Top Tips for Niche Recruiting

When you’re trying to fill a highly specific position, you’ll need to alter your recruiting approach accordingly. Tricks and techniques that may work effectively in other instances will likely fall short in this situation. Instead, try the following strategies in order to land the ideal candidate for the job:

Know where to place job postings

If you’re placing a highly specific job posting in all of the usual spots and hoping that candidates with special training will see it, don’t be surprised when your search presents you with candidates who just don’t have the training or experience necessary to succeed in this role. Instead, you’ll need to focus on doing some specialized advertising in order to get the word out about the open position.

Take some time to think about online destinations that would appeal to your ideal candidates. Are there message boards they’re reading? What about websites they rely on for information? Consider taking out ads on these sites instead of relying on more general forums. This will help you to conduct a highly focused search.

Speak the language properly

In order to find the right type of candidate, you need to know exactly what you’re looking for. What kinds of training should the person have? What about certain certifications they will need? You’ll need to learn the specific terminology that qualified candidates will be scanning for as they search for jobs. Use these phrases to give an applicant an idea about exactly what is expected of the person who fills this position.

Do some networking

If you’re hiring for a highly specific skill set, chances are that these individuals are members of professional organizations and other groups. Use these gatherings as a chance to network. Even if you know nothing about the field, attend meetings when appropriate and work to bolster your own Rolodex. That way when a position becomes open again, you’ll have a list of names to call instead of blindly hoping to find the right candidate to fill the role.

How do you approach recruiting for a niche position? Let us know in the comments!

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