How to Attract Talent in the UP

Two people sit at a table across from each other for a face-to-face interview.

You’re a UP employer that pays well, gives your employees upward mobility, and offers a generous benefits package. People rave about working for you and are excited about coming in to work every day. You’re a great place to work, right?

So, when you post a job in the paper, you expect a stampede of applicants to be charging through the door at 8 AM, resumes in hand. Strangely, you don’t have one applicant on the first day. What gives? A week goes by and you still haven’t received a single resume. Now, it’s been a month. Something has to be wrong.

This happens more than you would think, but it’s not your fault. The issue is that people who should be seeing your job posting aren’t seeing your job posting. This can be a simple fix. Check out some of the ways we suggest that you advertise your open positions below.

Contact your local Michigan Works! Business Services Specialist
Reach out to our Business Services Team. They have access to local job seeker lists, hiring events, and a State-run job board called Pure MI Talent Connect (PMTC). They can post and maintain your open position on PMTC free of charge.

Utilize a Hiring Event
A hiring event is a great way to let people know about your open jobs. You can run one yourself, partner with a local organization, attend a public hiring event, or have MI Works! put one on for you. Reach out to us if you are looking for more information about joining a hiring event or putting one on yourself.

Post it on Social Media
Social media might be intimidating, but it’s a free way to let local job seekers know that you’re hiring. Even when you aren’t hiring, you should be promoting the great things your organization and employees do. That way, you’ll have a great reputation that will draw in the best talent from the area.

Market to Verified Referrals
If you love your current employees and wish you had more just like them, ask them to refer friends and family to the position. There’s a good chance that, if your employee fits into your business model, their referral will, too. Once you’ve identified the referrals, send them a polished job description.

Network with Prospective Hires
Business After Hours events aren’t just a free meal. Make your presence known and learn about some of the attendees. If you like their background, get their business card. That way, when you have an opening, you can simply send the posting directly to them and urge them to apply.

These are just a few ways employers can get their job posting in front of the right people. When used correctly, they generate a positive return on the time you invest in the search itself.

If you have questions about these methods, or if you want to explore additional ones, feel free to contact us using the information below.

Phone: 1-800-285-WORK (9675)
Email: contactus@upmichiganworks.org
Text:
(906) 629-1976

For more information about UP Michigan Works! employer services, please click this link.