(By Laurie Kahn) The end of the year that is. And the end of a decade. As a professional recruiter, it can be very challenging to try to fill jobs between mid-December and mid-January as people are in and out of town, they are waiting on bonuses, their minds are just not on their careers at this time of the year.
While there is a lot going on, this is also a great time to be networking and letting your community know what a great company you are to join. Here are some helpful tips to best utilize this down time.
- Use your staff to offer holiday wishes on-air and online. Highlight your newer hires and have them share why they joined your company and what they like about working for you.
- Drop the traditional “want ad” that you may be airing. Use this time to promote your culture, your team, your success, etc. Share stories about how you have helped make a difference for listeners and clients, share examples. Keep in mind, often family comes back to town over the holidays, it is a great time to promote to them as one never knows who is looking for a job locally.
- Talk up what you have done for your team for the holiday. Did you host a fun party? Did you have a team-building event? Did you give time off for holiday shopping? Did you volunteer at a non-profit? Did you adopt a special charity to help make a difference? Brag about it. Share this info on your website, on-air, on your social media. Try to get some local press coverage for more bang.
- Go to every party and networking event you can. Be prepared to ask people about their 2020 plans, if they are happy, if their goals are being met. ASK them for a card. The ball should be in your court. Follow up and let them know you enjoyed meeting them and ask for a coffee date in the new year.
- If you host a toy or clothing drive, collect names and contact information from those who work the event. Add them to your target list of prospects to go after, not only for business but for referral leads.
As we go into the new decade, one thing is certain. Radio stations WILL have more turnover and more often. Many Boomers will soon be retiring and there needs to be a plan to replace them. There is no better time to start making changes to your talent acquisition program than at the beginning of the year!
Laurie Kahn is the creator and founder of Media Staffing Network. She has worked with media companies since 1993 helping them hire top managers and sellers.
