Even small businesses need a brand identity to attract top talent in the job market. The purpose of recruiting is to make that brand attractive to potential candidates. A strategy without clear purpose can send mixed messages during the recruitment process. Consider some of the following strategies to help focus your message.
Two Main Recruitment Strategies
Recruitment marketing can be narrowed down into two strategies, according to Lori Syliva of Rally Recruitment Marketing:
- Adding more candidates into the top of the funnel, or
- Getting more candidates to make it to the bottom of the funnel
Depending on the needs of your company, you may not be attracting the right kind of talent (top of the funnel). Or, you may be losing quality candidates showing interest (bottom of the funnel) because there are parts of your recruiting process are weak.
“The key,” says Sylvia, “is identifying where your biggest gaps are and focusing your strategies there. By zeroing in on the top, middle or bottom of the funnel—or all!—you can make a meaningful impact on your hiring outcomes.”
Essential Recruiting Tactics
With all the budget in the world, you could host large industry events, buy spots in nationwide advertising, and an active mail campaign. But even on a smaller budget, you can maximize your recruiting dollars by spending more effort and less money:
- Internal recruiting. Sometimes the best candidate for the job already works for you. Hiring from within saves time and money. Current employees know the culture, require less training, and can be a valuable asset in a new position.
- Employee referrals. Employees are effective ambassadors for your company. Referrals are hired at a rate of about 30 percent versus 7 percent by other methods. Developing an effective employee referral program with incentives takes some effort, but the results can lead to higher retention numbers and recruits that come in with company knowledge to start.
- Alternative interviews. You can become known as the company who doesn’t just ask the same 10 interview questions as everyone else. Creative interview strategies include portfolio presentations, case studies and problem solving, role playing, or group interviews.
- Applicant tracking software. One of the best ways you can spend your recruitment budget is on robust applicant tracking software like ApplicantStack. With integrated tracking, messaging, and sorting, you have all the candidate data at your fingertips.
Candidate Outreach
The tone you set in your recruiting communication can go a long way towards attracting top talent. Consider the following best practices for sending emails.
Be concise
Aim for 150 – 200 words, and always proofread before you hit send. Spell-check can catch spelling mistakes, but it won’t catch misused words that are spelled correctly. Some people find using an LLM like ChatGPT helpful as a proofreader or editor. Simply enter the text of your drafted email, and review the results for clarity and corrected grammatical errors. Make sure the content is accurate before you hit send.
Use a thoughtful subject line
Most of us scan email subjects quickly, so you want to be sure your email stands out and warrants a stop. Avoid cliches and phrases easily caught by spam filters.
Maintain a consistent voice
Though multiple members of the hiring team may be involved in recruiting emails, it’s valuable to generate an in-house style guide so the voice always sounds consistent. Again, AI may be a helpful tool for maintaining a consistent and professional tone.
Use a warm and engaging tone
Warm and engaging doesn’t mean either casual or overly jargon-filled. Your goal is to sound like a real person. Jenna Kalinsky from OneLitPlace suggests this exercise: “The best way to do this is to visualize the person to whom you’re writing. See their face, imagine them laughing at something you said. Then write to them from that feeling. (Even if they aren’t your favorite person, or you’ve never met them, imagine a person on the other side of your words. It helps humanize and warm your tone measurably).”
Personalize beyond the candidate’s name
Addressing someone by name is the bare minimum; how else can you foster recognition? Consider how you became introduced to them and mention that briefly – the name of a shared connection or a project you’re familiar with, for example.
Avoid pressure language
Avoid falsely urgent or overly sensational phrases like “this position won’t last,” “what are you waiting for,” “you’ve been selected for an opportunity of a lifetime,” or “you’re the winner.” Instead, use language that shows respect for the candidate’s intelligence. Spell out the opportunity in clear, concise language and include a call to action such as “after you read over the job description, I’d love to set up a call to discuss next steps.”
Automated Tools in Recruiting
HR professionals are discovering the power of automated tools to “augment and automate manual, repetitive tasks while offering personalization and data insights throughout the hiring process,” says Phenom’s Monica Montesa. “AI is the science of training machines to simulate human intelligence and develop systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.”
AI is not meant to replace human recruiters, contrary to some common beliefs. Instead, AI tools automate some of the time-consuming recruiting tasks like screening and scheduling. By removing some of the tedious aspects of hiring, you can free up human labor for more strategic, big-picture goals. Montesa suggests three helpful possibilities:
- Sourcing: AI-powered matching and scoring capabilities identify the best-fit candidates automatically.
- Screening: Candidates are ranked based on predefined criteria to streamline shortlisting.
- Scheduling: AI chatbots and calendar integrations coordinate interviews efficiently.
Effective recruitment requires a multi-pronged approach. By developing your voice and taking advantage of all available technology tools, you can focus your recruitment message and bring the right candidates to your door. ApplicantStack makes it easier to manage the hiring process and find top candidates. Plus, onboarding tools streamline
- Onboarding Checklist: Turning New Hires into Long-Term Employees - August 19, 2026
- Exit Interview Questions That Get Honest Answers (And a Checklist) - August 11, 2026
- How to Build a Hiring Process From Scratch - August 5, 2026
