Master the Hiring Game—A Deep Dive into 21 Types of Recruitment

The recruitment process is an essential component of building a strong workforce, but many businesses struggle with finding the right talent. Not knowing which recruitment method to use can add to their difficulties. Different types of recruitment may be more suitable for different roles or industries, and using an inappropriate recruitment method might not bring you the best-suited candidates for your specific needs.

For example, using a job board that’s not industry-specific for a niche role might not reach the most qualified candidates, while using an internal recruitment method for a role that requires fresh ideas and specialized expertise might limit your options. Choosing the wrong recruitment type can lead to decreased productivity and have a negative impact on the business’s bottom line.

In this article, we will dive into the various types of recruitment to help you make informed decisions. A well-chosen recruitment method, combined with a top-notch ATS and skills assessment tool like Workello, can improve your chances of attracting the right candidates. This approach streamlines the hiring process and ultimately helps you make the best selection. Stay tuned to learn about the different types of recruiting and how to best utilize them for your business’s success.

1) Transfers

An employee transfer is a horizontal movement of an employee to a different location within the same company, that does not involve any changes in status, pay, or responsibilities. It’s an efficient way to fill a vacant position. However, this method usually doesn’t bring in new ideas or perspectives. There are 6 types of transfers:

1. Production transfer—moving an employee to a department where more help is needed
2. Replacement transfer—an employee is transferred to fill a vacant position left by another employee
3. Rotation transfer—switching roles or departments to learn new skills
4. Shift transfer—a change in an employee’s work schedule
5. Remedial transfer—moving an unhappy or struggling employee to a more suitable role or work environment
6. Penalty transfer—a disciplinary action resulting in a less favorable work location or position

2) Promotions

When a higher-level position opens up, it’s common to promote a current employee. This method is great for motivation and helps retain top talent. When employees know they only need to perform better than their coworkers to get a promotion, they work harder and improve their overall performance. 

Source: Clutch

A company should be cautious when choosing external recruiting over promotions because the need to compete with an unknown number of external applicants can be discouraging for employees. The downside is that promoting someone can create another vacancy that needs to be filled, potentially leading to a domino effect.

3) Talent Pool Databases

By maintaining a database of promising candidates who didn’t make the cut in the past, companies can quickly identify potential hires for new positions. A good applicant tracking system (ATS), such as Workello, can help you with talent rediscovery by storing information on candidates who have applied for previous roles, including their resumes, skills, and experience. By using advanced search features and filters, recruiters can quickly identify and reconnect with previous applicants who may be a suitable fit for new job openings. This process not only saves time and effort in sourcing new candidates but also helps in building long-term relationships with potential talent, fostering a proactive recruitment approach.

4) Job Advertisements (Online and Print)

Print advertisements can still be an effective way to reach potential candidates, particularly in specific industries or localities. However, you will find most candidates on online job boards, like Indeed and Monster. You can also create a dedicated “Careers” page on your company website to share job openings and provide information about your company culture and values.

Source: Statista

Combining these methods allows for a diverse pool of candidates, but it can be time-consuming to sort through all the applications. That’s another reason why a powerful ATS like Workello comes in handy—its unified dashboard gathers all applications in one place, no matter what online platform they came from, and lets you screen and filter them with just a few clicks. Additionally, Workello offers over 900 expert-written, SEO-friendly, customizable job description templates, which is important because a well-written job description allows you to attract the right candidates and minimize the number of applicants who are unsuitable for the role. Once your job description is customized, Workello will generate a link for you to post your ad on any job board or social media site of your choice.

5) Social Media Recruiting

Leveraging social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn to find potential hires can be a cost-effective and efficient way to reach a large audience, and most employers use these two platforms. 

Source: Content Stadium

You can recruit candidates on social media by:

1. Posting job ads—just like job boards, you can also pay to promote your job postings on social media in order to put them in front of more jobseekers
2. Sourcing passive candidates—you can find and engage with potential candidates who may not be actively seeking new jobs

You can also use social media to create a strong employer brand. Share content on your company’s social media channels that showcase your company culture, values, and work environment to attract potential candidates. You can target a specific audience by participating in discussions and sharing your job openings in relevant groups on social media. On LinkedIn, you can add Hiring banner, to let everyone who sees your profile picture know that you are hiring.

6) Industry-Specific Job Boards

These specialized boards cater to specific sectors, making it easier to find candidates with the right skills and experience. Like general job boards, you can post job listings, including those created by Workello or another ATS. If a niche job board offers a resume database, it’s a good idea to search for potential candidates based on specific criteria. There is usually some degree of employer branding allowed as well. Niche job boards also have these unique features:

1. Target audience—they are focused on a specific industry, profession, or demographic, for example, Tech, Sales, or Finance
2. Networking opportunities—they often offer networking opportunities, industry news, and resources specific to the targeted profession or industry
3. Quality of candidates—employers using niche job boards may find high-quality candidates with specialized skills and experience
4. Cost—posting jobs on niche job boards may be expensive, but the return on investment might be higher

7) Freelance Platforms

Hiring freelancers through online platforms can be a flexible and affordable way to meet project-based or short-term needs, and it’s growing in popularity. Freelancers are usually found on dedicated platforms, like Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr, rather than through traditional recruitment channels. There are also specialized freelance job boards.

Source: International Labour Organization

By working with freelancers, companies can quickly scale their workforce up or down, depending on the project requirements, without the long-term commitment and overhead costs associated with full-time employees. Furthermore, freelancers often possess unique skill sets and expertise that may be difficult to find in the local job market, enabling businesses to tackle specialized projects or gain a competitive edge. The downside is that freelancers may not be as invested in your company as permanent employees.

Additional 14 Types of Recruiting

Here’s a table with the additional 14 types of recruiting methods, including their pros and cons:

Securing the Best Talent with the Right Type of Recruitment and Workello

Types of hiring include internal approaches such as transfers, promotions, and talent pool databases, as well as external ones like using job advertisements, social media recruiting, niche job boards, and freelance platforms. Other popular methods involve re-employment, employee referrals, networking events, job fairs, and many more. By understanding the various types of recruitment methods, companies can optimize their hiring process, reduce costs, and ultimately secure the best talent for their organization.

Workello can help you further enhance your recruitment efforts. A powerful yet affordable ATS, Workello offers templated job descriptions, saves and manages candidate data, and lets you track and filter applicants from different job boards and platforms in one unified dashboard. It provides a fully automated hiring funnel, ensuring that you don’t overlook the ideal candidate or unintentionally make an offer or rejection to the incorrect person. Additionally, with its impressive library of templated pre-employment tests, created by industry experts, Workello helps you find the best match for the role among the candidates. Click here to try it for free.