--- title: "Attract Top Talent: How to Build a Diverse Hiring Strategy" url: https://burnaze.com/article/8205631e-dccf-4bf9-aca4-cf1502e573b1 source: "Franchising.com" original_url: https://www.franchising.com/articles/attract_top_talent_how_to_build_a_diverse_hiring_strategy.html author: "Mary Lou Atkins" category: "General" published: 2025-01-03T07:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-10-31T20:30:04.474Z image: https://imgs.franchising.com/art/articles/9076_plate.jpg --- # Attract Top Talent: How to Build a Diverse Hiring Strategy **TL;DR:** Attracting and hiring top talent is essential for business success, and strategies such as simplifying the application process and using social media recruiting can help find and hire the best employees. Mary Lou Atkins, vice president of human resources at Chicken Salad Chick, shares tips for creating a diverse and efficient hiring process. *By Mary Lou Atkins, originally published in Franchising.com on 2025-01-03. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/articles/attract_top_talent_how_to_build_a_diverse_hiring_strategy.html).* ## Story In today’s competitive job market, attracting and hiring top talent is essential for your business to succeed. To stand out and find the right candidates, it’s crucial to adopt a diverse strategy for finding the best employees for your business. Here are some strategies and tools that can help you more consistently and effectively find and hire the kind of talent that you need to get to the next level. Text to apply Simplify the application process by allowing candidates to submit their applications via text message. In seconds, candidates can apply by texting a unique code to your company. Consider incorporating short video introductions to get a more personal glimpse into their qualifications. QR codes Make it easy for applicants to apply by providing QR codes that can be scanned directly from their smartphones. Hiring posters Customize and design hiring posters with all methods for applying and post them online, at your company, and throughout your community. Employee referral programs Tap into your existing network by incentivizing employees to refer qualified candidates. A well-structured referral program can lead to high-quality hires and even boost employee morale. Social media recruiting Build search engine-optimized branded career pages that host and post all of your job openings to job boards. Share your job postings or career pages on your social media platforms. Use social media platforms to promote your open positions and engage with potential candidates. Create compelling content, optimize your career pages, and participate in relevant online communities. Source applicants Establish your hiring criteria for each role that will automatically move qualified candidates to the interview stage. Automated scheduling Employers who interview candidates the same week they apply have a greater chance of making a successful hire. Use scheduling tools that will share your availability for the candidate to pick the time and day that works for them. Applicants schedule their interviews based on the availability that you and your team set. This will free up your team’s time since they will not have to spend time scheduling that interview. Designate whether the interview is via phone, in person, or through video. Schedule via text Use software that automatically sends candidates a text message prompting them to schedule their interviews. Set up automatic email and text reminders to reduce no-shows. Set interviews to be as long as you need based on your hiring process. Need additional interviews? Adjust your process to include multiple interview stages. Generative AI Today’s AI can automate responses to every candidate, screen them, answer questions throughout the hiring process, and set up interviews. Every candidate can have a unique, personalized AI conversation to create a seamless candidate experience. Additional tips As long as you run a business, finding top talent will remain a challenge. Increase your odds of finding the right fit for your organization by keeping these suggestions in mind: **Candidate experience.** Prioritize a positive candidate experience throughout the hiring process to attract and retain top talent. **Diversity and inclusion.** Foster a diverse and inclusive workplace by actively seeking candidates from various backgrounds and ensuring your hiring practices are fair and equitable. **Continuous improvement. ** Regularly evaluate your hiring strategies and make adjustments to optimize your processes and attract the best talent. By implementing these strategies, you can create a diverse, efficient, and effective hiring process that attracts top talent and improves your company’s overall success. ***Mary Lou Atkins**, sHRBP, is the vice president of human resources at Chicken Salad Chick. She is a seasoned and strategic HR executive with 40-plus years of experience in the restaurant industry. She is skilled in talent and performance management as well as employee relations. She joined Chicken Salad Chick in 2019 as human resources director after previously holding various positions within operations, training, and HR at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for 35 years. ## Entities - Franchising.com (publication) - General (sector) - Chicken Salad Chick (company) - diversity and inclusion (topic) - Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (company) - talent management (topic) - hiring strategy (topic) - Mary Lou Atkins (person) - social media recruiting (topic) - candidate experience (topic) --- Originally reported by Mary Lou Atkins, Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/articles/attract_top_talent_how_to_build_a_diverse_hiring_strategy.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/8205631e-dccf-4bf9-aca4-cf1502e573b1).