No matter what industry your business might be in, hiring the right employees is essential if you want your operations to run as smoothly as possible. These are individuals who are equipped with the right set of skills so you can outperform your competitors.

But recruiting and retaining top talent can be a daunting task, especially when you have to compete with big firms. Most candidates typically prefer to work for larger companies because of the more attractive benefits and deeper pockets.

Plus, there’s the belief that big names look better on resumes.

This leaves SMEs such as yours with limited options, especially when filling in technical positions. When you have a hard time finding specialists, you may be forced to change the services you offer. You won’t be able to ask for a higher rate either as the quality of the work might not be as impressive as others.

Rest assured, there is a way for you to attract and retain talent even when you can’t afford expensive perks. Have a look at the tips we’ve shared below.

Begin hiring as early as possible

Do you want to recruit people who are fresh out of college and are looking to make a mark in the world? If yes, so do bigger organisations. Get to these candidates before everyone else by contacting the best universities early.

How? Email them at least 3 months before the school year ends to talk with career counselors and students regarding remote arrangements.

Incorporate wellness in your culture

According to many candidates, a job becomes more appealing when it includes a health and fitness program. This is because employees are likely to look for other positions or be absent from work when they’re stressed or feel they aren’t cared for.

Flexible schedules help improve work-life balance and are easy to implement for virtual assistants in different time zones.

Have a strong social media presence

To effectively reach beyond your geographical location, learn to utilise social media to inform job hunters about your company and the vacancy. A LinkedIn profile provides great exposure and is free to make.

At the same time, you get access to a database of resumes. Browse through hundreds of candidates and reach out to those who meet your requirements.

Keep the initial meeting short

In doing an initial interview with a lead, keep the discussion short and to the point. Your pitch must be concise to see if they will be interested in a follow-up.

Show that you respect their time so they’ll be more inclined to learn more. In this way, neither of you will be wasting time and effort in talks that won’t even push through.

Lean towards being a small community

Make candidates see that working for an SME is beneficial to their career. They can build stronger relationships with their colleagues, become more visible in the company, and have more one-on-one time with the management.

Furthermore, they’ll be made to wear many hats and hone their skills. To put it simply, they’ll feel more valued and learn more than when they work for a larger organisation.

Speed up the recruitment process

Expedite the hiring process to prevent top talent from going elsewhere because they grew impatient from hearing back from you. Make a strong offer when there’s a strong candidate that you really want to snag.

Fact: Some employers take months before deciding on the best applicant, but by then the potential hire may no longer be available. Don’t be that employer.

Write engaging job descriptions

Make a good impression with your listings to convince candidates to want to work for you. Ensure that your ads are attracting the kind of people that you prefer.

If it seems that most of your applicants aren’t what you’re looking for, revamp your descriptions so they’re more fun and engaging. Do the same for your pitches as well. Customise your messages whenever and wherever possible.

Let’s join forces

To gain the advantage when looking for the best talent for your organisation, partner with Remote Workmate. In addition to sourcing high-performing specialists, we also do all the heavy lifting for you, including processes like screening, recruitment, and payroll.