With the current job market as competitive as it is, a traditional recruiter can be inundated with hundreds of cover letters and CV’s from all sorts of candidates seeking employment within the company.

The range of applicants means the decision making process is a lot more difficult. You can have experienced applicants from the older generation, as well as talented and hungry graduates who lack practical work experience, all applying for the same position.

This wide variety of talent can put a vast amount of pressure on the recruiter, whether in-house or contracted, resulting in some talent slipping through the net. However, in an age when people are more connected than they have ever been previously, your standard employee could be a tremendous asset when looking to fill a vacancy.

The digital world

Companies are well aware of the power of the internet – from company websites, digital job boards and most importantly social media, the net is significantly larger than it has ever been previously.

On social media, sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn can be used for recruitment. Although these sites are largely responsible for a company’s social engagement with clients, other employees and potential customers, but they are also good for advertising opportunities.

Employees tend to have a lot more connections, on LinkedIn in particular, than a company profile, meaning more people will see shares, like and comments from them, including job openings.

Word of mouth

Away from the online world and social media, an employee’s ability to sell and advertise a company is still huge. One of the most common topics when conversing with friends is work – as a result happy employees tend to sell their company to people who share their same interests.

When looking for talent, references play a huge part in establishing whether or not they are the right fit for the company. If that information can come from a current employee, it may make the employer feel more assured about the decision.

If you were unsure about someone after an interview and found out that they once worked or studied with an employee, would it not make it easier to be feel more assured about the candidate if your staff member insisted he was right for the role?

Employees have the potential to be powerful tools within and outside the office, so be sure to utilise their connections and experience when it comes to acquiring new talent.

If you’re an employer looking to attract the best graduate talent, find out how Discovery graduates can help.