CEO’s Corner: Everybody’s Hiring. How Do I Attract Talent to My Organization?

By Joni Burton, CPCC and CEO, JVS Careers

As the economy continues to improve, many organizations have found it increasingly challenging to attract top talent. In fact, research shows that when it comes to hiring, the power has shifted from the employer to the candidate. As a business, you must show potential candidates what you have to offer them! Here are seven ways to attract and retain top talent to your organization.

• Cultivate an environment that caters to employees and empowers them. Talented workers look for companies that value their employees and help them succeed.
• Build your company’s reputation. Even if the general public already has a positive perception of your company, look for ways to improve your image. Talented employees prefer working for a company that’s well-received and positively acknowledged by the public.
• When you post the job announcement, provide potential candidates with all the necessary details of the position. Clearly explain what the job responsibilities include. Talented individuals want to know the ins and outs of a position and what you expect of them if hired before they apply.
• Find candidates by posting on job boards, social networks, your company’s webpage, and through your current employees.
• Communicate to potential candidates the hiring process. Tell the candidates you’re interested in exactly what they can expect during the interview process. For example, if you conduct two interviews and a series of tests prior to hiring, explain that. Don’t leave candidates in the dark.
• Offer attractive salary and benefits. Persuading talented individuals to join your organization requires you to pay them an acceptable salary and provide good benefits. Benefits such as time off, flexible schedules, and telecommuting are one way to make an offer attractive to top talent.
• Hire a recruiting firm. Recruiting firms often have access to a better network and use a proprietary database of candidates that in-house recruiters don’t have access to.

Those who are really good at what they do will be interviewing the company just as much as they are getting interviewed for a job. You need to put your best foot forward during the interview process.

Once you hire a great, new employee, give the person a reason to stay! Today’s workers want to do interesting work. They want to feel valued and know that at the end of the day, they’ve made a difference. They also want to be treated with respect, which includes being paid based on the value they bring to the organization.

Happy Recruiting!