? If there is any opportunity to improve on these things – take it. For inspiration, check out our blog on best career websites 2022.
Your goal this season is efficiency, so why not remove the need for candidates to search for roles online? Instead, use social media to send the message direct. That way, when roles pop up during their afternoon scroll session, you will likely see more applications and quicker responses. Here are a few things to double-check:
Are you focusing on the right channels? TikTok and Instagram might be your best bet if you're looking for young candidates.
Do you have multiple link options? When posting on social media, it's important to link candidates directly to their preferred channels, so they're much more likely to apply right then and there.
Are you paying for advertising? If there was ever a time to pay for job ads on key channels, it's peak. Paid ads will make sure your posts get right in front of candidates.
Your employees and community members all have friends they’ll vouch for. Drawing on their networks will put you in front of more candidates and make your workforce even tighter – a win-win! For volume recruiters, this strategy works best with intuitive systems and automatic follow-through. That's where Weirdly's Refer-A-Friend feature comes in handy. When candidates join your talent pool or employees want to help, they just fill in their friend's details. The friends are then invited by email to join the community and keep up with job postings.
A bad candidate experience? It creates a whole lot of issues – and can cost you a bunch. Not only will applicants not want to work for you (now or ever again), but it could also put them off your brand altogether. To make applying easy and fun, think about what you really need in the process. You can likely remove resumes altogether. They make it tricky to interpret candidates’ real personalities, values or soft skills, and bring an unconscious bias.
Instead, use a platform like Weirdly that lets you assess based on values and soft skills. Then, look at your communications – are you keeping candidates updated and nudging them through the process? It’s also worth thinking about offering different ways of applying. The Weirdly multimedia question functionality means candidates can apply by video, audio, image or typed response – whatever they're most comfortable with.
Candidates are applying for multiple roles and will likely go with the first offer they get. That means speed is everything, and volume recruiters can only do that by getting automated. With Weirdly, you can set up for end-to-end automation. First, store managers make their job requisitions through the manager’s app, then Weirdly nudges candidates along the funnel where they can book their interviews. And finally, store managers can use the app to make hiring decisions, which triggers working rights processes and contracts.
When you're prepared and supported, even peak can't get the best of you. With an ever-growing community, more speed and more reach, you'll make your job effective when you need it most. Weirdly cuts out unnecessary work and puts candidates and employers through the hiring process in record time.
