Trouble Finding Local Job Candidates? Here’s Where to Post Job Openings for Local Roles
Working from home, remote work, Zoom meetings — many companies in the private sector have had to switch entire strategies for what teamwork looks like. That also means a change in hiring strategies, now that you don’t need someone to live locally or come in for a traditional face-to-face interview. In fact, a recent study showed that around 16% of companies globally are now fully remote, and 62% of employees aged 22-65 say they work remotely at least part of the week.
Remote work has been a positive improvement not only on the mental health of current employees, but opening up the door for new employees to be hired from (and work from) around the globe. But what if your business is currently working a hybrid model, and needs someone who can commute in to the office? Or if your industry requires a lot of hands-on, in-person work?
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The best way to find local job candidates fast is, ironically enough, to cast a wide net — but do it smartly. This includes not only getting in touch with local resources, such as state and city job services, and local universities, but also utilizing social media posts and online job boards. With the right tools at your disposal, you can target your candidate search online without resorting to putting up “help wanted” signs around town.
Certain job search sites in particular like ZipRecruiter will have specific tools on how to narrow your search and reach out to qualified candidates in your area, and we’ve rounded up the best options for your business. Here are the best sites to find local talent online, so you can hire smarter, not harder.
ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter attracts millions of job seekers every month, and chances are, at least some of them will be in the area you’re trying to hire in. What we love most about ZipRecruiter is that they have a few key tools that make it easier to find and invite candidates to apply who are most likely to be able to work in your area.
One key to securing a local hire, especially if you already have a candidate in mind, is ZipRecruiter‘s “Invite to Apply” tool. You can either send pre-written or personal messages to your favorite candidates, which is sure to encourage a quick response so you can fast-track your search. “Invite to Apply” finds local candidates for open roles even before they apply, showing employers detailed information about the candidate, including experience, education, veteran status, certifications, and a rating indicating how strong a match they are for the role.
There are also tools, like ZipRecruiter‘s “TrafficBoost,” that give your job posting a little extra boost, including increased placement and visibility across their linked job boards. “TrafficBoost” helps secure more eyeballs, too, since the tool will promote the position until it receives the number of views you’re aiming for (100-300 views per post), or for up to 30 days.
ZipRecruiter for Employers: Post a Job Online Now
Indeed
Indeed is one of the largest job sites in the world, which means a bigger audience, but you can choose to use the platform wisely. The platform allows for free job postings, although with so many listings, the posts are often replaced and can lose visibility fast. But the employer dashboard does include some good candidate and job management tools.
Small, local job board specific to your location are good, but if you’re set on a popular site, then Indeed has a few features you can use to hire locally. Indeed not only allows you to set the basic location for the position, but set requirements to help you prescreen the applications. You can also add some application questions (and specify where someone is based out of), as well as other steps like skills tests.
Indeed for Employers: Post a Job Online Now
SimplyHired
If you want a more hands-on experience in picking and choosing the best candidates in your area, than SimplyHired is your best bet. A publishing partner of Indeed, they often will include the same listings on both platforms, but SimplyHired has some great features, such as applicant management and job description tools.
SimplyHired pulls from a pretty large pool of candidates, so it’s up to you to use your discretion, as well as their features, to select the ones that will work out in your area. This includes resources to craft effective job descriptions out of the bat, like setting screener questions to auto-qualify applicants. You can use this step to emphasize location and see if your candidate would be a good in-person team player.
It’s a pay-per-contact pricing model, too, so you’ll only be charged when you decide to unlock a applicant’s contact information, ideally one that’s in your area.
SimplyHired for Employers: Post a Job Online Now
Glassdoor
Glassdoor
Glassdoor not only gives you the key to hiring locally, but they have the analytical tools to determine who your target market is, candidate demographics, and how potential candidates are engaging with your job listings. You can use all this information to your advantage to tailor your brand’s profile and your job listings with specific keywords, and even use social media to your advantage.
The platform has several plans, but the Standard and Select plans include insights about where the followers of your company are located, keyword analysis of reviews, and comparisons to your competitors. Use the site’s add-on targeted advertising option to display your job postings for top talent, with the right kind of messaging (i.e. mentioning the job is hiring in a specific location).
Glassdoor has partnered with Indeed, too, so you’ll be able to have paid job ads that display on both Glassdoor and Indeed (although you can no longer post jobs exclusively to Glassdoor).
Glassdoor for Employers: Post a Job Online Now
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