Any entrepreneur or team leader, regardless of industry, knows you can’t succeed without a talented workforce. Attracting the strongest employees, therefore, should be a top priority.
Don’t worry if you’re not sure how to. The following are five of the best methods to attract the best employees in your industry.
Understand What They Want
Attitudes of job seekers can change over time, so before you make any recruiting efforts, it’s best to research what today’s top performers are looking for when they apply to jobs. It may not always align with your assumptions.
For example, ambitious job seekers are increasingly expressing the desire to find positions that provide them with opportunities to grow and learn. They don’t want to be stuck in dead-end jobs. They want careers that allow their talents and strengths to flourish. With that in mind, you could offer professional development and training programs and express to your team members that strong performance can lead to promotions in the future.
Of course, it’s not enough just to provide these opportunities to current employees. You also need to make sure prospective job candidates understand yours is the type of organization that will give them the chance to move up the ladder. Communicate this in job listings, interviews, and any other time it feels appropriate to do so.
Establish Values
Engaged workers are no longer solely motivated by pay. While it is important to offer attractive compensation, more and more top performers are interested in working for organizations with clear values.
This is what sustains a strong employee’s enthusiasm, even when work can be challenging. Knowing their work contributes to achieving an important goal keeps them engaged, resulting in greater productivity and retention.
First, sit down with other key decision-makers at your company to determine what your values are. What mission are you trying to accomplish? Once you’ve defined this, communicate it to both current and prospective employees through company handbooks, marketing content, job listings, company events, and more. You’re more likely to attract talented employees if they believe working for your organization will provide them with opportunities to feel valued and important.
Treat Your Current Employees Right
Obviously, employees who are unhappy with their treatment will be more likely to express negative attitudes about the organization, while those who feel neutral won’t have much to say that makes any sort of lasting impression.
However, if you treat your current employees well, they may represent your company as “brand ambassadors,” meaning they may be more likely to speak positively about your organization outside of work. This results in the kind of positive reputation that makes attracting talented workers much easier.
It’s important to research what you can do to boost current employee satisfaction and engagement. Most importantly, however, you have to apply what you learn. Knowing how to boost employee engagement is only valuable if you take appropriate action.
Be Flexible
The nature of work has always evolved, but the rise of digital technology in recent years has completely reshaped the workplace landscape. Keeping up with these rapid changes will allow you to attract talented job applicants.
For instance, technology has made it possible to perform many work tasks from home. Many of today’s job seekers look for positions where they will have the freedom to work remotely, at least some of the time.
Though not all positions are your company may be suitable for remote work, it’s highly likely there are many others that are. Examine which roles you would consider allowing to work remotely (even occasionally), and make sure interested applicants understand they will have these freedoms.
Have a Careers Website
Don’t overlook the value of this tip! If your website only represents your brand to potential customers, you’re limiting your ability to attract strong job applicants. You should also have a section of your website (or even a completely separate website) promoting job openings at your company. Make sure the site is showing off your company culture and expressing your organization’s key values whenever possible.
Bill Malloy 