Building World Class Data and Analytics Teams: Strategies to Attract Top Talent

by Guy Gomis, Partner and Practice Lead

Data Driven

Data and Analytics is a booming and essential discipline. Data driven organizations are 23 more times likely to acquire new customers. They are six times as likely to retain customers, and 19 times more likely to be profitable. Attracting and retaining data and analytics talent is critical for the success of an organization. Below we’ll cover some strategies and approaches to attracting top data analytics talent to build world class teams.

A Well-Defined Strategy

It’s important to be thorough and disciplined in your approach to attracting and retaining data analytics talent. Think through the sourcing process from every point of view. However strong your market position, opportunity or reputation is as a brand, demand for top data and analytics talent is intense. Strategic thinking that is thorough, informed and disciplined increases the likelihood you will build a team that will drive results.

People Work for People

The simple truth is this: people work for people. What is it about you that will attract top talent? How is your track record developing top performing professionals? Be sure to share your victories, past and present. Be aware of where you have been and what your next steps might be. Clarity about your organization’s future and vision can be highly compelling reasons for someone to join your team.

The Opportunity

Make sure you express your opportunity in a way that is clear, consistent, and compelling. Clarify responsibilities, requirements and what success looks like short and long term. Highlight next career steps, colleagues, team members, and their strengths. Include stakeholders in the sourcing process. Make it compelling. What is it about the company, the organizational commitment, investments, and tools that strengthen your case? Deliver consistent messaging from everyone involved in the sourcing process.

The Candidate Experience

It’s also important to ensure that your message to candidates is clear, consistent, and compelling. Take the time up front to make the process clear, well defined, and well explained. Provide prompt feedback throughout the process and particularly after interviews. Make communications, arrangements, and logistics seamless and painless.
Plan and synchronize messaging across all stakeholders so candidates hear a clear and unified message.

Offer and Acceptance

Finally, when it comes to offers, they should be timely, informed, and strategic. Your process should include the understanding that top talent will likely have multiple offers. Identify at least two and possibly three candidates to extend offers to. Time elapsed between interviews and offer reduces the chances of successfully landing a top candidate. Prepare stakeholders at every level to act swiftly and cohesively when offer acceptance can be achieved.

 

ABOUT BRAINWORKS

BrainWorks is a prominent boutique executive search firm offering a 29-year track record of successfully sourcing and placing top talent. By harnessing proven strategies, collaborating with stakeholders and leveraging a diverse and talented candidate network, BrainWorks helps businesses find, attract, and ultimately hire talented professionals that create differentiated results. To learn more about how Brainworks can help you, contact us.