You’d think in an age where you can post a job on an online site and get hundreds of applicants within a few days, that the process of hiring a new employee that’s a great fit for the job would be easy . . . not so.

I started thinking about this when my daughter was applying to college. With the advent of electronic applications and copy/paste essays, it was relatively easy for her to apply to 20 or more schools, many of which she didn’t want to attend and some of which she probably wasn’t qualified to attend. For job seekers, that freedom is the same. With the push of a button, they can apply for jobs they don’t really want and aren’t even qualified for, just to see what happens.

So, what’s an employer to do?

I’m not saying you should stop using the big, online recruiting websites, but maybe it’s time to get a little creative.

Start by turning to your current BEST employee!

First, find out what makes them the BEST

Take a look at your top employee or employees and ask yourself, “What makes him or her so great?”  Not that you’re looking to hire clones, but by identifying the characteristics and habits of your best employees, you can start identifying other great employees with the same characteristics and habits. Are they:

1. Proactive
2. Self-motivated
3. Positive
4. Action-oriented
5. Ethical
6. Autonomous
7. Leadership-oriented
8. Customer focused
9. Honest
10. Dedicated
11. Hardworking

The characteristics you value and that you need in an employee might be different, or in a different order for each position, so be sure to identify characteristics that are KEY to success for every position you’re hiring.

Next, find out what brought them to you and what makes them stay.

Knowing what attracted them to your company will not only help you identify fit factors for new employees, but allow you to highlight those factors as reasons a new employee would want to come work for you.

1. Where did they work before they came to work for you?
2. How did they hear about the job with your company?
3. Why did they bother to apply? What attracted them to the job and/or your company?
4. What things do they like most and least about their jobs?
5. What do they like most and least about your company?
6. What keeps them coming to work every day?
7. What would cause them to leave?

Finally, find out where they “hang out” when they’re not at work.

Knowing what they read and what they do outside of work might give you ideas about where to focus your job advertising AND the messages you want to send in your ads.

1. What hobbies, volunteering, or other activities do they engage in outside of work?
2. What podcasts do they listen to, what magazines do they read, and what online forums do they interact in?
3. What radio stations do they listen to most often?
4. What professional, social, or hobby-related websites do they visit?

The answers to all of these questions should guide you to new and innovative approaches to marketing your job openings and give you new avenues to get the word out about the opportunities your company offers.