Accenture employs referral programs as part of its recruitment methods by granting its candidates the ability to recommend others. Candidates can select “Get Referred!” by connecting via Facebook or LinkedIn. Subsequently, the applicant can request a referral from an employee and include it with their application.
On the other hand, Google uses employer branding as a unique recruitment method, which draws in the finest of the best talents. The world’s most brilliant and skilled people are drawn to Google because of how well the company has used its brand.
Each company implements hiring strategies that fit its requirements. However, their tailored recruiting methods get them the top, highly skilled employee base.
Today, with at least 65% of applicants researching their employer branding before accepting a job offer, it’s important that hiring managers and recruiters employ creative hiring methods to attract them. So, to help you discover your next best hire, we have compiled 15+ types of recruitment methods. Let’s begin.
15+ Types of Recruitment Methods
There are different types of recruitment methods to assess and employ a candidate. Internal recruitment methods consider your existing workforce for open positions, whereas external recruitment methods require you to look for candidates outside your organization.
With the remote workforce a major part of today’s work culture, online recruitment methods are also gaining popularity. Here are 15+ different recruitment methods covering all three approaches to refine your hiring process.
Employee Referrals
Most likely, your staff members know the abilities required to succeed in a particular position. You can use them to find top applicants without paying for job post advertisements.
Research conducted by ICIMS found that compared to non-referred hires, 50% of referrals could maintain work for a minimum of 38 months.
Referrals from current employees are a great way to save money on advertising and give prospective employees an idea of your company’s unique culture. Using this strategy, you can draw in interested but passive prospects for your open positions. You can incentivize your employees to recommend possible hires through cash bonuses or business perks.
✅ Why use this method?
- Cost-effective
- Reliable candidates
- Quicker shortlisting
| 💡Quick tip: To attract high-quality applicants who will remain with your company for the long haul and deliver better performance, activate employee networks and set up an automated employee referral program. Create an easy-to-use program for employees to refer others to that you can effortlessly oversee. |
Transfer
Employee transfer is an internal recruitment process. It works with companies that have multiple branches. For example, when there is an urgent opening for a team lead’s role in one of your company branches within the country, you can transfer a team lead from a different outlet with the same experience.
It helps you spend less on training and increments. This might be a lateral transfer to a position with comparable responsibilities and compensation or a vertical promotion to a more advanced function.
✅ Why use this method?
- Limited budget involvement
- Better retention
- Internal mobility
- Organizational flexibility
| 📝 Note – When discussing transfer prospects and employee expectations, it is important to keep the lines of communication open. After the move, get input from the new team and the employee to understand and enhance the process. |
Employment exchanges
This is an external recruitment method. The government-run Employment Exchange program fills job vacancies with competent job seekers. In other words, each country’s government maintains a record of job seekers.
The exchange office will then receive the list of open positions from the employers and details on qualified applicants. The employment exchange typically posts openings for artisan, agricultural, and factory workers. You can notify the employment exchange about your vacant positions, and they will update you if the requirements match.
✅ Why use this method?
- Reliable records
- Suitable for both skilled and unskilled jobs
- A diverse pool of applicants
Direct advertising
Direct advertising is when companies post employment advertisements in trade journals, public job boards, and career websites. It is a fantastic method of reaching a wide audience of potential employees and increasing your company’s visibility.
Print ads are still useful for connecting prospective employees, especially in certain sectors or areas. Nevertheless, most applicants can be on internet job sites such as Monster and Indeed. To advertise job openings and offer details about your company’s culture and values, you can also set up a specific “Careers” page on your website.
✅ Why use this method?
- Wider reach
- Ideal for urgent requirements
- Targeted outreach
Freelance platforms
The number of independent contractors in the US has risen to 75 million, a startling 22% more than the previous year.
Hiring independent contractors via online platforms is becoming increasingly common as a flexible and cost-effective solution for short-term or project-based requirements. Instead of more conventional types of hiring, freelancers normally work on specialized platforms such as Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr. Additionally, there are niche job boards for freelancers.
✅ Why use this method?
- No long-term commitment
- Reduced overhead costs
- Access to global talent
| 💡Quick tip: You should settle on a payment schedule before the freelancer begins working. This schedule should cover the full price, the payment schedule, and the mode of payment. Make sure you and the freelancer are on the same page regarding any potential extra expenses when the project scope changes. |
Passive candidates
While not actively seeking employment, a passive candidate possesses the necessary abilities and credentials for your available position. These people have a good job history and have job satisfaction at their present workplace.
But if you give them the appropriate opportunity, role, or offer, you can get them to switch. Use social media, recommendations, professional associations, or word-of-mouth to connect with passive candidates.
✅ Why use this method?
