Spicing up old skool techniques: A guide to offline recruitment

Before digital technology exploded into our lives, offline recruitment was the name of the game.

The recruitment landscape’s changed rapidly. Digital communications are now top dog, and vital to effective recruiting. However, offline techniques can support and add to these communications, so are also worth some thought.

Here's a quick look at the top offline tactics, and how you get the best results by using a combination of offline and online techniques:

Face-to-face meetings

We're social beings, so a face-to-face meeting should never be underestimated.

Whether you're looking for talent at a conference, marketing show or industry meet-up, face-to-face interaction helps you keep things targeted and gives you a chance to break down barriers.

People who attend industry events either have relevant experience, or are passionate, motivated and ready to be moulded by a supportive employer. They’re ripe for the picking!

Here's how you can spice up face-to-face meetings with technology:

• Check out the attendees' list beforehand to get a better idea of who you want to speak to
• Use social media to interact with attendees before and after the meeting
• Focus on building a rapport rather than swapping details; look them up on LinkedIn later

Offline advertising

Online job ads are key to your recruitment arsenal. But, offline advertising can also pack a punch.

Offline ads tend to receive a condensed number of more relevant applications, helping you cut down on admin.

They can also keep things local, meaning less time spent arranging pre-interview communications with candidates based overseas.

Depending on the role you’re recruiting for, some applicants might not be so tech savvy. Perhaps they'll choose not to apply as they want to send in a CV rather than filling in your recruitment form, or they'll be put off by a completely online experience including emails, career microsites and more. Whatever the reason, it makes sense to bolster your recruiting channels with an offline route.

You can still support your offline ads with your digital framework:

• Use a candidate management system to administer your applications
• Upload hard copy documents and share them with relevant staff across the company
• Find a digital recruitment partner who knows the best offline channels to advertise on

In-house talent

Most in-house communications are performed digitally. However, offline methods could really give your recruiting drive a boost.

Nurturing talent in-house is cheaper than heading out into the job market. It also gives you a chance to test-drive their abilities, meaning there's less chance of an expensive failed hire.

Use offline techniques to train up staff and improve the leadership skills of your supervisors and departmental managers. Keeping this in-house also means they've been taught all the right skills, in the right ways, according to your business.

Here's how offline techniques can improve in-house talent training and recruitment:

• Use personalised, hand-written notes to recognise achievements - these will boost company morale and loyalty
• Create a internal hiring recruitment program, using incentives to encourage this area of offline recruitment
• Improve your internal employer branding by promoting openness and opportunities

Of course, you can always add a bit of tech to improve or streamline the processes. For example, you can analyse employee progress through an employee management systems and motivate/reward them through offline techniques.

Offline recruitment can still do so much for HR staff, hiring managers and recruiters. The human touch will never lose its appeal, but by sprinkling a little technology in all the right places, you can combine the best bits of online and offline recruitment techniques.