Every company wants to bring the very best candidates on board, that’s a no-brainer. What isn’t quite so obvious are the optimal ways to reach that goal. But by laying a foundation of good leadership, instilling some creativity into the hiring process, and putting quality ahead of quantity, rising companies can craft a talented team ideal for achieving prosperous growth.
Start at the Top
If you’re serious about finding the very best staff for your organization, begin with leaders that are dynamic, charismatic and passionate about their work. Talent attracts talent, and no truly creative mind wants to labor underneath someone who isn’t a standout themselves. By bringing in leaders who think outside the box, have personality and care about what they do, you set the groundwork for a company culture that will attract like-minded professionals who want to stick around.
Take the Initiative
It’s easy to just post on some popular job boards and field all the responses one-by-one, but to really leave no stone unturned take the time to look through sites that let you review prospects yourself. By being proactive rather than reactive you can double your chances of success at attracting talent.
Work Your Connections
Sometimes the very best prospects for a key position are right under our noses—or just a referral away. In addition to the regular routes of discovery, turn to your closest associates in the industry to see if they know of any perfect candidates for your open position/s.
Emphasize Opportunity
In addition to whatever salary and benefits you can offer top job candidates, another major lure is the room for future career growth inside and outside your company. Are there possible profit-sharing or stock options on the table? What skills and industry connections will foster each employee that will pay off professionally down the road? Is there room for advancement in the company hierarchy should this person excel at their initial position?
These kinds of incentives can not only help attract the very best professionals to your organization, but inspire them to do a superb job once they come aboard.
Provide Freedom and be Flexible
If you find a talented candidate who is a great fit for your company culture, try to be flexible regarding their previous experience and specific skills when possible. And of equal importance, provide them with the freedom to bring ideas and creativity to your endeavors.
You can teach various skills to a highly intelligent worker with a creative mind, but you can’t teach intelligence and innovative thinking to someone. So even if the position—using a rather random example— involves the frequent use of Photoshop, it’s still potentially better to bring in a Photoshop newbie who holds other exceptional qualities than a proven Photoshop pro who doesn’t impress elsewhere.
Quality > Quantity
A company of a dozen talented people with a passion for what they do will outperform an organization of 25 run-of-the-mill employees every single time. So think carefully about cutting corners to bring in more staffers when it might be wiser to untie the purse-strings to bring in less—assuming you’re finding the right talent for your vision.
State Your Case
If you’re not an established, well-known entity it might take more than just a competitive salary to bring the best candidates into the fold. If they’re truly amongst the best at what they do, there’s likely competition for their services; you need to sell them on what makes joining your organization their best option.
Depending on where they stand in their career arc, different prospects will likely be drawn by varied incentives. Top executives might demand some stock in the company; mid-level directors might be sold on how secure your company’s standing is; and the younger staffers could be inspired by their own future potential for promotion and the skills they might develop.