It is widely recognised that Engineers are one of the most looked for after experts these days, and that an organisation's recruitment technique is indispensable to pulling in the best new talent.
The conventional method of advertising jobs and applicants submitting their CV is evolving quickly. Today, the likes of social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are underutilised. As a rule, utilising hashtags on every single social medium is unquestionably advantageous as they make online searches simpler and quicker, just by having a select few keywords.
Keeping a modern LinkedIn profile is key to boosting credibility, whilst helping to develop your network. You can share your organisation's most recent updates which may hold importance with likely applicants, join related online conversations, or compose articles that will distinguish you as an influencer in your industry.
Applicable to all candidates, not just engineers. Before a Recruiter picks up the phone, they must know the client inside-out. Candidates want to know about the culture and lifestyle they will be moving to, in addition to the financial package. Today, a work-life balance is becoming increasingly attractive. If the client offers flexible working, company discounts, working remote, etc., ensure that you are aware of the benefits so that you can use them when pitching to candidates that will find this important. The best recruiters can paint a picture to a candidate, depending on what motivates the candidate and whether the job will match their aspirations.
There are online and public tools that can be used to your advantage, such as the ‘Glassdoor’ website. This however can be a hinderance, as there can be a mixture of positive and negative reviews, which can come from both bias and un-bias sources. Always consider this and do your research before suggesting this method.
Checking with your engineering network to see if any colleagues or friends working in the engineering sector are looking for a change, is one of the most effective means of recruitment, which lends itself to the use of all digital social media. Referrals have the highest conversion rate of applicants to hire, with the shortest recruitment process. Quality over quantity is another advantage of using candidate referrals – as people typically recommend someone they trust and who they think can do the job properly.
Most candidates are public knowledge by advertising themselves on job boards or social media. However, some Engineers are ‘old-school’; on occasional referrals, you can unearth a gem of a candidate that would have otherwise been unfound, with no online or social media presence. (It’s sometimes not what you know, but who you know!)
Understanding the engineering sector and its sub-sectors is vital to the recruitment process. Understanding the characteristics of engineers is just as important, as money is not always the only source of motivation. As aforementioned, flexible hours to achieve a better work-life balance, working from home, and career progression paths are just some of the alternatives that candidates consider when choosing their next employer.
There are many events and expos within most engineering sectors in both the UK and internationally. Do your research to see which are best suited to your market. Is there someone going to an event that you’ve wanted to speak to but never managed to engage with them? Now is your perfect chance to have a face to face conversation. My advice is to get involved in these, go to meetings and events, support them on social media, and in return, you will constantly grow your professional network.
Because of the ‘skills gap’ in the engineering industry, recruiters need to think outside the box to attract top engineering talent. Try making the process a little challenging by asking them to complete a task or to solve a problem.
Get in touch with one of our specialist Engineering Recruiters today to start your journey toward better Recruitment strategies!
