If you can’t find the help you need at work, you’re not alone. This summer the U.S. held pretty consistently at 11 million or so open jobs. No matter your industry, you’re probably feeling the sting of some recruitment woes. It’s probably past time for you to reassess your recruiting tactics to consider some new strategies. Here are three things that you may not have considered yet.

What Creative Ways Are There to Find New Applicants?

#1 Increase Your Pay

More than half of the workers who quit their jobs last year during The Great Resignation are now making more money. Even retailers are paying double the minimum wage now. While the average pay raise is just 3% a year, rising inflation and high gas prices, along with talent competition all contributed to mid-year pay raises in addition to annual raises at many companies in 2022. One consultant said, “Companies are having conversations about pay increases, gasoline gift cards, reimbursement for travel expenses to make sure they have the workers necessary to keep the services operating.”

One last tip? In a tight candidate market, retaining your existing workforce is important. If you’re increasing pay for new workers, please don’t forget about your old ones.


#2 Look for Passive Candidates

This is a secret that many recruiting firms won’t tell you—the best candidates haven’t applied yet. Passive candidates are the ones that are casually looking for work or are open to conversations but haven’t applied anywhere. This reduces the competition you would face with a candidate who feels an urgency to get out of their current job and is actively applying to companies. 

Today, there are at least two million of these candidates on job boards like LinkedIn. Professional recruiting firms spend a lot of time reaching out to these candidates to start conversations that may eventually lead to their employment. Over time, this builds up an entire network of candidates with skills that you may need now or later on. If your company isn’t spending at least a little time each day being proactive in your job search, you simply aren’t going to find the candidates you need quickly. 

#3 Improve Your Application Process

Did you know most people don’t finish their online applications? The data shows that 92% of all online job applicantsnever finish the process. Candidates say they are frustrated with the outdated technologies used to apply for jobs. One study showed:

  • 76% of job seekers say they rarely get the easy application process on their mobile phones that they expect.
  • 71% say they’re frustrated when uploading a resume but still have to add data manually.
  • 58% aren’t certain their resumes are even seen.
  • Only 30% of applications say they experience a mobile-friendly application process.

How Are You Finding New Applicants?

How can your organization capture the 92% of applications that you might be missing? Exelare offers our clients an affordable yet modern applicant tracking system (ATS) that makes it easier to apply. Our tool allows you to automate many tasks that take up the time you should be spending on finding new talent. Talk with our team today about how Exelare can help you find better candidates faster.