Finding candidates in a short market

🔥 🔥 🔥 I bet you are all reeling after another day at work trying to find that perfect candidate in the shortest market we’ve ever seen!

I feel your pain!

Listed below are some ideas that may help you unearth that star.  

Your database!  Yes, yes I know, it’s probably full of dead phone numbers and candidates who are no longer in your sector but are you checking?  And most importantly, when you do connect and get to update that candidate file, are you asking who else do they know, and reminding them of your referral scheme!  This is equally applicable to temps and perms desks.  At this point it’s a good idea to update marketing preferences and check email subscription permission too so your list is managed effectively.

Your referral scheme – is it good?  A bit more than some high street shopping vouchers? 

Your runners/men out/workers/temps, whatever your jargon is – are they working for you?  I mean really working for you?  Can they leave your contact details for other temps to find?  Do they speak well of you to other temps?  Do your temps get referral rewards?   (I have heard stories of sign in books being photographed but couldn’t possibly comment on the ethics of that!) 

Your previous placements for perms:  again, who do they know?  Who are they seeing on pitches, client visits, who are their competitors who seem to be doing well.

Your LinkedIn connections – who are you connected to.  When was the last time you phoned them?  Yes, with the actual phone 😂  Who else are they connected to, who can they put you in touch with; who do they know?   Also look at the LinkedIn sidebars:  People also viewed, People you may know.  


Your expertise - Show your value to your network.  Have something to email your network after your conversation, something of interest to them, that will help them with a question or issue that came up in conversation today.  Ultimately, recruitment is a contact sport, if you don't like talking to people then you're probably in the wrong game.

Your LinkedIn searches – bypass the built in search if you can and get better at Boolean searching Google.  You will get faster, cleaner, more accurate results if you hone your x-ray skills.

People in your phone/in your email/in your desk drawer who aren’t on the database (no comment on this one!).  When was the last time you phoned them.  And yes you guessed it: who do they know?


Keep good records of contacts and conversations too so you are making sure you are covering your network.

Remember, no-one is a candidate until they say they are, and actively engage with you.   Watch out for “you can put me forward if you want to”.   Let’s explore this a bit more in our next blog.


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