Attracting Talent from Rural Areas

When I was tasked with the responsibility of attracting talent from rural areas to work in other rural areas nearby, I quickly learned that Indeed alone was not the best tool for attracting the talent that we needed.

Instead, the following strategies worked best for me:

1. Developing Relationships with Community Stakeholders

Depending on the size of the small town, different types of resources are available for job seekers. This ranged from public libraries to government agencies and/or employment services agencies. Going into the community and hosting career fairs locally made it easier for us to engage with candidates and for them to gain a better understanding of our company.

2. Advertising in Local Newspapers

Although the cost for this advertising method can add up quickly, it is important to determine if it is better to post an ad for "Now Hiring ___" or to advertise a Hiring Fair. I had the opportunity to compare the number of candidates I attracted through Coffee News versus a sponsored ad on Indeed. Within a two week period, we were able to attract three candidates through the newspaper ad versus one through Indeed.

3. Engaging with Facebook Groups

It is really neat to see the number of small communities that use Facebook groups to share updates within the community including upcoming events and job opportunities. This is a great way to maximize on word of mouth through sharing upcoming hiring fairs and employment opportunities with your target demographic. If a recruitment team has the capacity, it might be worth engaging prospective candidates through different interest groups.

Having difficulties finding talent? Reach out to us for a FREE consultation at hello@newwinsolutions.com.