How To Hire Staff for Your Business
Hiring the right people is one of the most important steps a business can take and often one of the most challenging. Whether you’re growing your team, replacing a leaver, or expanding into new functions, knowing where to look and how to attract the right talent can significantly influence your success.
Other ways to find staff include placing adverts in local newspapers, attending business networking events, and exhibiting at university and college jobs fairs. You can read more about these options on the Start Up Loans website here: How to hire staff for your business.
In a competitive market like Oxfordshire, many employers are exploring a mix of traditional and modern approaches to sourcing staff. Here are five tried-and-tested methods that could help you find the right people:
1. Advertise Through the Right Channels
Posting a job advert remains a popular and effective way to reach active jobseekers. Online platforms like LinkedIn and specialist job boards often deliver the best results, especially when the advert is clearly written and well-targeted.
For local businesses, newspapers and community boards can still be useful, particularly for admin, office support or customer-facing roles.
2. Use Your Network
Word of mouth is powerful. Tapping into your existing network, whether personal, professional, or through industry contacts, can help uncover strong candidates who may not be actively looking.
Business networking events and professional associations are also a chance to meet people face-to-face, share your goals, and identify potential hires
3. Attend Jobs Fairs and Careers Events
Word of mouth is powerful. Tapping into your existing network, whether personal, professional, or through industry contacts, can help uncover strong candidates who may not be actively looking.
Business networking events and professional associations are also a chance to meet people face-to-face, share your goals, and identify potential hires.
4. Work with a Recruitment Agency
If you’re struggling to find the right people, or simply don’t have the time, a recruitment agency can take the pressure off.
Agencies like Allen Associates partner with employers to:
- Understand their business
- Source high-quality candidates
- Manage much of the recruitment process
This is especially valuable when you need to hire quickly, the role requires specialist experience, or you want to reduce the risk of a bad hire.
5. Build Your Employer Brand
Your reputation as an employer plays a big role in attracting top talent. A strong employer brand shows what you stand for and why people should work with you.
Simple actions like improving your careers page, sharing staff stories on social media, and responding quickly to applications can all help you stand out.
Final Thoughts
There’s no single route to finding great people. For some, advertising alone may be enough. For others, combining adverts with networking, events, and expert recruitment support delivers better results.
Whatever your approach, the key is to stay focused on your ideal candidate and ensure your hiring process reflects the professionalism and values of your business.
Get Support from Allen Associates
At Allen Associates, we work with employers across Oxfordshire to find brilliant people for roles in HR, Marketing, Finance, and Administration. Whether you’re hiring for the first time or looking to improve your recruitment results, we can help.
Explore our Recruitment Services or get in touch for tailored advice and support.