When the labor market is tight, companies sometimes go to great lengths to attract skilled workers. For example, in 1996, Thomson Financial Services, a Boston-based financial research and analysis firm, spent $33,000 to promote its employee recruitment program. The firm paid $17,000 to bring in a small menagerie, complete with an elephant, llama, and other animals, to promote a contest for a trip to San Diego including a visit to the city’s famous zoo. The prize went to the employee who referred the most job candidates to human resources.

We haven’t heard of anything so outlandish being done in the AEC industry, nor do we recommend going to those lengths in recruiting, but it just goes to show that there are many creative ways to jumpstart your recruiting efforts. And going the extra mile while trying to attract new employees can pay off.

Here are several effective, but sometimes overlooked ways to attract new candidates:

Employees. Do you let employees know which positions you have a difficult time filling? Do they know how they can help you find potential candidates with hard-to-find skills? Too often firms fail to communicate with staff about the recruiting challenges they face. Your employees represent a ready source of recruiters—make sure they know what you're looking for and understand your recruitment and selection process. Offering incentives to reward recruiting efforts can pay off. Of course, you don’t need to hire a zoo and offer a fancy vacation package. Giving out restaurant gift certificates to employees who provide the most referrals is a more modest incentive plan that can work wonders. Make sure you publicize this program frequently to your staff.

General media. Do you communicate with writers and editors at your local newspaper and with trade publications in your area? Positive stories about your company and its human resources practices help boost your image as a great place to work. Consider contacting the media about special benefits your company provides (such as on-site day care, health club memberships, concierge services, etc.), about your employees' involvement in community events such as charity fundraisers, or about other notable HR activities. For example, some firms have received positive press about paying the full salary of employees who serve in the National Guard while they are stationed in Iraq even though the law does not require them to do so. This exposure can augment your other efforts to inform the public and potential job candidates about your company—and it’s free.

Schools. Area technical colleges and universities can be good sources for new applicants. You may already have relationships with these schools, but there are many ways to reap recruiting benefits with them: make career presentations, create internship programs, advertise job openings in school publications, post job openings in school bulletin boards and alumni publications or Web sites, and attend job fairs. These efforts take time and resources, and results may be difficult to gauge, but over time they can bolster your company's image and applicant pool.

Open houses. Don't wait for someone else to hold a job fair. Hold your own open house to attract candidates. These events are opportunities to show off your firm to interested applicants. Be creative with the event and make sure you're providing value to those who attend. Tell them about your firm’s expertise and show them that you have a passion for your work.

Rejected applicants. An applicant who wasn't right for one position can sometimes be perfect for another. And a candidate who has already been to your office for interviews is already familiar with your firm and has expressed enough interest in it to apply for a job with you. Someone or several people in your firm already know a good deal about such applicants. But without a good data gathering and tracking mechanism, these applicants can be forgotten. Make sure you have a reliable way of gathering and sharing information among business units and regional offices on all potential hires.

Hot Candidates


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