- Access to a hidden talent pool
- Transparency from the candidate
- No pressure to make hasty decisions
Talent pool databases
Use your talent pool database to find qualified candidates who haven’t been hired yet to reduce recruitment expenses and effort. When a position opens up, look for candidates with comparable experience and qualifications in your talent pool.
Suppose that out of six candidates for the two sales representative roles, five did exceptionally well throughout the interview process. If you want to hire the best two performers, you may put the rest in a talent pool and contact them when job postings become available.
To grow your talent pool, you must recruit people from different industries and organizations, such as colleges and universities, offering certain degrees.
✅ Why use this method?
- Quick and efficient
- Proven track of candidate eligibility
- Proactive
| 🏆 Pro tip: An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can effortlessly arrange your talent pool into a neat database. It also helps with the rediscovery of talent by keeping track of applicants’ credentials, experience, and skills from prior job applications. |
Professional networks
Hiring for high-skilled jobs can present unique difficulties. Throughout this external recruitment process, your hiring managers may find it difficult to locate applicants with the required abilities.
You can attend industry-specific events, conferences, and networking get-togethers to connect with professionals from a wide range of industries and build relationships with potential applicants.
✅ Why use this method?
- Access to industry-specific talent
- Targeted approach
- Credibility through association
Recruitment events
Recruitment events can take various forms, such as school/campus activities, hackathons, and job fairs. They can also take place digitally, like Amazon’s Career Day, or in person at colleges.
Many recent grads are excellent candidates for top positions due to their innovative spirit, comfort with cutting-edge technology, and eagerness to learn. Screening them can prove to be a wise investment down the road.
✅ Why use this method?
- Access to young, skilled talent
- Opportunity to shape the future workforce
- Exposure to diverse candidates
| 🏆Pro tip: Organizing a “bring a friend” event can help an open recruitment day succeed by attracting more participants. You can also attract a crowd by inviting a well-known speaker from the business. |
Boomerang employees
Employee turnover can occasionally be attributed to outside factors. This indicates they have a good rapport with their superiors and depart on good terms. These solid relationships might get them consideration for jobs in the future.
Boomerang workers have the advantage of already being a good fit for your internal structure and corporate culture. Because it speeds up the induction process and lowers the possibility of a disastrous hire, this frequently puts them ahead of other prospective candidates.
✅ Why use this method?
- Proven track record
- Familiarity with company culture
- Reduced training
Internships and apprenticeships
Many companies use internships and apprenticeships to prepare employees for future positions and give them valuable work experience.
An entry-level role is the stepping stone to every outstanding leader’s journey. Apprenticeships and internships have the potential to cultivate future leaders and skills.
Through internships, businesses can evaluate possible applicants for full-time employment prospects and develop future talent. Platforms like Internshala are great for sourcing quality talent. You will start getting applications within a few hours of posting and hire within 2-3 days.
✅ Why use this method?
- Close interaction with potential candidates
- Cost-effective
- Source of fresh ideas
| ⚠️ Disclaimer: You should not fill a position with an intern only because you lack the funds to pay a more qualified candidate. You should never consider an intern to be cheap labor. |
Promotions
Onboarding and training expenses for a new hire range from $2,792 to $4,425. Because internal recruitments are speedier (less recruiting) and involve less training and onboarding, promotions are cheaper. Not to mention that internal hires frequently outperform external recruitment in terms of success rates.
When your organization has an opening, you may extend an employment offer to current employees. In addition to better compensation, a promotion offers the individual increased responsibility and career advancement.
✅ Why use this method?
- Increased employee retention
- Budget-friendly
- Enhanced employee motivation
Social media recruiting
Randstad reports that 39% of applicants use social media to look for their next position. Plus, it’s only reasonable to join the 84% of businesses already using social media for recruitment purposes.
You may significantly expand your reach and source candidates by posting jobs to your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles. Due to their lower cost compared to job sites that charge for clicks or premium services, these sourcing channels can be your best bet if you don’t have a large budget for hiring.
✅ Why use this method?
- Solid employer branding
- Widened professional network
- Instant industry or market updates
| 💡Quick tip: You can add a hiring banner on LinkedIn to notify everyone who views your profile image that you are hiring. |
Recruitment agencies
Hiring agencies is a great way to assist you with hard-to-fill positions. They have a wide network of possible applicants and provide customized staffing services. Additionally, it frees up time for you to focus on your main company functions.
Companies who don’t have the time or resources to fill job openings internally may find it helpful to work with recruitment agencies. Also, you have a choice between broad and sector-specific agencies.
✅ Why use this method?
- Industry expertise
- Access to a large talent pool
- Saves time
| ⚠️ Disclaimer: Hiring a recruiter is undoubtedly expensive. Fees typically account for 20% or more of the placement’s pay. Furthermore, some job seekers would apply directly to the company rather than through a hiring agency. |
Word of mouth
Word-of-mouth is effective for well-known businesses because their offerings are easily identifiable.
