Looking Forward by Looking Inward – 3 Tips on Looking Out for the Best Hires

to be the lifeblood of any business. If that’s the case, companies ought to prioritize good hires, no?

Being the backbone of any business, employees, regardless of their role, are integral to the success of any organization. Whether it’s closing deals, working on behind the scene operations, or internal matters.

That raises the question - How should HR focus on hiring good employees? In an age where competition for skilled labor is high, companies ought to be proactive in their onboarding practices for new hires, lest they get left behind in wake of not being able to keep up with the rest of their rivals.

So, what should they be wary of when it comes to selecting the best hires? Well, here are the three most essential tips to ensure you’ll only get the best of the best!

Tip #1 – Place The Right Type of Job Ads

Whatever platform you may choose to advertise on, it’s necessary to note that the job-seekers of today are from different generations, with individuals from the “millennial” generation making up the largest population of the global workforce.

Case Study 1: Hostelworld

Problem: To increase the amount of traffic, Hostelworld required new methods to raise the number of bookings for accommodation made via their website.

Solution: Realising that millennials didn’t conform to the tastes and preferences of older generations, Hostelworld decided to launch the “Hostelworld - Meet the World” campaign, which features tourists from different countries, embarking on unique adventures such as skinny-dipping.

Instead of posting generic pictures and text ads, Hostelworld focused on recreating real-life encounters and managed to successfully cater to millennials’ preferences of valuing experiences. This successful campaign led to a rise in the number of bookings made through their website.

Hostelworld Presents

Video Source: Hostelworld

Relevance to HR Managers: Increasingly, millennials make up a large chunk of the workforce today. With as many as 89% of millennials in Singapore placing a high value on 'experiences', companies looking to hire new employees should focus on the daily experience of available roles.

For example, let's say a company is looking to expand its marketing team. HR Managers can do thorough video advertisements showcasing the daily activities of a marketer - an exciting call with clients or a casual conversation with a colleague.

Tip #2 – Choose the Right Placement

With the Singapore government encouraging the use of digitalization in its various forms, there’s a need to strategically plan the placement of ads.

Case Study 2: Hougang Japanese Language School

Problem: Principal Kitahara Kenji was sticking to traditional advertising methods such as handing out flyers to increase the number of participants. This resulted in low numbers of students registering.

Solution: The Principal’s son, Kitahara Yutaro, decided to advertise on digital platforms such as Google and Facebook.

Consequently, the newly-established branch of the school saw an increase in the participation rate, with 80% of its new students finding out about the classes from the change of advertising methods.

Image Source: Canva

Relevance to HR Managers: Search Engines and Social Media platforms are common tools that people utilize nowadays for job-seeking purposes. Additionally, with Social Media having an 84% penetration rate in Singapore, it may prove to be more efficient for managers to place job advertisements on these new forms of media.

This will ultimately help them to reap benefits similar to the Hougang Japanese Language School in terms of recruiting the best talent.

Tip #3 – Modernise your Screening Processes

As an HR manager, it’s essential to ensure that your selection process is up to date. This is to efficiently screen through the qualifications and other personality traits possessed by potential hires.

Case Study 3: Nike

Problem: With Singapore having the highest turnover rate in the APAC region at 46%, there was a need for Nike to ensure new hires possessed the relevant skill sets and the right disposition to ensure commitment to the organization.

Solution: To smoothen and streamline their hiring processes, Nike utilized an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). This has allowed them to streamline their selection decisions and processes.

By accessing and archiving the data, qualifications, skill sets, and personal qualities, the app was able to track the progress of applicants. This enabled Nike to save invaluable man-hours, cut unnecessary overhead costs, and ensure new hires were a good fit.

Image Source: Rawpixel

Relevance to HR Managers: A good candidate shouldn’t only be knowledgeable about their field, but should also possess the necessary soft skills to adapt to changing conditions.

Keeping track of which applicants possess the relevant competencies can be a chore at times. A modernized system, like QuickHR’s award-winning ATS, filters information through rigorous deliberation by Artificial Intelligence. It then nominates the right candidates for open positions, smoothening the hiring flow and providing the best onboarding experience for new hires.

Adopting an ATS similar to QuickHR’s when hiring new employees will allow you to streamline your hiring process just as Nike has.