How To Successfully Recruit For On-Site Niche Roles?

Despite remote working becoming a norm across the globe, numerous industry-specific roles need to be filled and will require them to work at on-site locations. However, there are a handful of candidates that qualify for these positions, and recruiting for them successfully becomes a challenge.

Organizations favor specialized staffing because it is more cost and time-effective for them. Niche recruiting allows talent heads to zero in on the most qualified candidates instead of being bogged down by endless pre-screening rituals. This way you get to get candidates that have the skills and expertise and more importantly – are passionate about their career.

A lot can go wrong for talent heads when recruiting for on-site niche roles. Here are some useful tips to help organizations capitalize on their niche talent acquisition strategy.

Get a better understanding of the markets

The first step to recruiting for on-site niche roles is to understand your needs and what the landscape looks like for competitors. The best way to do that is by carrying out an in-depth marketing mapping exercise that allows you to clearly outline the skill sets you want to focus on. It also gives you an idea of the geographical scope of your recruitment strategy.

It is also useful when you need to open a new location.

Branch out and expand to new locations

Candidates with the niche skills you’re looking for are spread across the globe with some areas harboring more talent than others. When planning where you will expand to, keep in mind places where you are more likely to find the specific skill set you’re looking for.

Broaden the geographical scope for hiring

Whether you’re recruiting for niche roles on-site or hiring across the organization, restricting your search to a specific location makes the talent pool smaller. Once you identify where the best talent lies, it’ll make it easier for you to target those areas and reach out to candidates in those locations.

Keep in mind that when looking for talent in other locations, you should be able to provide them with relocation packages for their families and fulfilling other logistical requirements to get them on board. It’s up to you as an employer to ensure their onboarding experience is seamless and that they are settling in well after the relocation. The more well-adjusted your employee is, the better it is for your long-term strategy. Offer them whatever administrative support you can whether that is to help them search for the best accommodation or other operational tasks.

Implement employer branding to attract talent

Ask yourself what some of the selling points of your business are and communicate them in a way that resonates with your target audience. Specific selling points for the role you are hiring will be more effective and get you better results. It also helps to customize the selling point for each role, so that it’s unique to their needs.

A strong employer brand offers support to the recruitment process and helps recruiters leverage it to attract the top talent. Create compelling brand content including employee testimonials, CSR activities, infographics about locations you are targeting, and key job profiles with detailed explanations.

See Also: Do You Have a Recruiting Problem? How On Demand Recruiting Helps

Include employee value propositions in all external promotions and key messaging to communicate the culture, vision, and values of your organization. Candidates appreciate a company’s transparency and like to get to know company culture before getting on board.

Engage with them regularly by building a community

What happens to candidates who are not interested in the role currently but might be in the future? Or those who withdraw from the hiring process mid-way due to a variety of reasons? Even though you weren’t able to get them on board, doesn’t meet you should lose out on the opportunity to keep them in the loop. Building a talent community that they can be a part of and where you can regularly engage with them helps you stay in touch. Keep communication open with regular content updates such as testimonials, case studies, new product information, business news, etc. and more.

Improve your talent assessment criteria

One of the most important things to remember when assessing the right candidate is to ensure the process is efficient and the overall candidate experience is positive even if the candidate is not hired. Keep in mind that when talent is already scarce in the case of niche talent, you want to try your best to leave a good impression on them.

How can you optimize the talent assessment criteria?

Start with clearly defined roles within the assessment team and ask consistent questions during the interview process. Take a personalized approach as this has a more positive impact on the candidates and establishes a good reputation for your organization. Are you looking for on-site niche roles for your organization?

Get in touch with our consultants to understand how we can help.