With a surge of resignations resonating throughout the job market, many companies are trying to figure out how to hire quality talent quickly. It’s not easy to hire in a complex market such as this one. You need to adapt your strategies based on the structure of your business.
However, there are some aspects of acquiring quality talent that you should always consider. You’ll need to know how to locate talent, nurture and onboard, and how to retain them at your company. You’re identifying, scaling, and growing your investment through these methods.
Finding Quality Talent
The first step to locating top talent is understanding that it’s a reciprocating process. Top talent is, above all else, discerning. These candidates know what they’re looking for and will not be persuaded by insincere offerings. So you need to address their needs from the beginning if you want to attract them.
How is that done?
First, you need to set clear expectations and standards for the open position. Tell them exactly what you’re looking for, what they’re in for, and how you expect them to grow into the job. The fact is, people leave managers more often than they leave jobs.
They get discouraged by unclear managers, so you need to set the precedent of clarity early. This should begin with the job description. Define what (measurable) success looks like at key milestones such as 30, 90, 180 days.
Next, don’t “boil the ocean” and look anywhere and everywhere. The most efficient and logical path is to consider the companies that are known to employ top talent for the role(s) you need to hire. Ideally, you have one or more stronger points in your employment value proposition (pay, benefits, culture, work/life balance, etc.).
Don’t fall into the belief that you can’t lure them away because that’s “stealing” or “poaching”. That’s a myth we address in a separate article. This is how business gets done. In sports, it’s how great teams get built and the same applies to you building a great company or group.
Lastly, you need to use the right tools and follow-through. It’s not easy to find great talent, and most companies will completely avoid the direct approach of polite, professional, and persistent pursuit of those individuals. Yes, technology can play a key role but, hiring is a human thing. Blend the right technology with a genuine and sincere personalized outreach.
Check out our guide on the 3 Secrets to Attracting and Sourcing Quality Talent for more information on these techniques. And, let us hear from you if you want a bit of pro bono advice on how to succeed with the direct approach.
Nurturing Quality Talent
Once you’ve acquired this great talent, you’ll need to help it grow and develop. There are many ways to do so, and they all depend on the structure in place at your company. A clear pathway toward advancement helps new talent gain direction at your company.
Also, your onboarding process should be communicative and responsive. You should constantly be iterating it based on the commentary you receive from current employees. Your onboarding structure is the foundation for new employees. It’s the first step towards nurturing them.
These strategies will help you keep this talent engaged and motivated.
Maintaining Quality Talent
So how do you keep this talent at your company? How do you offer what they need to remain invested in the growth of your business? You’ve got to address the reasons quality talent looks for a career change.
The primary reasons for career changes are purpose, flexibility, and growth. You need to address all of these in the context of your company.
Purpose can be addressed through the overall mission of your organization. Can you demonstrate why your company matters? Employees want to feel like they’re a part of something larger than themselves. They also want to see how they help that mission move forward.
Keep work-life balance in mind to make sure that you meet the candidate’s flexibility needs. The workforce has changed, and many employees will walk away from potential positions if the company isn’t flexible.
Lastly, quality talent does not want stagnation. You need to give them a clear runway toward serious growth. 89% of Millennials and Gen-Z workers claim they would stay with the same company for 10 years or more if that company provided opportunities for upward mobility and increased compensation. That indicates a strong desire for growth among quality employees.
One of the most effective leadership practices is to help your employees/colleagues get in touch with their Career Drivers. At our company, we conduct an annual exercise called “Re-Recruiting You To Reveal” where we ask how important each Career Driver topic (and subtopics) are to the individual and then we ask how we are doing in delivering those experiences and opportunities to them. Think about it… some companies try to suggest that taking your skills/talents to another company is disloyal or wrong.
Since “fortune favors the bold”, be bold and have these important conversations and, as a result, when a recruiter calls them, they will already know how much you care about them staying with you and how good they have it at your company.
It takes strategy...
Quality talent is essential to ensuring the success and future of your company. It’s not enough to have great sourcing techniques. You need to combine those strategies with an established program that nurtures and maintains the very best talent at your organization.
For more information on acquiring the very best talent, visit revealglobal.com.
