The War for Talent is On. With the predicted scarcity of talent, the role of recruitment and retention will only increase in importance in the years to come. It is all about finding and being found. You are looking for highly talented people – and they need to be able to find you too. How can the internet help?

What is the ideal candidate doing right now?

Is your ideal candidate actively contacting you? Or are you actively approaching the ideal candidate and trying to interest him or her in a transfer? The actual situation may be a combination of the two. Candidates who are actively looking naturally check the print publications for their section, job and/or educational background. These publications still play an important role in matching supply and demand on the job market, especially for higher-level positions.

The role of job boards

Times have changed. The internet has become the most common way for people to find jobs and be found by recruiters. Job boards play an important role in helping supply and demand converge. Logical, since smart candidates are looking for the broadest possible range of jobs so they can gain a realistic overview of their options. That makes it important to ensure that the jobs you are offering can also be found on a popular job board – preferably more than one.

Your own website

Complementing the role that job boards play, your website is also important in providing depth to the jobs on offer. Before the candidate actually applies for the job, he wants to know more about your organization. That’s where your website comes in. Do you respond to that need? And do you make it easy for candidates to apply for jobs through your website? Consider asking the applicant for key details and a CV or resume to start out. After all, the first step is assessing whether or not the candidate would be right for the job. The next step is to request additional information, and your website can be useful here too. It makes sure that the very best candidates do not walk away during that decisive first step, while hardly costing you any extra effort.

Google and SEO

Active applicants also use meta-search engines like Google to look for jobs. Of course they’ll find the job boards first, but your website may also come up. Search engine optimization (SEO) means making sure you include the right keywords in the text of the job openings on your website. Metasearch functions do not allow searches for fields like job group, sector or region. The words in your job advertisement need to be a good match for the words that your target group of applicants would use to search for the kind of job you’re advertising.

What if the candidate is not active?

HR intermediaries often specialize in one or more professions or areas. They constantly work to develop their network and compile a database of specialists who will eventually be ready to take the next step in their careers. Part of the intermediary’s specific strength is knowing when that time may be at hand. That kind of added value cannot be computerized, not even using the internet. And it’s a good thing, too.