Beyond the Obvious: Innovative Places to Source Top Talent

Today’s fast-paced, globalized workforce has shifted away from traditional talent acquisition methods.

Companies failing to adjust in this modern talent ecosystem now risk falling behind. Traditional methods come with inflexible hiring systems, higher costs and delays, and limited access to a sufferable lack of competition. On-demand talent & freelancers have become crucial to businesses worldwide, and they find their best chances at being hired in fresh environments centered around their needs.

Your business will hire talent like never before, if you learn to embrace innovative strategies that reflect the future of work. In this article, we’ll cover the basics on how.

How has the search for top talents evolved?

Three major changes have thoroughly driven us into a forever-changed talent landscape:

• Tech

• Globalization

• Expectations

Our technology today, and the unique skill-sets of empowered workers across the globe, has forever changed the expectations of employees.

Professionals––the term includes all seeking work, from single-project freelancers to full-time employees––are looking for flexible, autonomous, meaningful work. Work that aligns with their values.

These independent workers are becoming more selective, prioritizing opportunities that offer more than just competitive pay. Companies creating compelling work experiences, laying out their values with absolute clarity, and embracing these new dynamics will be better positioned to build a future-ready workforce. 

3 innovative ways to modernize your talent-hire practices

These compelling work experiences start before day one. Posting cookie-cutter job descriptions and waiting for candidates to apply isn’t enough. 

Proactive businesses attract top talent. From leveraging borderless hiring, tapping into fresh talent pools, to building a strong employer brand that tells a wonderfully-unique story, the modern company goes beyond the status quo. Modern businesses create worldwide opportunities and connect with highly-skilled freelancers and professionals.

These three innovations will help you modernize your business’ recruitment.

1. Bake borderless hiring into your recruitment strategy

In the second quarter of 2024 in the US fully on-site roles had drop to 67% of the open roles, and both hybrid and remote job postings are continuing to increase overall according to Robert Half, this trend is also seen on a global scale. 

Borderless hiring allows you to tap into a global talent pool, increasing diversity and access to specialized skill-sets. You can effectively implement borderless hiring into your own recruiting strategy by:

• Establishing remote work policies: Create clear guidelines for remote work to accommodate employees from different locations. Ensure your technology infrastructure supports collaboration across time zones.
• Using global job platforms: Post job openings on international job boards and professional networks like LinkedIn, Remote.co, or We Work Remotely to reach a wider audience.
• Understanding legal requirements: Familiarize yourself with international labor laws, tax obligations and employment regulations. Consider partnering with global employment organizations to handle compliance.
• Adapting your recruitment process: Be flexible with interview scheduling to accommodate different time zones. Use virtual interviewing tools and consider cultural differences during assessments.
• Invest in onboarding: Develop a comprehensive remote onboarding program to smoothly integrate new hires into your company culture, regardless of their location.

Freelancers and on-demand talents will bring specialized skills and fresh perspectives to your table. Borderless hiring practices open a literal world of possibilities for accessing them.

2. Build your employer brand & tell your story

Employer branding is critical in this digital age of transparency.  

Candidates in global talent pools are drawn to organizations with compelling narratives that resonate with their personal and professional values. Building your employer brand isn’t something that can be done overnight, and hopefully it is something everyone within your organization can recognize immediately. It’s time to put that down on paper, and express your compelling story, your values, in your hiring practices. 

• Leverage social media networks: Beyond LinkedIn, tap into platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where many companies have successfully showcased their company culture through authentic, engaging content. Short-form video content, such as "A Day in the Life" or behind-the-scenes glimpses, will broaden your generational talent pool.
• Engage on niche platforms: Platforms like GitHub, Stack Overflow (for tech talent), or Behance and Dribbble (for creatives) offer excellent opportunities to showcase your company’s projects, values and brand through the work you do. Engage in these communities by sharing insights, offering guidance or presenting case studies of your employees' work.
• Host webinars and virtual events: Organize webinars, hackathons or Q&A sessions where potential candidates can learn more about your company culture and interact with your team. Use platforms like Zoom and specialized sites like Eventbrite and Hopin to extend your reach. Events like these provide a direct and interactive way to share your story and engage with talent on a deeper level.
• Partner with industry-specific blogs and forums: Many professionals ingest industry insights by frequenting specialized blogs, forums and newsletters. Partnering with these publications or contributing guest articles can enhance your employer brand among niche audiences.

Building your brand requires having an active presence across the web. Wherever your business’ talents can shine, your story will come to life. Utilize your resources––employees, time and funds––to bring your business to life. 

3. Leverage project-based platforms

Some may call it the Gig Economy, but skilled freelancers and independent workers across the globe use one-off projects as relationship building tools and portfolio boosters. 

Platforms that showcase these projects have paved the way for modern businesses to connect with skilled talent. Access to these vast pools of talent allow recruiters to readily discover professionals with the right expertise for specific projects. To use effectively utilize them, you’ll need to:

• Identify your project needs: Ask yourself what the scope, objectives and skills needed are for your project. With these clear definitions, finding the right freelancer will be simple.

• Craft irresistible job posts: Publish comprehensive descriptions that outline expectations, while being thorough and transparent in expressing your business’ vision and values.
• Evaluate candidates meticulously: Review portfolios and client feedback, and conduct interviews or skill tests to assess any potential candidates’ capabilities. Respecting a candidate’s time through prompt actions and reasonable assessments is a vital expression of your business’ values.
• Cultivate relationships: Maintain good rapport with freelancers who perform well for future collaborations, creating a reliable network of on-demand talent. Remember that just because a candidate wasn’t great for one project, doesn’t mean you can’t collaborate in the future.

Freelancers and professionals across the globe want to work. Today’s project can turn into tomorrow’s full-time team member. Utilize these talent platforms to their fullest extent. Vet, manage and build your quality expectations rigorously.

3 methods to cultivate a true pipeline of talent

Thinking long-term is pivotal to the success of building a talented dream team. It’s not just about filling positions quickly, but fostering relationships and creating a steady stream of ready-to-act talent. 

1. Develop your talent into the future

Whether it’s your full-time employees or freelancers, investing in their growth pays off. For full-time staff, this could mean providing career development opportunities, ongoing training and clear paths for progression within your company. 

Many freelancers are moving away from limited projects. By offering long-term projects and investing in their growth, you can turn these freelancers into loyal assets. Swim in a reliable pool of talent.

2. Growing strong, lasting relationships

Stay in touch with potential candidates even when you’re not hiring. Regular communication and transparency keep them engaged and makes your company their first choice when opportunity comes along.

Consider creating and maintaining a guest Slack channel for freelancers where you can post updates, allow for discourse and remain engaged.

3. Mobilize your talent internally

Don’t forget to look within! Promoting from within and offering lateral moves keeps your current employees motivated and reduces the need for external hires. 

Internal talent marketplaces can help match your current employees with new roles, making sure you’re always maximizing the talent you already have. Focus on these strategies to create a dynamic talent pipeline that’s ready to meet any future need.

Wrapping up the modernization of talent acquisition

Sticking to traditional hiring practices isn’t enough. It’s time to embrace fresh strategies. By exploring innovative approaches like borderless hiring, fostering long-term talent development, and nurturing strong relationships with both full-time employees and freelancers, you will build a dynamic talent pipeline that supports your company’s growth.

The key to success in today’s competitive market is adaptability and forward-thinking. By reimagining your hiring process and focusing on creating a flexible, engaged workforce, you’ll be well-prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow.