Finding talent remains the biggest problem facing small businesses. These tips can help you find your next great employee

The opinions expressed by entrepreneurs contributors are their own.

In its recent Monthly Jobs Report, the National Federation of Independent Businesses revealed what many small businesses already know: Finding a quality workforce is a challenge.

In fact, the report notes that filling vacancies is the biggest problem facing small businesses. Nearly a quarter of owners said the labor shortage was affecting their ability to fill vacancies and limiting their ability to grow.

Of those surveyed, 46% said they were unable to fill vacancies in September. This brings the number of unfilled vacancies to a historic high.

While finding the next great employee may seem like a trivial matter, it's not impossible. Contrary to popular belief, there are qualified candidates out there. It's just a matter of knowing where to find them and convincingly capturing their interest.

Searching for talent requires strategy and creativity that goes beyond posting jobs online and praying for a rush of candidates to apply. A more effective approach is to find passive candidates who may not be looking for a career change but who would be in the right position. This means looking for high performers through professional associations, events, universities, and even people who work in another industry but whose skills are applicable to the vacancy.

Related: How Entrepreneurs Can Find Great Talent Despite a Labor Shortage

Here are some proven ways to reinvigorate your recruiting process and unearth candidates with the skills and passion for your business:

1. Review your company's mission and values ​​to use as selling points to attract talent

As a business owner or manager, you undoubtedly know the mission of your company. But do you understand what separates your business from others in your industry? In other words, does your business have a unique product or service, an empowering culture, or a penchant for giving back to the community? Use this information to create a compelling company story that will pique the interest of passive job seekers and candidates.

2. Audit your brand to find out what others are saying about you on popular websites and social media platforms

Building your reputation with positive reviews from current and past employees and customers will go a long way in selling a position to a potential new employee.

3. Put yourself in the candidate's shoes

Why would anyone want to work in this role? What are the opportunities for advancement (a key consideration for job applicants)? In what ways can the employee contribute to your company's mission and the greater good? Provide your recruiting team and your recruiting partner with information that will serve as selling points for the organization.

4. Consider what is most important to candidates in a changing work environment

Compensation remains one of the main drivers for attracting quality candidates, but work-life balance and the opportunity for employees to do what they do best are also high on the list . In a study of 13,085 US employees conducted by Gallup earlier this year, 61% of respondents said better work-life balance and personal well-being were important – a steady increase since 2015. This includes greater flexibility in how and where to work. It may seem obvious, but workers also want to focus their efforts on areas where they have strength and training. As such, hiring managers need to be in tune with what candidates have...