If your employer brand is highly regarded, you will attract and retain top talent more easily. Spread the word and wait for competent applicants to begin applying to your business — that’s all there is.
When you’re in charge of hiring, everyone on your team, in your partnerships, and your stakeholder groups can be a potential referral source for talented individuals. The ideal candidate will be acquainted with and enthusiastic about the company’s core values and culture.
Word-of-mouth recruiting depends on the legitimacy and trust of current connections to draw talent and produce a satisfying applicant experience.
✅ Why use this method?
- Highly-effective
- Less expensive
- Employee familiarity with company culture
| 🏆Pro tip: Use social media to build an excellent employer brand. Post content on your company’s social media accounts highlighting your work environment, values, and corporate culture to attract prospective employees. |
Headhunting
Finding candidates for senior corporate jobs typically follows a different procedure than for lower-level roles. We need a headhunter for these positions. Since these positions are essential to the business’s success, they usually call for specialized knowledge and are nearly always too sensitive to fill through conventional hiring channels.
Headhunting, often called an executive search, can be initiated by many individuals. These include senior HR specialists, company executive team members, or even the board of directors.
✅ Why use this method?
- Access to passive candidates
- Targeted approach
- Expertise in finding top talent
Choosing the Right Type of Recruitment Methods For Your Organization
Your company’s recruitment methods bear much weight when looking to fill key positions. So it’s important that you refine your process with the following techniques.
📄 Pre-employment Tests: There is no better indicator of future employment success than a candidate’s performance on pre-employment tests; in fact, they outperform even IQ tests and resumes.
Pre-employment tests are ideal since they allow you to identify individuals with the necessary abilities early in the hiring process. If the candidate isn’t a good fit for the position, you won’t have to waste either of your or their time.
⚙️ Applicant Tracking Systems: ATSs facilitate hiring by enabling hiring managers to better oversee the talent acquisition process. Recruiting software can help a business that is always hiring save time and money. Verify that the program streamlines hiring by automatically posting openings and finding suitable applicants. Effective software also facilitates the sorting of applicants, scheduling of appointments, and onboarding of new employees.
📹 Video Interviews: Sometimes schedules don’t work out, especially if you’ve been looking for top talent who is already working somewhere. Similarly, scheduling in-person interviews might not be feasible with candidates spread out throughout the state or perhaps the nation. Video interviews can be very useful recruitment methods for candidate pre-screening.
It is possible to automate video interviews so candidates can record and conduct their interviews whenever it is most convenient. Recruiters and hiring managers can study video interview footage at their convenience to decide if the candidate will be interviewed in person or by management via video.
🧠 Artificial Intelligence: The use of AI to swiftly sift through resumes and applications is on the rise. Recruiters can employ artificial intelligence (AI) in screening and interview processes on a deeper level. A chatbot can screen applicants in real time instead of interviewing them with an HR professional or business leader.
This approach has made it possible to hire large numbers of people for businesses in high-turnover industries. At the absolute minimum, recruiters and companies can use it to review vast applicant pools and find prospects who will be subjected to more formal interviews.
Use Peoplebox to hire and retain top talent
To put together a winning team, you need to know the benefits of each technique and adjust your strategy based on your company’s requirements. It’s okay to try several approaches and see what suits you the best to find the ideal candidate for the position. But who wouldn’t want a one-stop solution?
Peoplebox is a one-stop talent platform powered by GenAI that simplifies internal mobility, goals, performance management, hiring, and career development.
Automating skill-gap analysis and talent matching facilitates the recruitment, development, and retention of highly skilled personnel. Thanks to its 50+ integrations with various HRIS/ATS, communication platforms, and work tools, it assists HR departments with quick hiring and better adoption of goal alignment, performance reviews, 1:1s, and surveys.
Peoplebox uses AI to combine talent acquisition and management seamlessly. It filters resumes in the applicant tracking system (typically tens of thousands), shortlists the best ones, and provides scores, strengths, and weaknesses for each prospect using GenAI and current performance insights.
Need real-time reporting and analytics to make faster talent decisions? Try Peoplebox today!
FAQs
1. What are the three types of recruiting?
The three main types of recruiting are internal (promoting or transferring existing employees), external (hiring from outside the company), and third-party recruiting (using agencies or headhunters to find candidates).
2. What are the 5 stages of the recruitment process?
The five stages include job analysis and planning, sourcing candidates, screening and shortlisting, interviewing and selecting, and onboarding the new hire.
3. What is the most frequently used method of recruiting?
Online job postings and employee referrals are among the most commonly used methods, as they are cost-effective and provide access to a broad talent pool.
4. Which recruitment method is the most effective?
Employee referrals are often seen as the most effective method due to the quality and reliability of candidates, as well as the speed and cost-effectiveness of the process.
