How Leaders Attract the Right Talent

Talent, talent everywhere, but not a one to hire. 

The pandemic has had an interesting side effect. With months of lockdowns, quarantines, and restrictions, people found themselves with time to spare and choices to consider. Those decisions sent ripples throughout the markets and triggered The Turnover Tsunami. It washed out talent pools and left company’s scrambling. 

With many positions going unfilled, overburdened employees can only do so much. Without a full staff to support the company’s efforts, the stress gets passed down the line. Scarce products, maddeningly long wait times, overdue delivery dates, and disappointment are everywhere. Customers are fed up which adds to the stress and anxiety of your remaining team. It won’t take much for them to run to a competitor, further negatively impacting your remaining employees and ultimately the bottom line. 

Sure, it’s easy (and tempting) to just pack empty positions with the next available warm body. Chances are, though, those won’t be the candidates you need. Do you really want to mess around with sub-par employees and risk the negative impact they’ll have on your team and customers? When you go to the job market, you need to KNOW the best candidates will be lining up with their resume. 

What are 4 things Leaders should know if they’re going to attract the right talent? 

1. Know what you want. Communicating WHAT you want in a position, WHY it’s important to the company, and WHY it’s a compelling opportunity for the right people is crucial to your hiring success. Candidates are paying close attention to job descriptions these days. They expect to understand what a job will entail well before they bother giving you their resume. Create job postings that include not only required skills, but also what’s exciting about the company, role, culture, and goals. Are your job postings getting candidates excited about your company and the role?
   
   
2. Know your market. Everything costs more these days, especially decent talent. You need to understand what the latest salary and compensation packages are looking like for the kind of employee you need to hire. Low-balling isn’t a smart option right now when most worthwhile candidates have multiple suitors and offers. What are you offering candidates to make your opportunity the most appealing? What is having key positions unfilled costing you? What is the cost of the added burden to your team and customers?
   
   
3. Know what employees are saying. In an ever connected world, word gets around. Websites like Glassdoor and the plethora of social media platforms out there make it easier than ever to mine information. Your candidates will be looking up your company and the individuals in your leadership. The most glowing press release is easily washed away by tales from scornful current or former employees. Take every step to build a strong, constructive employee experience and employer brand that shows you value your team members. That will attract more candidates who will be excited in exploring an opportunity with you.
   
   
4. Know when you need an expert. Sometimes casting your net isn’t enough. You’ve got to know where the best fishing waters are and have the time to get the best catch. Your time is a finite and valuable resource. Will you be able to focus on filling an urgently needed vacant role and still be able to get your other duties accomplished? It may make sense to consider delegating or hiring an external recruiter to minimize the opportunity cost of your time and the loss/stress to your team and customers. The right recruiter will know exactly how to find the best of the best and how to attract them quickly. 

Now how do business leaders KEEP the talent they attract?

• Know who the weak links are and fix them. Many companies have at least one person that seems to be dragging everyone else down. Maybe it’s a lack of skills, understanding, motivation, or something external. Irritating, untrained, or burdensome coworkers can drive off your best employees. Whatever the problem is, you’ve got to identify and address it quickly.
  
  

• Know what your employees want. Each individual will have their own goals and needs. Some will want money, promotions. and/or prestige while others are looking for simplicity and predictability. Great leaders have conversations with employees about how they can fit into the growth of the company and align this with the team member’s aspirations.
  
  

• Know when and where to invest. Be it processes, tools, systems, supplies, training, or employees themselves, put in the time and money needed to implement or refine resources impacting your teams. When employees see that you’re investing in them and their success, they’ll be more excited to work for you and less prone to leave. 

The Turnover Tsunami will pass eventually, but staying competitive in the market ensures you always have your pick of the candidates. Let’s talk today if you’d like to breathe easier on the recruiting front and build the teams you need to rapidly grow your business.