How to Recruit Top Talent in Today’s Market

October 29, 2019

Written By: Shane Cotner

Today’s most talented candidates have a wealth of information at their fingertips. At the click of a button, they can find out everything they need to know about a company before applying. They are so connected that they don’t need to peruse job boards to find their next opportunity. Before considering joining a company, the most productive and valuable candidates have done their research by reading reviews of the organization, reaching out to their contacts, and increasingly, even interviewing the employer.

Gone are the days of posting a job on one of the many employment sites and waiting for the top talent to present themselves to you and compete for the position.  If you want the cream of the crop of today’s talent pool, you need to meet them where they are and know how to speak their language.

How to find them

To recruit the top talent, you have to get on their radar. The first step is to make sure they know who you are and what you have to offer. However, in a market full of employers striving to attract, hire, and retain the top talent, this is easier said than done. With that in mind, here are some steps your company can take to get noticed by today’s most sought-after candidates.

Be proactive – make it one of your hiring department’s missions to conduct effective networking. Cultivate a good relationship with a reliable recruiter so that you are front-of-mind when a stellar candidate comes their way.

Show off (honestly) on your website – your company’s website is often a candidate’s first impression of what it’s like to work there. Be sure that the homepage not only accurately and clearly describes the company’s mission, but also illustrates the culture that you’ve built. Link to a page that promotes the positive things your company is doing in its community. However, keep in mind that everything regarding culture that’s on your site needs to be true. Be sure that you’ve built and are living a workplace culture that would attract a top candidate.

Cold call – After doing careful research on a talented candidate, place an exploratory phone call to them to determine if they might be a good fit for your organization. Introduce yourself and your company, making sure to emphasize the most positive aspects of the business and the position you have them in mind for; if they seem like a good fit, invite them for an interview. Chances are, he or she will then research your company and reach out to contacts before agreeing.

How to get them on your team

Before a top candidate even schedules an interview with your company, your hiring department should be prepared to answer the question of why a top producer should leave their current employer. Assuming that the worker is content in their current position, what does your company have to offer that might compel them to leave? Can you provide more upward mobility, better benefits, more flexibility?

Get creative with your benefits package – It is no longer enough to offer competitive pay, as today’s top performers value more than high compensation. However, even if your organization is not yet able to offer outstanding compensation, top talent also values things like flexible benefits and PTO. You can get creative with your offerings to attract and retain your ideal candidates. Ask your ideal candidates what they need from you; anything from pet insurance to car allowances can attract high-value employees.

Offer an outstanding candidate experience – Your recruiting efforts should kick into high gear at the candidate experience. Be respectful of their time and conduct quick, but thorough, interviews, staying in touch with them at every stage of the process. Nothing makes a worse impression than making a candidate feel unimportant. 

Be patient – attracting and hiring top talent takes time, but it will pay off once you’ve assembled the right team, making the right choices to keep your business growing. With a recruiting partner like BRIX, which has your best interest in mind at every step of the process, you know that they are working tirelessly to find you the ideal candidate for the job. The stakes are often too high to settle for a worker who seems “good enough” for the position.

Recruiting top talent in today’s market can be a challenge. But, with the right recruiting partner, finding, attracting, and retaining valuable employees will net you candidates that you cannot pass up and who may end up being invaluable to your company’s growth and bottom line.