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This is a reprint from a 2006 paper by Office Depot. They often provide excellent “corporate” suggestions that when put in a networking recruiting arena, make a great deal of sense. I replaced “Employee” with “Distributor”. Also replaced ‘job’ with ‘Income Opportunity” to assist in the translation to your personal business. Here you have a team to work with and reply upon while being accountable.
We, however, if writing ‘Income Opportunity’ ads, refer to them as income opportunities. If listing on the Income Opportunity boards, click Independent Contractor not Employee. P/T and F/T are also acceptable options.
Be very specific, this is a home based income source with a full training and support system in place.
QUICK LINKS Evaluating Your Recruiting Choices Advertising Media for Income Opportunity Ads
Evaluating Your Recruiting Choices Before you bombard the world with news about your vacant position, take a minute to plan your approach. Like most things in business, planning makes for more effective decision-making. Before you write or speak a word, consider the following:
How immediate is your need? If you need someone immediately, certain media and methods will serve you much more quickly than others. If you need someone in a hurry, chances are you'll opt for the classified ads or use referrals from other business associates to get a quick turnaround, unless you are trying to recruit from far-away geographic locations (as may be the case if you're looking for applicants with highly specialized knowledge and skills). If you have more time and expect to have a harder time finding just the right person, there are additional methods, including other forms of advertising, that will allow you to reach a wider number of people and possibly be choosier about whom you bring into your business.
Do you plan on hiring a number of people at once? If you plan to hire frequently, it may be in your best interest to develop a relationship with one or more outside agencies. That can save you a lot of legwork in the search for the right Distributor.
Which methods can you afford? If you are on a shoestring budget, you'll find that certain media are less costly than others and may be just as effective as more expensive methods. The amount of money you're willing and able to spend on publicizing and advertising an Income Opportunity opening will largely dictate which methods and media you should use in your search.
No budget? If you use free advertising, you should have lower expectations than you would have if you were paying. Here are a few no-cost methods of advertising:
Small budget? If you have a budget big enough to handle only one ad, in most cases your best bet will be the classified ad section of the Sunday newspaper. Despite the discussion that the best Income Opportunities are never advertised, many employers still place ads in the newspaper and most Income Opportunity seekers read them. Not only that, but the trend seems to be that some major newspapers are putting their classifieds up on the Internet, so you may get more exposure than you bargained for. You may consider some online Income Opportunity posting, too.
Bigger budget? If you've allowed for a bigger budget, chances are that you're placing a high level of importance on the Income Opportunity and the person you'll choose. If you have the time and money, consider a display ad in a newspaper or trade journal (to attract a person with specific skills or industry experience). Other alternatives to consider if you want to reach a huge audience and spend more are television and radio.
Measure your success. If you anticipate that you will need to hire more Distributors in the future, keep a file of all the ads or other recruiting methods you've tried, and make a notation as to the number of responses (and qualified applicants) you got through each recruiting channel. That way you'll be able to recruit more quickly and effectively next time.
Advertising Media for Income Opportunity Ads
Advertising is the most common way to get the word out about your Income Opportunity. There is a variety of print and electronic media where you can advertise your Income Opportunity opening, and choosing a medium is the first step in your process. Some of the most commonly used methods are:
Once you've selected a medium, you can turn your attention to writing your Income Opportunity advertisement.
A classified ad taken out in a newspaper is the most common way to advertise an Income Opportunity opening. Classifieds have some major advantages:
To maintain goodwill in the community, you may wish to answer all replies, even if you just use a simple form letter or postcard. Two things will ease this burden:
Display ads. Instead of a small classified ad, you can buy a larger block of space on the classified pages and run an attractive display ad. Because it must compete with many other display ads there, the ad must be well-designed and distinctive.
But there's a lot more to a newspaper than the classifieds. Taking into account the audience you're aiming for, consider these other sections of the paper that may target the person that you think might have an interest in your Income Opportunity, and where you may want to place a display ad:
Blind ads. A blind ad does not identify the name of the company seeking Distributors, but instead lists an anonymous post office box to which Income Opportunity seekers can send their resumes. Blind ads are popular with employers because:
Blind ads aren't without their downside. Two primary drawbacks of a blind ad are:
There is a way to get around some of the stigma of the blind ad. Advise current Distributors ahead of time that the ad is being run. It can prevent the embarrassment of Distributors answering their own employer's blind ad. When creating your ad for the newspaper, be aware that there are things you'll want to say and things you don't want to say. Writing the Income Opportunity ad correctly will help increase your chance of getting the right person for the Income Opportunity.
Personal recruiting is another way to target people who may want to work for you. Personal recruiting is just that — personally looking for, meeting with, or contacting people whom you would like to hire.
Referrals from people you know. Everybody knows someone who needs an Income Opportunity. Referrals can come from colleagues, present Distributors, and friends. You can also call people you know and ask them if they are aware of anyone meeting your qualifications. Hiring referrals from friends or acquaintances has several benefits. Referrals can bring in quality recruits and can create a pleasant work environment where Distributors support one another and work harder.
Hiring too many people that were referred by other Distributors has its downside, too. If you get too many Distributors who are personal friends in the office, it can result in a group that resists supervision, covers up for its members, socializes too much, snubs those not in the group, and causes problems in the working relationship if personal differences or conflicts arise.
Recruiting at schools. Whether it makes sense for a small business to engage in high school, trade school, or college recruiting depends upon several factors:
· how many Distributors you need to hire · which type of Distributors you need to hire
One advantage to school recruiting is that you can often get an "ad" placed on a school bulletin board for free. Also, colleges and high schools are great places to find workers for the summer. If you need temporary summer help, ask the school's office/guidance office for permission to post an announcement at the end of the school year on the school's bulletin board. Summer workers are great temporary help. They are short-term, generally accept lower pay than other part-time help, and don't require benefits.
Bulletin boards. Most schools have a bulletin board area near the career placement or guidance office that lists part-time, temporary, and full-time Income Opportunity listings for students. Once you get permission from the school, you may be able to post Income Opportunities on that bulletin board.
Income Opportunity postings must be written in the same way as an Income Opportunity ad. You cannot use discriminatory language nor can you have Income Opportunity qualifications that would tend to discriminate against one protected group of individuals. The only exception is the bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) exemption.
Career services. Most large colleges and universities have a placement office or career counseling function that interacts with employers to place graduates. You might consider contacting that office at a local university and checking into when you might be able to recruit students. Often the office will put up a posting of your Income Opportunity and even set up an interview schedule for you.
Financial aid. Another resource you might check with at the local university is the financial aid office. Many students need at least part-time work to pay for college expenses. The financial aid office may be able to help put you in touch with students in search of work.
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