More than any other factor, a low unemployment rate—between 3.5 and 5%—defined the recruiting landscape in 2018. The hiring shortage and the increased competition that came with it led to a candidate’s market, posing a significant challenge for even the savviest HR departments, across virtually every industry.

2019 is shaping up to be similar, so it’s never been more urgent to have a highly optimized recruitment strategy to grow your enterprise in this candidate-centric environment. Fortunately, there’s a wealth of tools available to help your HR department reach new heights. The challenging part is creating a cohesive strategy out of these tools—a strategy that works for you targets your ideal candidates, and allows you to stay one step ahead of the competition.

Recruitment marketing through employer branding

In 2019, it’s downright naïve to think that candidates are going to seek you out. Now more than ever, it’s your responsibility to distinguish yourself by using marketing techniques in your recruitment strategy. There are many ways to engage in recruitment marketing, but one of the most essential is building your employer brand so candidates will have a clear and positive impression of your business.

Improving your candidate experience and communication

One troubling phenomenon that unfortunately emerged in 2018, and is poised to persist in 2019, is the ghosting of employers by candidates. Employers are justifiably frustrated by this trend, and many different solutions have been proposed. The best way to mitigate this problem is by doing everything you can to improve your candidates’ experience, with special attention given to improving communication during the hiring process. Respond to all candidate inquiries in a timely manner, give frequent updates, and check-in frequently. If you’re managing a large-base of prospective employees, a state-of-the-art ATS (applicant tracking system) will help you keep track of each applicant’s status, and can even help you automate part of the hiring process.

Social Media Recruiting

Social media recruiting will continue to rise in prominence in 2019, as people are spending more and more time on social media each year. Social media can be used to find candidates in niche fields, facilitate communication, grow your network, build your employer brand, and reach passive candidates. Success with social media recruiting begins with knowing what platform is best for your needs. LinkedIn is useful because it features special tools for hiring managers, however, savvy HR departments find utility in all platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even lesser-considered social media websites such as Pinterest.

Acquiring Talent for Long-Term Benefits 

When it comes to your 2019 recruitment strategy, merely hiring—that is, filling positions—is just the tip of the iceberg. In a candidate’s market, you’ll want to minimize the amount that you have to hire at all. After all, constantly trying to fill openings makes for a tumultuous workplace—this is where talent acquisition comes in. Talent acquisition can guide your hiring strategy—by recruiting candidates that can grow within your organization, take on additional responsibilities, and recruit their peers, you’ll be able to improve your business. In a sense, merely recruiting is the HR equivalent to treading water, while talent acquisition will actively move you towards your goal.

Work Smarter not Harder with Automation and Analytics

There’s no technology that can unilaterally turn your hiring strategy around. That said, there’s no reason to go at it alone in 2019. When implemented correctly, new hiring technologies can help your recruitment strategy flourish. Chatbots can help facilitate communication with candidates, and data-driven analytics tools can give you essential feedback about which aspects of your strategy are working, and which ones aren’t.

Putting it all together

If you maintain a steady hand, no challenge is insurmountable. There’s no doubt that for the foreseeable future of recruitment, power rests squarely with the candidate. You can respond by being the best you can be, and optimizing every aspect of your recruitment strategy. By developing a recruitment marketing plan, taking steps to improve communication with candidates, hiring for talent acquisition and not just filling positions, and utilizing social media platforms alongside emerging analytics technologies, 2019 can be a year of recruiting success and growth.