How to Finish 2019 Strong

It’s crazy to think, but we’re entering the home stretch of 2019! While most staffing firms conduct an end-of-year assessment of their company, now is actually the perfect time. The end of the year is busy enough; you don’t need to add a bunch of process changes to that as well.

So, what should you be looking at now to make sure you finish 2019 on a high note and are ready to attack 2020?

Website – The New “Front Door.” You might as well start at the “front door.” I know it can be hard to take an objective look at something you are very close to. But, if you take on the mentality of a prospective client or candidate, what does your site say about your company? Are you a $200 million company but your website makes you look like a $200,000 company? Then it might be time for a refresh. And don’t forget the mobile side. With 52% of all website traffic coming from mobile devices, it’s critical that your mobile experience is seamless for visitors. And having a great mobile experience is also tied to…

Your Job Board. A candidate’s first experience with your firm will likely be your job board. How can you make sure you create a great first impression? First, make sure it’s mobile friendly. Try searching for a job on your phone. Is it easy to navigate? Is the text big enough to read? Are the buttons easy to hit?

While you’re at it, take a look at your job descriptions. Do your job descriptions really entice candidates to apply? Or are they a bulleted list of mundane qualifications? With unemployment so low, many of the visitors to your job board might be “passive” job seekers. What makes a new position good enough to make them want to leave their current job? Make sure you are really selling the position.

Email Marketing. Contrary to popular belief, email is not dead. Think about one of the first things you do when you pick up your phone in the morning. I bet it was “check your email.” Email is still a quick and cost-effective way to stay in touch with clients and candidates. You can basically stay top of mind with any potential clients and candidates with the click of a mouse. How long would it take your sales or recruiting team to reach out to everyone in your database?

Social Media Presence and Activities. Do you dominate your social media position? Or are you just posting pics of puppies and babies? No offense to the dog lovers out there, but to stand out in a crowded social media landscape you need to be providing great content that is of interest to your audience. It shouldn’t just be about you. A good social media program is a mix of job postings, candidate profiles, content with take home value, and I guess a cute puppy here and there won’t hurt either.

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Candidate Experience. On a past episode of our Secrets of Staffing Success podcast, Leigh Ann Pagnard gave a great piece of advice: Spend time as a candidate in your own company. From the application to the interview, to testing, what is it like for the people who visit your site or walk in the door? How do you feel afterwards? Do you feel like you just went through the ringer? With the shortage of available candidates, you must ensure that your experience is better than your competitors’.

Internal Processes. Don’t forget all of the items the outside world doesn’t see. Your internal processes can make a huge difference in your time-to-fill, the ROI of your sales efforts, and the productivity of your staff. Similar to going through the candidate experience, I suggest sitting down with each department in your office to figure out what can be done to streamline your internal processes.

Evaluating these areas of your company now will make sure you don’t get bogged down in end of the year activities and overlook critical opportunities to improve your business in 2020 – and beyond.

Todd Lewandowski

Todd Lewandowski
Todd Lewandowski is a marketing advisor at Haley Marketing Group. He can be reached at tlewandowski (at) haleymarketing (dot) com.

Todd Lewandowski

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