Finding the best workers and hiring top talent for your growing company can be challenging, especially when a solid economy creates a job hunter’s market.
You want to hire people who will believe in your mission, work hard, and possess the skills necessary to help your business succeed. But when your competitors are trying to attract those same people, how can you gain an edge?
Here are five suggestions to help you find and hire talented people you need to keep your company growing:
1. Start looking before you think you should start looking.
If you really want to get ahead of the game, you should start planning for those growth-promoting hires well before you actually need them.
As mentioned in a recent Entrepreneur article, you should consider where your next hires are likely to be right now and how you can connect with them or people who know them.
“Perhaps you need to develop relationships with specialty schools or graduate programs,” the article said. “Maybe you need to connect with industry associations or join LinkedIn groups that are dedicated to the type of talent or interests you’ll be seeking. The key is to have the intel and the connections already in place so that when it is time to add to your team you immediately know where to look and who to call.”
2. Focus on networking, and look close to home.
According to a Mashable article, networking is one of the best things you can do to find employees who fit well with your company’s culture. And networking should start with your current workers.
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“The best strategy is to first ensure employees really believe in your mission and enjoy working there,” the article said. “If they do, they’ll act as your ambassadors. They’ll bring their friends, and all will feel committed to the company’s mission and to growing your team.”
So talk to your best employees, and let them help you recruit your future rock stars.
3. Remember to go social.
As you’re looking for both talent and fit, consider vetting candidates’ LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media profiles.
Even people who aren’t interested in a position you’re offering right now might be a good fit for another opening in the future, according to an article on Business News Daily. If you’re engaging with them in social media, you can start laying the groundwork for those future hires who will facilitate growth.
“Beyond just posting job openings and interacting with candidates, post snippets about good things happening to and for the workforce in your organization,” the article said. “Get current employees to participate by joining in on the conversation, shooting short workplace videos and generally spreading the word about the beneficial features of working there.”
4. Tout your benefits, not just a salary.
Today’s workers have myriad options if all they’re seeking is a paycheck. As a result, many of them are looking for something more.
The Business News Daily article suggests that the key hires who could help your company grow want “a work environment that challenges them, allows for innovation, makes work fun but also provides work-life balance. This could mean paid time off (PTO), the ability to work from home, time to volunteer in their communities or the ability to take unpaid leave to pursue interests, to name a few.”
In other words, show candidates what makes your company different and why they should want to work there.
5. Show a little flexibility. Or even better, show a lot.
Creating and implementing a flexible work policy can help your recruitment efforts in many ways.
- First, many of the millennials who are taking over the workforce expect flexibility, whether that means the opportunity to shift hours to avoid a nasty commute, work from home one or two days each week to increase productivity, or alter their schedules to help with child care. If you don’t offer such options, you’ll be out of the running for these workers before your recruitment efforts even begin.
- Second, offering flexibility should improve morale—and productivity—of your current workers. And if you’re going to ask them for help with networking (see suggestion two), you’ll want them to fully understand these options.
- Finally, when you’re trying to grow in a challenging labor market, it’s important to expand your footprint. If telecommuting is an option, you can hire workers who live outside your usual geographic area, and that could make it easier to find the talented people you need.
By following these five suggestions, you should be able to attract employees who will fit well with your company’s culture, work hard and enthusiastically, and help you meet your ambitious targets for growth.
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What suggestions would you add to this list? Or what steps has your company taken for hiring top talent? Please leave a comment below to share your ideas.
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