Insights into the forces shaping our industry.

Simply posting a job and waiting for applicants likely won’t allow you to meet your hiring goals in 2022.  Quality talent is not applying to posted positions.  I’m consistently hearing from hiring managers that they are not receiving qualified applicants responding to posted jobs.

Offering higher salaries, sign-on bonuses, stock options, and flexible, hybrid, or remote work schedules are all great, but alone will likely not land top talent.

Effective hiring today requires much more.  Are you ready?

The “War for Talent” dates back to 1997 but has recently become quite the buzz phrase again.  Identifying quality talent is not the hard part.  Attracting and getting top talent to engage in a meaningful conversation relative to making a career move is.  So how is that accomplished?

Partnering with a professional recruiter with proven industry expertise is paramount in the current market.  We know where the top talent is and which candidates to directly target.   Our network brings tremendous value to your hiring process.

Are you offering an opportunity for the candidate to advance their career?  Will the candidate be given greater responsibilities or the opportunity to learn new skills and take on new challenges?  Is your company’s employee value proposition truly compelling?  Are you giving the candidate an opportunity to work with an emerging technology or explore new vertical markets?  Does your organizational culture foster an environment of belonging?  Will the candidate enjoy strong personal relationships with leadership and their peers?  Does your company have a strong industry reputation?  To land top talent, each of these must be clear.

Candidates have many opportunities from which to choose.  You must treat recruited candidates differently than applicants.  There is no gray area here.  At this point, the candidate has been thoroughly vetted by the recruiter for both professional and cultural fit.  You will have received a comprehensive summary of their accomplishments from your recruiter explaining the ‘why’ behind their fit.  The candidate by now fully understands your organization, your products, the verticals you serve and how you go to market.  The candidate is now excited and ready to meet your organization’s leadership and key members of the team that they will be working with.  Are you prepared to move quickly in your hiring process?  A video meeting is a great start.  Once fit has been established, bring the candidate on-site within a week.  Invite them to meet in a round-table discussion with all key members of the hiring team.  Separate, individual interviews are strongly discouraged.  Have those present be champions of your organization, sharing why they joined your company and what differentiates your organization, and the given role, from competitors.  It is imperative that you effectively market your organization to the candidate as much as you’re discussing their fit for the role and responsibilities.  Hiring in today’s market is truly a two-way process.

Once the decision has been made to move forward, extend a formal written offer via your recruiter within 24 hours.  Your recruiter will have provided you with salary expectations from the candidate.  Make a strong offer.  Show that you’re truly invested and genuine in wanting to start a long-term relationship with the candidate.  You must remove emotion from the offer stage.  Allow your recruiter to act as the intermediary to manage expectations on both sides and come to an agreement.

To hire top talent in the current market, you must have a candidate-centric approach.  The candidate experience must be transparent and enjoyable.  Your brand must be authentic.  Guarantee a positive experience by effectively communicating the values and culture of your company throughout the hiring process.  Understand what issues beyond compensation are important to the candidate.

The labor market will remain incredibly competitive for some time.  Hiring today is different than it was years ago.   Flexibility and understanding (and of course, partnering with a proven, professional recruiter) will allow you to compete in the current ultra-competitive hiring market and successfully meet your hiring goals.