Talent Attraction – are you doing this right? Here are 10 questions to check if you are

A lot of Hiring Managers do not fully appreciate or understand, how scarce good talent is these days. I often meet with businesses and they are looking for the proverbial ‘one-eyed Rocket Scientist’ or ‘Purple Squirrel’. This is all well and good and I am always up for the challenge of finding this unique individual. However, when I find this ‘one-eyed Rocket Scientist’ and the client only gives us an interview date in a month’s time, we have some issues! I feel that talent attraction needs to carry more importance in business these days. 

‘Time kills all deals’ is often heard in business circles

It was one of the first mantras that I learnt when I joined the Recruitment industry. So as a business looking for top talent, you need to move quickly when you are presented with a brilliant CV. I can almost put money on the fact that if this candidate’s CV has landed on your desk; it has already reached three of your competitor’s desks on the same day.

It really is a war zone out there and the skilled candidates are holding all of the cards

The candidates will wait for all of their offers to come in. They will sit back; compare all of the offers and then will go with the option they feel is best for their career. Please note they are not merely taking the highest offer these days – it’s often more about the growth potential and the work-life blend that will be offered.

Are you attracting the best talent for your business? 10 questions for you to check:

Do you drop everything to interview a great candidate?
As soon as a great CV hits your inbox, make sure that you and your interview team make themselves available to meet with the candidate as soon as possible. This could well be before or after working hours as this will probably suit the candidate best too.

Did you make sure that everyone involved in the interview had a good experience and learnt something of value? Make sure the interview process was an engaging and rewarding experience for the candidate too. If the candidate was not successful was it still an enjoyable experience so he will tell his peers what a great group of people you are? It is important that the candidate met all of your top brand ambassadors who spoke proudly and with passion about the business.

Did you make the entire interview process as efficient as possible?
You do not want to lose a candidate to your competitor just because they had a shorter interview process and got a really great offer to the candidate quicker.

Do you have a magnetic employer brand strategy that people are attracted too?
People will want to be associated with your employer brand so do you have a positive brand image? Your business should constantly portray a great public image in the face of the consumer. (Please see this blog to learn more about employer brand strategy.)

Do you already employ the top thought leaders in your industry that will attract junior talent to your company?
Candidates will want to learn from these people and to be associated with them. They often see them present at community events in the IT sector and aspire to be like them and hope to work with them one day.

Are you offices appealing to others so when people walk in they get that good ‘gut feel’?
You don’t need to have offices that resemble Googleplex but are they in an easily accessible, safe location? Are they modern or have they recently had a facelift? Are your offices both inviting and comfortable as employees will end up spending more time here than they will at home?

Do you have a tried and tested, clearly defined career path?
This career path needs to be explained and reiterated to candidates throughout the interview process. Candidates need to clearly understand that there is room for career growth as well as personal development.

Are you doing everything possible to cultivate a company culture where people feel respected and that they are a valued member of your team?
No one likes to be treated like a number. These days, most candidates prefer a ‘family-like’ culture where they feel valued and there is a growing emphasis on a healthy work-life balance.

Do you hold your people in as high, or higher, regard as you hold your clients?
Businesses need to treat candidates and employees, as they would treat their top customers. Make sure that the interview process is fair for all – never discriminate and watch out for unconscious bias. Businesses must also ensure that all applicants are given regular feedback on how they are progressing.

Do you share your employer value proposition with the candidates?
This is very important as this is what you want the candidate to ‘buy into’. The vision for the business going forward should also form part of your value proposition.

Hopefully, these tips will ensure that you win the war on talent and that candidates choose your company to work for. If you would like to learn more about streamlining your recruitment process and how to attract the best talent – please feel free to get in touch with me.