Best Recruitment Methods for Recruiters & HRs in 2024

Are you having difficulty with recruitment these days? - you are not the only one. According to SHRM, 68% of HR professionals find it hard to recruit candidates full-time. 

In a fast-paced and competitive job market, companies need to be strategic about hiring people to find the best people for their open positions.

Finding the best people to work for your company is a vital part of making it successful, and it all starts with finding the right way to recruit. There are so many ways to find new employees, like job boards, social media, and word of mouth from current employees, that it can be challenging to figure out which one best suits your business.

However, finding, acquiring, and retaining top personnel can mean the difference between increased productivity, financial gain, and business expansion. The appropriate approach to recruiting can make all the difference in this regard.

It is not news that the current job market is entirely candidate-driven. In other words, candidates have the upper hand. Therefore - positive candidate experience is vital for attracting the best talents. 

By adopting these effective and strategic recruitment methods, you can streamline your hiring process to attract the best to your company and ultimately make better hiring decisions that align with your company's values and goals.

What are the Types of Recruiting Method?

Several recruitment methods are available, each with its unique pros and cons. Traditional hiring methods like newspaper ads and job fairs and newer methods like social media recruitment and employee referral programs can make it hard to choose. But if organisations know about the different ways to hire people, they can make intelligent decisions that will help them find the right people and, in the end, reach their business goals.

Here, we will explore several recruitment methods and the pros and cons of recruiting strategies to help you make an informed decision when hiring new talent.

Organisational needs arise for various reasons, such as company expansion, staff turnover, new projects, or the creation of new roles within the organisation. Good recruiters know what recruitment method to use in recruiting to attract and select the right candidate because they know that a well-planned and executed recruitment process not only attracts a talent pool of highly qualified candidates.

As a recruiter, you want to put your best foot forward, such that you are using the best recruitment method, 77% of recruiters hire candidates who do not seem fit for the position initially.

1. External recruiting method

External recruiting is the process of hiring candidates from outside the organisation. Using this method, job openings are posted on job boards, social media, or through recruitment agencies. Career fairs and networking events are also used to search for potential candidates. External recruiting is done by companies that want to add new skills and new points of view to their staff. 

Organisations use external recruitment methods when they can't find the right people among their current employees. This method can help the organisation get new ideas and new points of view.

Additionally, external recruitment methods can be used to fill specialised roles requiring specific skills and experience unavailable within the organisation. Despite its benefits, external recruitment methods can be more expensive than internal ones and may require additional resources to find and attract suitable candidates. Nonetheless, external recruitment methods remain an essential strategy for organisations looking to find the best talent for their needs. 

Benefits of the external recruitment method

• New viewpoint: When a company hires people from outside the organisation, they can bring new ideas, levels of creativity, and skills that can help the company. External candidates may have worked in different industries, with different technologies, or with different strategies. This can give the company a unique perspective on improving its products, services, and operations.

• A diverse workforce: External recruiting can help increase diversity in the workplace, which can improve creativity, innovation, and problem-solving abilities; this not only promotes inclusivity but it increases profit. 

• Skill sets: Sometimes, the required skills or experience are not within the organisation, and external recruiting is necessary to find and hire the right candidate. External recruiting helps organisations attract individuals with the required skill set and experience to meet the demands of the business. This ensures that the organisation can fill the skill gaps in its workforce and continue to meet its business objectives.

• Expansion: When a company is expanding, it may need to hire more employees than they currently have, which may require external recruiting.

• Cost-effective: External recruiting can be a cost-effective way to fill job vacancies instead of training and developing existing employees.

2. Internal Recruiting method

Sometimes, recruitment is done within an organisation by finding and training current workers with the skills and qualifications to fill a vacant position.

These can include effective job postings, promotions, and transfers within the company. Internal recruitment helps make a good work environment by rewarding hard work and encouraging employee loyalty.

Benefits of the internal recruiting method

• Faster process: Internal recruitment can be faster as the organisation can bypass lengthy recruitment processes such as background checks, reference checks, and new hire paperwork.

• Improved retention: Promoting from within can boost employee morale and job satisfaction, leading to better retention rates and reduced turnover - iHire 2022 Talent Retention Report shows that 28.3% of people who quit their jobs did so on their own, partly because they saw opportunities for growth or advancement elsewhere. 

• Faster process: Internal recruitment can be faster because the company can skip long steps like background checks, reference checks, and filling out paperwork for new hires.

• Improves morale: When you show that your company is willing to offer promotions, it boosts morale, which makes it more likely that the employee will stay.

• Familiarity with the organisation: Internal candidates already know the organisation's culture, policies, and procedures, which means they can be productive in their new role faster than an outside candidate.

• Talent development: Hiring from within can help improve the skills and abilities of current employees, making the whole workforce more skilled and knowledgeable.

3. Online recruiting method 

Online recruitment has become well-received among many organisations. SHRM reports that online recruitment is the new norm, as  84% of organisations recruit via social media, and 9% plan to follow suit. 

What are the online recruitment methods?  

1. Job Boards: Job boards are websites where employers can post job openings and where those seeking employment can look at the jobs and apply for them. LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor are all examples of well-known job boards.

2. Social Media: Social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram can be used to advertise and promote job openings, reach out to potential candidates, and speak with job seekers. This way, Social Recruiting makes it effective to promote jobs on social networking sites & job boards.

3. Employer Website: Many companies have a dedicated section on their website where they post job openings and accept online job applications.

