sources and methods that aid volume recruitment

High volume recruitments can be very challenging due to the sheer numbers involved and the complexity of filling multiple open positions across divisions. It brings with it unique challenges, the biggest one being meeting the required numbers within timelines and without compromising on the quality of talent. Whether recruiting for a large organization functioning at a global level or a smaller, more local business seeking to fill multiple vacancies, the challenge of sourcing quality talent in high volume remains a big one for the recruiters. While volume hiring is common in retail and hospitality, it can be a requirement across verticals, including more complex ones like technology or BFSI. 



An average job opening receives up to 250 applications and the average time to hire is 39 days, whereas the best talent is off the job market usually in just ten days. While the avenues to search for and filter out promising candidates are plenty these days – ranging from social media to referrals, attracting and closing in on good talent when time is of essence can be tricky. Here are four ways recruiters can source quality talent when hiring in large numbers. 

1. Begin with your existing data pool

Your previous sourcing and hiring efforts as recruiters continue to pay off at later stages of hiring. However, re-engaging applicants is highly underestimated and often overlooked. Even though 99% of companies believe re-engaging can help them grow their talent community, less than half of employers actually re-engage with declined candidates. 

How to best use the source 

Going through your existing data pool of candidates can save you much time and effort while hiring in large numbers. Companies can use their application tracking system (ATS) to search and retrieve resumes with matching skill-sets, and re-open conversations with prospects. You can also consider involving other hiring managers and team members to participate in the hiring process at different stages and filter more suitable candidates at each stage for all decision makers to review, making the recruitment process more effective. The system helps recruiters schedule, align the process and even collect feedback in an organized and effective manner. 

2. Search online for unique talent 

Internet and social media networks have created immense avenues for recruitment. Using regular job posting sites has become an established practice, and gradually, social media and professional networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. have also gained prominence as talent sources. While candidates might not be actively looking for new roles, professional networks like LinkedIn will help assess promising candidates who can then be persuaded with attractive propositions, particularly for key roles. According to a 2018 CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to recruit talent. 

How to best use the source 

HR managers are using social media to not just source but also assess talent. Some employers also use professional social media platforms to assess their current employees by analyzing their individual profiles. Organizations must the power of online media when it comes to sourcing and screening top grade talent in volumes. Diversify your online sources and presence, and bring in vertical-specific, less-known sources into the mix to personalize your approach and improve the quality of candidates. For instance, ‘Github’ is a site specific to hiring developers while ‘Dribble’ is the site for recruiting designers. Depending on the roles and levels you are hiring for, optimize your brand’s presence on relevant social media sites to attract talent. A case in point is McDonald’s who leveraged Snapchat to invite career applications from young job seekers for the summer, recruiting over 250,000 employees for the season.  

3. Leverage your employee network

Firms have been using referral methods to incentivize employees for quality recommendations for a long-time. This is a proven route to reach out to candidates and improve your hiring outcomes. According to LinkedIn, employers can increase their talent pool by 10X by hiring through their employees’ networks. 

How to best use the source 

Organizations can reach out to employees about the talent requirement and open roles in the organization by conducting sourcing sessions with the team. Leveraging your employee networks will not only help you tap less-explored talent pools but also improve chances of candidate responses. Online networking sites make the process easier by suggesting profiles based on your employees’ online social network. 

4. Be creative and tap into offline channels 

Meeting offline reduces the competition for talent and also improves your chances of sourcing more focused and rather ambitious candidates. Industry leaders with an innovative approach create their own hiring events to invite quality talent in large numbers. Taco Bell for instance, threw a hiring party to attract new-age candidates. Interestingly, 50% of the applicants were found to be suitable for the jobs. 

How to best use the source

Attending industry, job or skill specific events can be a great way to reach out to a more targeted group of potential hires. In case of high-volume recruitment, it makes even more sense to create your own hiring event where recruiters as well as current employees have a chance to interact with potential hires. This also creates an opportunity to present candidates with a glimpse of your organizational culture and offer a great brand experience overall. 

Most of your efforts to source high performing talent are impacted by your employer brand value. At a time when employees are more aware and connected than ever before, your brand presence is out there for job applicants to see. Your outreach messaging is directly linked with the value your employer brand has in the job market. According to iCims, an HRTech solutions provider, 94% of candidates are likely to apply to a job if a company actively manages its employer brand. Therefore, it only makes sense that you leverage your employer brand to attract talent through different channels.