Blue Ocean Recruitment: Thinking outside the square when it comes to finding new staff.
It was in the recent issue of Leased Magazine that Fiona introduced ‘Blue Ocean’ property management. The concept of a ‘Blue Ocean Strategy’ originated with the work of W Chan Kim and R Mauborgne in the book of the same name. A Blue Ocean Strategy is one where the fundamental business principle consists of leaving behind your competition by creating an uncontested market. Since Leased hit the desks of agents across the country, here at Real Estate Career Developers we’ve been discussing ‘Blue Ocean Recruitment’ both for our own business and for our clients and candidates. While we have worked hard, like others, to think outside the square, we thought it opportune to bring to life some of our initiatives and some ideas to try – if you’re game.
Blue Ocean Recruitment A New Way of Thinking
With an ongoing shortage of human resources across all industries, we continue to be part of a candidate market which means if you, your business and your recruitment strategy are the same as everyone else’s you will be vying for new talent based on the income and package you provide. Your business will simply be a number on the interview schedule for your prospective recruit; you’ll be the interviewee rather than the interviewer.
It’s time to think outside the square. Let’s start thinking about recruiting in a blue ocean.
Traditional Advertising
At the risk of promoting job portals, just like property portals, you need to get your available position into the hands of candidates currently in the marketplace. The challenge right now is that everyone’s ads look the same. Your advert needs to stand out from the crowd!
Over the next month you will see changes to the way RECD advertises to incorporate multimedia. Businesses across the globe are frequently using multimedia, of both a formal and informal nature, to portray the culture of the business to a potential recruit.
How do you paint a picture of you, your team, your business and the role? Why would I want an interview? Conveying this in text is hard. How else could it be done?
Social Media
I was astonished to discover I joined Facebook on June 6th 2007. I certainly had no understanding then of what a major part of our lives this site, and the now growing list of social media sites we frequent, would become. While we consistently talk about social media in business, how are you using it to recruit? How are candidates using it to consider meeting with you? How do you build your brand as an employer through social media?
A Sea Change
The pool of available resources and positions need not be within 25km of your office door. Recently we have relocated candidates both interstate and regionally. Where do your candidates come from? How do you access candidates in other locations?
Talent Channels
Seventy-five per cent of candidates are not actively looking themselves; these individuals are leaving it to a specialist to find them their next position. Perhaps they are in an existing business but open to opportunities; they may be new to the area or the industry, they may be time poor, or simply want to remain at arm’s length from a prospective employer in the early stages. Working with a recruitment consultant, someone who knows and understands you, your business and your culture, can be a valuable ally.
Other talent channels exist in the form of organisations, companies and individuals, who can promote your business and your brand and introduce both experiences and new talent into your agency.
What’s your talent strategy? How are you building relationships with the conduits between you and available talent?
Hire!
Don’t waste time making a decision! While there are many skill-checking products in the marketplace, as an employer you know immediately, in the majority of cases, whether you are going to hire someone. Yes, there is the need to take time to consider, but don’t leave it too long. We live in the ‘now’ world, and recruitment is no different. People want feedback and decisions.
A Tailored Offer
Build great packages that are focused on the person, not the position. Not everyone wants to squeeze every last cent available out of the budget allocated for the position. Some employees are looking for packages that may incorporate:
- Additional holidays
- Secondments
- Specialised training programmes
- Health and wellbeing services
- Performance incentives
- Flexible hours, working locations, family support
- Travel.
Not every business is going to be ‘blue ocean’, nor is every recruitment method or practice going to be unique. No matter what your strategy, for the recruitment of any new team member to be a success, there needs to be a satisfied employer and employee. Personalise your methods and stand out from the crowd!
