Attracting the best talent…
It’s true that a company’s most important asset is its people, so if you want a successful business the recruitment process is important to get right.
Attracting the best talent is one of the leading challenges for small and medium-sized businesses. Skilled candidates are highly sought after and are often have more than one company interested in them.
What can you do to attract the right talent?
1. Job description
The way you present the role is crucial – if the role doesn’t sound appealing, you’re not going to attract the best candidates. As well as giving details of the tasks the person would be expected to do, the job description should give applicants some idea about your company culture – what make your company different from the rest? Write in clear English, not overly formal – let some of your company personality shine through. Here at Elevate Recruitment, we’re happy to give you pointers on how to make sure your job description will attract the talent you want.
2. Company brand
Building a strong employer brand is not a short-term strategy however it’s important in helping your business stand out from the crowd when competing to attract the best talent. Make sure you’ve defined your company values and importantly make sure these values show through at every stage of the recruitment process. Doing this ensures you’ll attract candidates who align with your values to your company.
3. Personal fulfilment
For many candidates, money is not the only factor when it comes to accepting a new role. A sense of fulfilment in their career is increasingly important. Employees don’t want to feel like they’re just a number, they want to know that their work is valued and will make an impact. You can demonstrate this in the job description by describing the impact this role has on the larger business and during the job interview. Equally, be clear how achievement in your organisation is recognised and rewarded.
4. Career progression
Whether there is an opportunity for career progression is often a key factor in a candidate’s decision to accept a job offer, so it’s essential that companies consider this and highlight any potential opportunities for progression during the recruitment process. Of course, you want someone who will be fulfilled by the role you’re recruiting for but candidates with drive and motivation to do well will want to know there is an opportunity to progress in due course.
5. Communication
Keep the channels of meaningful communication flowing with your Elevate consultant every step of the recruitment process so they can keep the candidate informed. We get it, hold-ups can happen for many different reasons but keeping everyone informed will avoid candidates making up their own reasons for the delay – whether they think you’re not interested, you’ve found someone else or your just unorganised. All reasons that might influence their decision when you decide to go ahead.
5. Length of process
Many talents are lost because the recruitment process simply takes too long, meanwhile competitors snap up your potential candidate or the candidate doesn’t have a good perception of your company due to delays. A company with a streamlined recruitment process should not need to go to five or six rounds of interviews to determine if someone is right for the role. Value the candidates time as you value yours – make sure key decision-makers have met the shortlisted candidate early in the process so later interviews can be used to determine cultural fit on both sides.
