Sometimes in the recruiting game, you have to be part super sleuth to find highly sought after talent. But what if you could retire
your inner Dick Tracey and instead become the pied piper, drawing today’s talent into your organization? To do so, you must change your approach, instead of exhaustively posting job descriptions and hopelessly searching for your next star, try our tips to more easily identify your next hire.
Get strategic
Create profiles of your star performers. Where have they worked in the past, where did they go to school? Armed with this information, you can begin creating a strategy to reach similar candidates. Use LinkedIn and other social networks to search out talented individuals in similarly situated companies. Use social media to build your reputation. Tell the community why they want to work there, use pictures. Advertise the things that make you a great employer. Join and participate in online groups and use sponsored ads/posts to get in front of the right people.
It’s all about who they know!
Ask for introductions to your staff’s network and institute an employee referral program. Try asking your new staff who in their network would be a good fit to the team. Use orientation as a time to solicit introductions and outline the perks of your employee referral program.
Passive Candidates
Maybe you’ve identified a high performing passive candidate who is not quite ready to make their next move. Remember to keep that fish on the hook by communicating with them periodically about things happening in the industry. It’s not about overwhelming them with job opportunities, it’s about informing them of changes happening in the field, inviting them to industry events and
keeping them engaged with relevant information they can put to good use. This may be an email or a tweet. It could be a blog post or news article.
Beyond the Skill Set
You want to show folks that you truly care about their needs and wants and not just their skill set and getting a butt in the seat. It is imperative that you truly listen and be able to understand what they are looking for. If you show that you truly do care and show compassion, then it will lead to a true connection and long term relationship. By creating a good relationship, it will force the individual to speak your praises and pass your information along to other folks. Finding that highly attractive sought after skill set is important along with a culture fit.