3 Ways to Expand Your Job Applicant Pool

The term “war for talent” was coined by McKinsey’s Steven Hankin in 1997 and popularized by a book of the same name in 2001. It refers to the rise of ever fiercer competition to recruit and retain employees when too few workers are available.

The war not only rages on to this day, those in battle are getting more desperate as the unemployment rate sinks to 20-year lows.

Here we have three ways you can expand your reach, grow the applicant pool, and find the right people for your team.

Make Job Posts Compelling

Job postings serve as the gateway to attracting talented individuals to your organization. At the forefront of this gateway is the job title itself. To maximize the number of applicants, it is essential to consider broadening job titles whenever possible. There may be highly qualified job seekers who possess the necessary skills but feel intimidated by specific job titles. By de-specializing titles, you can create opportunities for these individuals to connect with your job postings.

Once potential candidates click on your job post, it is crucial to seize the opportunity to captivate their interest. It’s not enough to solely outline the role and responsibilities. Take this chance to showcase your company, its culture, and the growth prospects it offers. Unfortunately, many companies underestimate the significance of this initial impression, which leads to a significant reduction in their applicant pool.

CHALLENGE: Compose a job advertisement that intrigues even retirees, enticing them to read it in its entirety. Utilize storytelling and marketing techniques effectively, while ensuring accuracy and transparency. Considering the vast number of job listings online and the multitude of applications job seekers submit, your goal is to make every applicant yearn for a call from your company above all others.

Keep The Application Process Simple

If you’re struggling to attract applicants, it may be an issue with the process. Consider using LinkedIn’s 1-Click Apply or Glassdoor’s Easy Apply. If you’re worried that might make it too easy and you’ll suffer more of a deluge than a drought, consider simplifying the application process in whatever way you can to strategically reduce friction.

CHALLENGE: Go through the process of applying for a job at your own company, ideally at a time in the day when you’re at your most tired and ready to leave work. Note to yourself all of the points in your current process that make you want to put away the computer and take a nap. Just note them down.

The next day, when you’re fresh, review your notes. Which of these points of friction could be made easier or eliminated altogether? These are probably the points where applications that have been started are stopping.

Keep in mind that job seekers, particularly those who are unemployed or underemployed, are often applying to numerous job opportunities. If a candidate appears unwilling or unmotivated to complete the application for your position, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are lazy. They might simply feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of applications they need to submit. In today’s competitive job market, there is a high demand for talented individuals, resulting in many companies streamlining their application processes to make them more user-friendly and accessible for job seekers.

High-Quality, Low-Cost Benefits

Regardless of the types of jobs a job seeker is searching for, their motivation is to work hard in exchange for an easier life. This is why, in addition to competitive pay, offering competitive benefits is a requirement for hiring. Especially if you’re hiring part-time, seasonal, or freelance employees, offering a benefits package will immediately differentiate you from the vast majority of companies seeking to fill those same roles.

CHALLENGE: Look at competitive offerings at other companies. Do your benefits stand up?

One easy solution is to offer low-cost, high-value benefits like the Alliance Value Plan from Alliance Direct Benefits. The Alliance Value Plan includes access to health, travel and education benefits. The Alliance Value Plan retails for just $10/month and covers employees AND their dependents all for one low price. And the best part – plans can be employer or employee funded. Even if you don’t pay for the benefits, simply offering the option for Employees to buy it can offer you a competitive edge.

• 24/7/365 access to Teladoc® telemedicine services without a consultation fee. Teladoc is a national network of U.S. board-certified physicians who use electronic health records, telephone consultations and online video consultations to diagnose, recommend treatment and write short-term, non-DEA-controlled prescriptions, when appropriate. 
• Global Emergency Services, the nation’s largest provider of global emergency medical services 
• Roadside Assistance, who has been providing emergency dispatch services to over 12 million members since 1956 
• Full access to the Family Legal Plan provided by the Legal Club of America®. 
• Identity-Theft Resolution with an experienced fraud specialist through CyberScout. 
• Alliance Scholarship & Grant Program for employees and their dependents to get access to the Alliance’s generous Scholarship and Grant program

While these benefits are not intended to replace health insurance plans, they are offered to provide members with access to emergency assistance and opportunities to save money.

In Summary

Think like a marketer when you post jobs. Make it easier for job seekers to apply for positions. Show your prospective and current employees that you care about their best interests.

After all, the best way to expand the applicant pool is a healthy, happy workforce that loves working for and with you and is willing to spread the message.
For more information, and to become an Alliance member, visit the Alliance Direct Benefits website today or call us at 1-800-733-2242 (M-F, 7am-5:30pm Central Time). If you are interested in offering your employees benefits as part of a group package, you can find out more about our Value Plan group plans here.