Developing local community partnerships with nonprofits, schools, professional associations, events, and more expands candidate pipelines by targeting overlooked qualified talent pools.
Partner with Nonprofits and Social Good Groups
Build collaborative partnerships with local nonprofits, social enterprises focused on social impact, community service organizations, religious groups, and other entities assisting overlooked populations in obtaining employment. These include programs supporting veterans, new immigrants, differently-abled individuals, those with criminal records, at-risk youth, economically disadvantaged communities, and related groups.
Meet with leadership at these organizations to explore co-developing programs and preparing and connecting their members to your open roles. Provide job skills education, host facility tours and information sessions, participate in mock interviews and career coaching, place targeted job ads, and fundraise for their initiatives. Offer work-based learning opportunities at your organization, like multi-week internships, job shadowing days, and hands-on mentoring.
Jointly design training curriculums combining general workplace readiness foundations with role-specific tactical skills needed for your jobs. Fund wages for nonprofit participants during the program through grants. Guarantee interviews for graduates meeting program requirements.
Forging local relationships centered on empowering diverse communities builds trust and qualified applicant interest. Your efforts upskill candidates while driving social impact and expanding sourcing channels to access motivated talent.
Work with Local Schools
Cultivate partnerships with local high schools, community and technical colleges, trade schools, universities, and boot camps offering education aligned to your open hourly positions. Reach out to instructors of relevant vocational classes, clubs, and skills programs to explore engagement opportunities.
Offer to host onsite field trips, provide informational interview days, conduct practice interviews, sponsor skills competitions, donate needed equipment, and participate in career panels. These initiatives provide students exposure to your workplace while spotlighting your brand.
Develop paid internships, apprenticeships, work-study programs, and part-time roles, enabling students to gain hands-on experience while still completing their studies. Convert promising participants into full-time hires upon graduation.
Early exposure to your work environment attracts more quality candidates from these feeder schools who gain familiarity with your culture and advancement paths. Hands-on learning experiences facilitate smooth transitions into entry-level roles.
Join Chambers, Industry Associations, and Workforce Boards
Getting involved with local chambers of commerce, industry associations, professional networks, workforce investment boards, and economic partnerships expands your community connectivity.
Attend member networking events, request introductions to aligned companies seeking hourly talent, and seek out speaking engagements. Participate in community initiatives like virtual job fairs, skills training programs, candidate referrals, and economic development.
Serve on association boards and committees with workforce development, policy, and education focuses on raising your profile. Chambers and industry associations provide insider access to peers sharing hiring needs who may become future partners.
Engage local labor associations and unions to understand worker priorities and how best to attract their membership. Join Young Professional networks to connect with individuals advancing into leadership roles aligned to open positions.
Promote an Authentic Employer Brand
Demonstrate true values and commitment through community involvement beyond just marketing messages. Make authentic connections supporting causes genuinely important to the types of candidates you seek to attract.
Share stories spotlighting employees volunteering at nonprofit partners, participating in chamber initiatives, and benefiting from workforce development programs. Promote this behavioral employer branding on your careers site and social media, not just polished ads.
According to recruiting experts, showcasing who you are as an employer through public involvement builds trust and interest in local talent pools. Tying your brand as an employer to meaningfully serving the community resonates with today’s purpose-driven workforce.
Get team members directly involved by providing paid time off for volunteering and matching donations to charities they care about. Support employees feeling empowered to represent your brand while giving back.
Sponsor Community Events
Raise brand visibility while giving back by sponsoring and actively participating in local cultural festivals, concerts, sporting events, affinity gatherings, job fairs, and community activities. Have booths with engaged staff sharing employer information, sparking conversations, and meeting potential applicants.
Get creative with contests, giveaways, or activities at your booth, driving high interest and traffic. Collect contact info through lead gen promotions for future nurturing. Avoid overly sales-focused gimmicks – make authentic connections showing your involvement.
Look beyond just industry conventions and partner creatively with events your target workforce cares about attending. Informal local events provide networking and exposure to broad audiences, including active and passive prospects.
According to HR specialists, creatively sharing your open positions with diverse audiences at community events expands qualified candidate pipelines and builds rapport. Combined with digital campaigns, offline outreach taps local talent pools while strengthening community ties.
Conclusion
Tapping into local networks reveals overlooked qualified hourly talent pools while showcasing your employer brand values in action publicly. Community partnerships demonstrate commitment beyond your own walls to build trust and spur talent interest. Leverage Chattr to streamline your high-volume hiring process and achieve staffing goals through automated, AI-driven recruiting capabilities.
