The War for Talent is Exploding: Is Your Business Armed & Ready?

The economy is on the rise. Good news, especially for job seekers.

Healthcare reform is here. And like it or not, Obamacare also means more jobs as millions of Americans gain access to medical services.

Along with these developments will come a ripple effect of career opportunities. Top talent across the board is in increasing demand, and the best candidates can pick and choose their next position. As an employer, you need to determine how to convince them to set their stakes in your camp.

Treat Candidates like Customers

Make sure every job applicant is given a fair shot and receives follow-up and closure.

• It’s common courtesy, but it’s also good business. In a recent survey, 44 percent of candidates who did not hear back from companies to which they applied said they had a worse opinion of the companies as a result.
• In a separate study, 32 percent of candidates said they were less likely to purchase a product from a company who failed to respond to their application.
• These negative experiences can go viral. Seventy-eight percent of respondents reported that they would talk about companies’ failure to acknowledge their application with friends and family. Seventeen percent said they would talk about it on social media, and six percent said they would blog about it.

Hire for Passion and Fit

When a person starts a new job, they have certain expectations in mind. In addition to wages and benefits, these include a culture of growth and an environment in which they are “at home away from home.” It’s your job to meet these expectations.

• Can you picture this candidate working for your company? Target individuals who will fit naturally into the day-to-day atmosphere at your organization. For example, if yours is a worksite where the typical employee works independently, a candidate accustomed to having a support team may not be your best choice.
• Hire people who feel strongly about their career paths. You can sense passion as soon as a person enters the room. They exude genuine enthusiasm, share ideas, and speak honestly about their experiences, expectations and credentials. Their faces light up when they talk about the future.
• Align company values with candidate values. Increasingly, research shows that candidates want to build their careers with organizations that support their personal values. The most successful global companies have reached their pinnacles as leading employers via employee-centric strategies based on values that sustain the environment, the economy, and society as a whole – because their employees view their commitment to this triple bottom line as a benefit of working there.

Compensation, Reward and Recognition

Make no mistake about it: Money talks. But a creative benefits package, as well as recognition for a job well done, also have powerful voices.

• Go above and beyond when it comes to benefits. Stock options, matching 401(k) plans, bonuses and incentives, and truly robust healthcare plans all rank high. And last but not least, flexibility is key. Be that employer who encourages job sharing, telecommuting and family-friendly hours, and word will spread like wildfire about how great it is to work for you.
• Let leaders know they’re appreciated. Recognition awards are a highly effective way to boost morale while reinforcing company values. Make recognition an ongoing priority.

Partner with a Pro

The key word here is “partner.” The right recruiting firm can be a tremendous asset to your talent search strategy. Advantages include robust, industry-specific networks of professionals and access to “A”-level talent who may not be actively seeking new positions, but can be effectively recruited.

Why not let the expert search consultants at BrainWorks be your recruitment partner? Contact us today to learn more about surefire talent-search strategies and tactics.