A top-quality employee is an organization’s most valuable asset. This makes it vital to attract and retain talent that is committed to the success of your business by not only fitting the position that you have today but also having the potential to move into other roles in the future. While traditional hiring methods may have worked in the past, finding talent today requires implementing versatile tools and strategies that will expand your talent pool –– ultimately allowing you to select the most desirable leaders in the industry.
Finding “top talent” isn’t as easy as it sounds. If you’re looking to fill a critical position within your company, you need to vet and invest in methods that will not only produce necessary results, but also generate a return on your investment.
When it comes to finding high-level candidates to fill upper-level positions, there are primarily two professional recruitment approaches to choose from: contingent and retained search.
Contingent search is dependent on getting the firm’s candidates in front of the client first to make the successful placement. To achieve this speed, these recruiters work at the front-end of the process, leaving the majority of the interviewing, assessment and onboarding work to the client. While the company benefits from having multiple firms submit resumes, they lose out by having to invest more of their time narrowing the candidate pool while also having a shorter guarantee period.
On the other hand, retained search consultants offer a tailored process and partner with the client by providing more detailed processes. From search profile development to interviewing and assessment, they ensure only qualified candidates are presented, saving time and resources while also including a longer guarantee and, in our case, a robust assimilation process.
While both approaches will ultimately help you source skilled professionals for the need you have today, the more thorough process of a retained search partner will help you identify high potential talent who add depth to your succession planning — leading to lasting value to your team.
The new reality of talent assessment uses technology at various stages of the hiring process –– creating many new opportunities to interact with potential hires. The targeted sourcing of candidates through AI, offering virtual interview opportunities, and conducting online assessments are all ways you can leverage technology to facilitate the hiring process.
Want to learn more about how technology is affecting the hiring and recruitment process? Download our latest whitepaper!
Innovation is Power: Technology and the Future of the Hiring Process
One of the most popular social media sourcing tools is LinkedIn. Through this platform, you can build and develop professional relationships with your prospects in a more natural way. It also offers insightful articles and current data reports to keep you up-to-date on the latest industry trends. Additionally, using LinkedIn’s in-depth industry analytics can help you tap into talent pools you may not have considered before.
When it comes to hiring and recruitment, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. To successfully attract candidates, using a combination of different techniques will ensure you reach the most desirable employees –– including currently passive candidates.
Clearly defining what you want from your next employee is one of the biggest mistakes hiring teams make. Just posting or going to market with a job description will not attract the strongest candidate. What is your compelling story, how will the position impact the company’s performance and what distinguishes your culture and employees? By defining these and other questions, you will not only attract the best candidates, but studies show that companies that improve the quality of their hire are three times more likely to see an improvement in first-year performance and retention.
Not to be confused with a job description that focuses on the responsibilities of a position, a candidate profile outlines the traits, skills, and common behaviors that you’re looking for in your ideal applicant. By using a candidate profile, your team will improve its targeting, allowing you to source, screen, and assess your ideal candidates more efficiently.
A strong culture fit is possibly the most influential part of the decision-making process for any employee. Once they commit, they too will form a part of this workplace and will need to share the same values, attitudes, and commitment to the team if they want to succeed. The right culture fit will naturally be attracted to what you have to offer, giving you a better opportunity to employ them long term.
During hiring and recruitment, focus on showcasing your most powerful characteristics that promote employee engagement. Work-life balance, flexible work schedules, remote work opportunities, and recognition programs will all help show you value your workers, while also helping attract and retain new talent.
Oftentimes, employers tend to stick to what has worked well in the past, but diversifying your search will open the door to candidates that have a distinct set of experiences and insights to bring to the table.
For example, a gap in a resume from a person re-entering the workforce shouldn’t completely rule a candidate out. Take the time to get to know them, understand their experiences and how it has helped them develop into the highly skilled employee they are today. By eliminating these common biases and making diversity a priority for your hiring team, it will ultimately lead to a larger pool of critical talent that will add value to your team.
All too often, high-potential and high-quality employees leave an otherwise good opportunity for lack of personal and professional development, poor culture, and neglectful onboarding. Don’t let this be the reason you lose out on the future leaders of your organization.
Your employees should be the primary focus of your organization and high potential employees want to find a work environment that encourages them to continue to develop their careers. Provide career development discussions at least annually along with targeted developmental workshops and assignments throughout the year. Showing that you are willing to invest in their growth will lead to higher levels of commitment on their end.
If you have taken the time to create a positive workplace culture, use this opportunity to involve them as you look to attract and retain talent –– after all, they are your greatest advocates.
Encourage your team to engage in networking activities outside of the workplace. If they meet people who demonstrate the skills and abilities you’re looking for, invite them to apply for your available position. Likewise, when a candidate can interview with a current employee of the company they are considering joining, it helps them to build trust with the organization as a whole.
Once you commit to investing in your new hire, you should take the necessary steps to protect your investment. While not always provided to candidates when onboarding a new hire, transition services are essential during this adjustment period and lead to a smoother process for all parties involved.
Workshops and assessments are a common way to facilitate the shift and should be made available to all new members of the organization. From the beginning, these services provide your new hires with valuable insights into their performance and allow them to address any questions or concerns they may have. Once they have the support they need to assimilate into their new workplace culture, they will be able to focus on delivering positive bottom-line results.
Hiring for an open position in your business is always a daunting task –– and if you want to make the most of your recruitment efforts, you should consider partnering with an executive search firm that specializes in attracting and retaining the right candidate.
At Kinsley Sarn, our experienced team of former executives is committed to your success. By implementing our refined six-step process, we address each of the key phases necessary to secure exceptional talent –– including post-hire transition services and a 12-month placement guarantee. Over the years, we have had more than 280 successful placements, which proves that your partnership with us is one you can trust.
Ready to tap into the most extensive talent pool in your industry? Contact our team to begin the search for long-term talent growth for your organization.
