Recruitment Methods for Employers

First published on Friday, September 30, 2022

Last updated on Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Hiring employees is crucial for the success of your business. You want to recruit the most talented employees that align with your company’s goals and workplace culture.

You will need to develop your recruitment strategies to find the best talent and avoid costly mistakes.

In this guide, we’ll explain how to recruit the best talent, various recruitment methods, and laws in Canada regarding recruiting.

What does a Recruitment Process Look Like?

Before hiring any applicants, you must first create the job description. You should make the job description as detailed as possible to provide applicants with an understanding of the job.

Other key items you should include in a job description are:

  • Responsibilities.
  • Qualifications.
  • Education.
  • Required Skills.
  • Place of Work.
  • Incentives.

A detailed job description will provide applicants with a full understanding of what you expect from them if they are hired.

What are the Different Recruitment Methods?

There are various methods of recruiting employees that can help you streamline the process and make it cost-effective. Whether you operate a small or medium-sized business, you may wish to consider these different recruitment methods to acquire the best talent.

Recruiting Internally

Employers often forget that the best way to hire talent is to hire from within. Hiring within your company is cheaper than advertising the position externally. It also reduces the cost to onboard and train external applicants.

You may be already aware of current employees that have the suitable skillset for the job.

Hiring internally also creates a progression structure for employees looking to grow within your company. This will help in retaining talent and improving staff morale.

Moreover, hiring internally can also help in the development of current staff to take over staff if they retire. Recruiting from within can help create a culture that shows that hard work is rewarded within your company.

Recruiting Externally

Hiring externally is the most common form of recruiting. It involves a variety of tasks including posting an advertisement in the newspaper or a community job board. Many employers use big online job boards to attract applicants. Typically, there is a cost to recruiting externally.

It also includes interviewing applicants and onboarding new staff. You must review all applicants and choose candidates who fit with the job description then interview accordingly.

Hiring externally will allow you access to a far broader group of applicants which you may not have if hiring internally.

Social Media

One of the more unique methods of recruitment is using social media platforms to attract or search for talented individuals. Being active on social media platforms may allow you to connect with potential applicants and help you expand your brand’s online presence.

Recruitment Events

For a company looking to expand, recruitment events are an ideal way to attract applicants and talent. Recruitment events can take place in various ways such as hiring events at the place of work, participating in job fairs, or attending college events.

They can be quite costly so be aware when recruiting through these events, you should know exactly what kind of candidate you are looking for. For example, if you are looking to hire someone for an entry-level position, you may want to recruit at college events or attend recruitment events close to the same.

Employee Referral

If are looking to hire someone who fits within your workplace culture, you may wish to consider referrals from your employees. Using employee referrals can be an effective way to identify strong candidates because existing employees are familiar with the workplace culture.

They are a cost-effective method of recruiting. You may wish to implement employee referral programs that incentivise your employees to refer professional colleagues to your business.

Recruitment Agencies

Another common recruitment method used by employers is recruitment agencies. Recruitment agencies are outsourced recruiters who are skilled in hiring employees. This is one of the most expensive recruitment methods, but it allows you to free up your time to run the company.

If you wish to minimize your costs, you may wish to contact a recruiter instead of a large recruitment agency.

How do I Decide Which Method of Recruitment is Best?

Not all methods of recruitment may assist you with finding the ideal applicant. For example, you may be on a budget when it comes to recruiting staff. You may want to explore a more cost-effective method such as social media or recruiting internally.

On the other hand, you may need immediate help but are too busy running the business. You may want to use a recruitment agency or a recruiter to help you find the ideal applicant.

Here are a few questions you may ask yourself that can help you identify which method of recruitment is best for you:

  • How much money am I willing to invest in recruiting?
  • Do I have the resources to interview all potential candidates?
  • What kind of candidate am I looking for?
  • What position am I filling?

Are There Any Laws in Canada regarding Recruiting?

Various provinces in Canada have implemented legislation on regulating recruiting agencies, but there is no legislation that governs you regarding recruiting other than human rights legislation.

Human rights legislation protects against discrimination based on various grounds such as race, ethnicity, creed, and sexual orientation. For example, provincially regulated employees in Alberta are protected under the Alberta Human Rights Act. Other provinces include:

  • The Human Rights Code of British Columbia.
  • The Ontario Human Rights Code.
  • The Human Rights Code of Manitoba.
  • The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.

The Canadian Human Rights Act protects federally regulated workplaces from discrimination based on a protected ground. Examples of these workplaces are:

  • Postal and courier services.
  • Telecommunication and broadcasting companies.
  • Port services such as ferries, canals, and bridges.

When implementing your own recruitment strategies and methods, you must ensure that you are not violating any human rights legislation when selecting candidates or you could be sued for discrimination.

Get Advice on Recruitment Methods with BrightHR

Employers should understand the various recruiting methods to ensure they are hiring the best talent in a cost-effective manner.

It is important to assess what type of candidates they are looking for to avoid costly mistakes that may hurt financially.

If you need assistance with how to recruit talent to your business, our BrightAdvice service allows you to receive quality advice on any employment issues you may have.

Contact us at 1 888 220 4924 or book a demo today.


Jenny Marsden

Associate Director of Service

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