Recruiting Should Be Targeted and Personal

RCS Influencer Trent Cotney believes that effective recruiting requires a great culture and in-person connections. 

At Cotney Attorneys & Consultants, our primary strategy is to go where our candidates are. We recruit not only lawyers and paralegals, but also administrators, marketers, training professionals, sales managers, and consultants. Those diverse roles require diverse approaches. 

Like most companies, we post new positions on Indeed and LinkedIn, but we do not stop there. We utilize more specific platforms such as veteran job boards and association websites. 

Even when using LinkedIn, our HR department thinks creatively. For instance, they might post a paralegal position from the profile of one of our paralegals. That way, the notice is seen by all of that person’s network, which is more targeted. HR uses a similar practice when posting attorney and sales positions. 

In addition, HR uses JobTarget, which is linked to our Paychex System. That platform allows them to post jobs and manage applicants from more than 20 job boards in one place.  

Beyond posting for new jobs, our HR department is committed to HR branding. This means they post internally and externally whenever one of our employees wins an award or attains another achievement we want people to know about. This approach enables current employees to feel good about their workplace, and it encourages others to be a part of our culture. 

In addition, when I attend conferences, I am always on the lookout for smart people. It is beneficial to see people in action at these events and get to know them in person. Then when they are looking for a new role or our company has an open position, we can reconnect. That makes the recruiting process much more personal.  

No matter where I am — locally or around the country — when I meet people who really impress me, I will talk to them about our company and gauge their interest, even if they are not actively looking for a new position. I find that constantly being on the lookout for great talent is the best way to recruit. 

Trent Cotney is an advocate for the roofing industry, General Counsel of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and several other industry associations. For more information, contact the author at 866.303.5868 or go to www.cotneycl.com.