How do companies find employees in a competitive market?

This article was paid for by ZipRecruiter

Finding employees is a common challenge among small business owners looking to expand. A large applicant pool may sound like a blessing, but how do companies find employees in a competitive market without the benefit of a dedicated recruitment team? 

These six strategies can help you find strong candidates — regardless of your company's size or budget.

The right candidate can't find you if you don't know who you're looking for. According to ZipRecruiter's Q1 2026 job seeker confidence survey, nearly half (46.7%) of applicants would feel more seen by employers if job descriptions were more detailed.

"Hiring misses the mark when companies rush to fill a role without precisely laying out the job responsibilities," said Chris Wu, co-founder of Gift is Love, an online store specializing in customized gifts. 

An effective job ad clearly details the tasks this worker will perform and the skills they'll need to succeed. It also indicates the education and experience they should have.

If you're not sure where to start, ZipRecruiter offers more than 500 customizable job description templates.

Reaching out to friends and business connections to find employees is a tried-and-true strategy. 

"Our best hires have consistently come through referrals, either from our personal network or our current team members," said Chris Kushmaul, owner of Detroit damage mediation service Restoration 1. 

Regie Tiu, founder of Restore Plus rehab clinic in New York City, relies heavily on existing employees for referrals. 

"Who else knows the best fit for our company's culture and values than the people currently working there?" he told CNBC Select 

If you don't have a large employee base, you can find employees by talking with relatives, friends, neighbors, industry connections and even customers. Not striking gold? Proactively hunt for the right candidate using ZipRecruiter's "Invite to Apply" tool. Hirers can browse detailed profiles and send the listing directly to strong matches with a single click. 

According to ZipRecruiter, job ads where employers use Invite to Apply receive over 11 times as many candidates in the first day of posting. *

Job sites provide unmatched exposure, but the volume of responses can be overwhelming. ZipRecruiter's AI-powered matching technology scans profiles and surfaces the strongest applicants, so you start with a curated shortlist, rather than a deluge of resumes. 

Incorporating video further narrows the field. Whitney Hill, co-founder and CEO of San Diego construction company SnapADU, asks applicants to film a brief introduction.

"This happens after passing an initial resume screening — it's a simple litmus test," Hill said. "'Did they follow directions? Can they communicate clearly? Do they seem prepared? You learn a lot in just two minutes." 

 With ZipRecruiter's ZipIntro, you ask customized questions and have candidates submit recorded video responses before scheduling a full one-on-one interview. Employers who use ZipIntro receive three times as many qualified candidates, according to ZipRecruiter, and most get their first RSVPs from candidates within 20 minutes.

"We treat hiring the same way we treat marketing our product," says Hengam Stanfield, co-founder of San Antonio, Texas-based Mattenga's Pizzeria. "It's an ongoing campaign, not a one-time event."

Regularly showcasing who you are as a company, how you operate, what you value, and what working feels like should be woven into your website and social media and on display at in-person events.

Are you a fast-paced, always-on operation? A tight-knit team with a laid-back culture? Whatever the answer, putting that out into the world attracts candidates who genuinely jibe with how you work.

Good branding can catch the eye of a potential candidate before you even post a job.  

You don't expect customers to just stumble upon your business, and you can't expect qualified applicants to randomly find your open roles.

Share openings on personal and company social media accounts, at networking events and anywhere else you can think of.  "We even put hiring information on our box toppers," says pizza maven Stanfield.

Nearly half (48%) of job seekers said social media has helped them discover openings they otherwise wouldn't have, according to a survey by background check service Checkr

ZipRecruiter can automatically push your listing onto your social media profiles and the company's TrafficBoost tool gets the word out on ZipRecruiter.com, partner sites and in job alert emails According to ZipRecruiter data, TrafficBoost listings receive 12 times more candidates on average. **

* Based on ZipRecruiter internal data. Average from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024.

** Based on ZipRecruiter internal data. Average from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024. Includes only standard ZipRecruiter jobs.

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