What are You Doing to Attract Top Talent?

The economy is on the rebound – but the emerging marketplace is leaner, tougher and more competitive than ever. Therefore, you need top-caliber talent to stay ahead of the game.

What’s your roadmap for attracting and retaining superstars?

Sell Your Company

Most hiring managers would agree that this is the toughest candidate market in the past decade. The national unemployment rate remains above 7 percent, but economists concede that for individuals with at least a bachelor’s degree and two to three years’ experience, the actual rate is closer to 3.5 percent. Competition for candidates in the top 15 percent of their field is as fierce as it was during the boom years of the 1990s.

A-level candidates often have the luxury of choosing between multiple offers. Make sure their career path leads to your organization by positioning your company as a leader. Prepare your interviewers to present a compelling case and ensure that your recruiting process is strategicand sales oriented.

• Provide selling points to be used in every interview. Many employees are very good at their jobs, but they may not be natural interviewers. Give them the collateral tools they need.
• Avoid redundancy in the interview process. Have different interviewers evaluate different criteria. For instance, your hiring manager is probably the best person to sell a candidate on career opportunities and benefits. A peer can outline company culture and the workplace environment.
• Make sure your interviewers can articulate why your organization is better. Be sure they’re well educated on company innovations, developments and advances, as well as on the industry in general. Train them to perfect the process of selling their workplace to top performers, innovators and technical specialists.

Sell the Position

A candidate’s final job choice may not be driven by compensation alone but by other criteria that meet their personal and professional needs — such as specific benefits, career development or flexible hours.

• Uncover what your preferred candidate identifies as their most important criteria in accepting a new role. This will enable your team to evaluate these criteria and see if they’re reasonable.
• Spend time with an employee after they’ve been on the job for a while. About two months in is a good barometer. Sit down with the employee and ask them how you could have done a better job in the hiring process.
• Pose the same question to those who turned you down. Call individuals who did not accept positions at your company and find out why they turned you down. All this information will help you enhance your sourcing strategies and more effectively sell positions.

Sell Career Progression

• Emphasize growth potential starting with the job description. Your JD should give candidates a clear sense of whether or not they should pursue the position. The more information you provide about the job, its responsibilities and opportunity for career growth, the better.
• Offer professional development opportunities. Provide industry-leading training programs and ample opportunity to participate in conferences, workshops and webinars to keep skills current.

Sell the Benefits

Money matters – and a competitive salary remains a top priority for most job candidates. In addition, offer your future superstars:

• Unbeatable benefits: The best possible health coverage, a company-matching 401(k) plan, incentives, bonuses, and flexibility to accommodate their work/life balance.
• Consideration of the triple bottom line: This is the total impact of company operations on the environment, the economy and society as a whole. Recent research has proven that high-performing employees want career opportunities with organizations that support their personal values.

Your Employees are Your Best Salespeople

Recruitment success starts at home. Tap into the star performers on your current workforce to be your talent ambassadors.

• Use employee input to evaluate your competition. If a new employee also interviewed – or worked – for a competitor, why did they choose your company? This information can be invaluable in positioning your organization to draw top talent.
• Have employees utilize their networks. High performers want to work with other high performers. An added benefit is the morale boost that comes from a current employee successfully recruiting a new team member. Have you considered a finder’s fee? The result could be a win-win when it comes to future productivity and business results.

To build and strengthen your executive recruitment strategy, consider working with a professional search consultant at BrainWorks. Contact us today to learn more.