4. Referral Programs: Employers can create referral programs which incentivise current employees to refer qualified candidates for open positions.

5. Online Recruiting Agencies:  Online recruiting agencies or staffing firms help companies find qualified people to fill open jobs. These agencies may use job boards, social media, and other online recruitment tools to find people who might be interested in working for them.

6. Online Events: Employers can attract and interact with potential candidates by holding Recruiting and HR conferences, virtual job fairs, webinars, and virtual networking events. 

7. Applicant Tracking Systems: Employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to keep track of job applications and resumes, find qualified candidates and speed up the interview process.

Advantages of online recruiting methods

• Wider Reach: Online recruiting allows employers to reach a larger pool of potential candidates from different geographical areas, backgrounds, and experiences. This increases the chances of finding a highly qualified candidate who may not have been discovered through traditional recruiting methods. 

• Speed and Efficiency: Online recruiting allows employers to quickly and efficiently screen candidates, reducing the time and effort needed to sift through applications and resumes. Automated tools can filter applications based on specific criteria, enabling recruiters to focus on the most qualified candidates. 

• Analytics and Insights: Online recruiting tools offer data, analytics, and recruitment KPIs that allow recruiters to track the effectiveness of their job postings and recruitment campaigns, which can be used to improve recruitment strategies and make data-driven decisions.

4. Offline recruiting method

In recent years, online recruitment methods have become more and more popular. However, offline recruitment methods still play a big role in hiring. 

Using offline methods to find candidates has several benefits, such as letting you reach more people who might not be actively looking for jobs online. Also, meeting potential candidates in person and getting to know them better can help build trust and improve communication. Employers can build a local presence in the community by using offline methods, which can help their brand and reputation.  

Offline methods also help find candidates with the right skills and experience but may not have a strong online presence. This makes sure that employers don't miss out on qualified candidates.

What are the offline recruitment methods?  

1. Job fairs: These are events where many employers set up booths to meet and talk to people that are interested in working for them. 

2. Referrals: Employee Referral Programs are effective where current staff members can tell their friends, family, or other people they know about job openings. 

3. Newspaper ads: Putting ads for jobs in local newspapers is a good way to reach many applicants. 

4. Flyers and posters: You can reach potential candidates by putting flyers created using flyer maker and posters in public places like community centres, libraries, and cafes.

5. Internships: Giving college students internships can be a good way to find potential employees who have already shown what they can do. 

6. College career centres: Building relationships with college career centres can give you access to recent graduates and students about to graduate. 

7. Employee walk-ins: Letting potential candidates come to the company's office and meet with HR staff can help build rapport and make a personal connection. 

8. Industry events: Going to industry events and conferences can help you find people who are already interested in the field and could be good candidates. 

9. Open houses: Having open houses and information sessions can help job seekers learn more about the company and the open positions. 

7 Best Recruiting Methods for Recruiters in 2024 

As we go further into 2024, recruiters must consider the best hiring methods in the current job market

These methods were chosen because they are cost-effective and have a high return on investment. Second, they have the potential to provide a large pool of candidates from different backgrounds, and they can be scaled up or down to fit the needs of each recruitment campaign. Lastly, the methods should be easy to use and give candidates a good time. 

Here are some of the best ways of recruitment methods to find new employees in 2024. 

1. Employee referrals

Employee referrals are still a low-cost, high-return way to find new employees. Employees can suggest friends and family who they think would be a good fit for the company. This makes a pool of candidates with a wide range of skills. Referrals can be scaled up or down because they keep more candidates.

2. Social media recruitment

LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter all have a large number of different prospects, which makes them great tools for hiring via social media platforms. Social networking sites let recruiters target prospects based on what jobs they are looking for and give information about corporate culture and job descriptions to improve candidates' experience. 

 3. Recruitment advertising

Recruitment advertising is a cost-effective way to reach many candidates. Clear job descriptions and requirements can improve candidate experience. Recruiters can choose which publications and channels the people they want to hire look at. This makes it scalable and flexible.

 4. Video Interviews

Video interviews save recruiters time and money while improving the candidate experience. It is flexible because recruiters can talk to potential candidates anywhere since it removes geographical restrictions and increases the number of people who can apply.

5. Virtual Job Fairs

By holding virtual job fairs, companies can connect with candidates worldwide without spending money on travel and hotels. 

6. Diversity and Inclusion initiatives

These initiatives are helping businesses hire more people. This includes emphasising diversity in job ads, hiring people without knowing anything about them, and working with groups focusing on improving diversity in recruitment to get more diverse candidates. 

7. Talent Communities

Businesses can develop talent communities to engage people and share employment opportunities. This can help companies get people interested in working for them even when no jobs are open. 

By thinking outside the box and leveraging new technologies, companies can attract top talent and stay ahead of the competition. 

Conclusion on Recruiting Methods for HRs and Recruiters  

To improve the hiring process, recruiters should focus on building a diverse pool of candidates, using technology to automate time-consuming tasks, making the candidate experience interesting, and measuring how well their recruitment strategies work. Also, recruiters need to take a candidate-centred approach that puts the candidate's needs and preferences at the centre of the hiring process.

The job market has become very competitive, so recruiters must stay current on the latest recruiting trends and techniques to attract the best talent. With effective recruiting methods, recruiters can find and attract top-performing candidates to help organisations reach their goals and stay competitive in their respective markets.