Online competitions could be a very useful method to find qualified job seekers and innovators.

Think of all the ways that can make you benefit from an online competition:

    • Going for a real-life challenge. Something you face regularly. A problem you have always thought should be addressed in an innovative way. It can also be something outside your company but within your industry. It will connect you with your audience while providing you with extremely valuable insights.
  • Defining what skills this challenge should test. It has to be aligned with the set of skills you are looking for, a combination of technical and soft skills that are inevitable for a job you are trying to fill within your organization.

Organizing a successful competition can be very easy compared to the traditional process of a job posting, screening, running interviews, then evaluating and selecting.

Now let’s move to the steps you need to kick-start your next online competition.

    1. Define your goals. Is it hiring? Is it gathering a database of potential hires to consider later for physical interviews? Or maybe you are looking for a solution to adopt and a team to implement this solution as a pilot project.
    1. Define your target audience. Based on your predefined goals, start creating an applicant persona/s. A persona will help you make the right outreach plan. It will also guide you while tailoring every step to the kind of applicant you’re targeting and will ensure that the process is easy and clear to encourage them to consider then apply.
    1. Structure your competition. Make sure to include a clear timeline and duration for each phase. Also, define precise steps/scenarios from a competition organizer’s standpoint and from an applicant’s standpoint.
    1. Document the mechanics. Since each competition requires certain mechanics depending on its own nature and its previously defined structure, this step will help you figure out if any extra technicalities or offline events are needed.
    1. Build a communication and outreach plan. Include all communication messages, platforms, and tools relevant to each phase. Align them with the timeline you built before.
    1. Create a competition toolkit. State the problem background, introduce the competition concept as the solution, an overview of the target audience, include the mechanics and the winning criteria, and finally, all important dates and deadlines. Share it among your organization and onboard all concerned teams to be aligned.
  1. The Action Plan. Translate all of the above into actionable steps. Start with the announcements (in line with the communication plan). Create action steps for each stakeholder and find a suitable tool to run and manage your competition. Make sure you choose the right tool based on your competition mechanics and rounds needed at the same time at an affordable price.

Start tapping into new ideas, solutions, skills, and attract qualified candidates. If you believe your organization is the right place for bright minds and a suitable environment for adopting innovative solutions and applying new ideas, you should give competitions a go!

Learn more about Untap’s solutions here.