8 Ways to Attract Top Talent

To say that 2020 has been a turbulent year is an understatement. Businesses across the globe have been tested to the limits experiencing problems that were unforeseen by almost everyone. Nevertheless, as the New Year arrives, it’s essential that we look at the positive and ways to grow.

Recruitment has also taken a major hit. We can no longer rely solely on traditional hiring methods and in order to attract the top talent going forward, many have to consider a fresh recruitment strategy. We have compiled 8 ways to help you develop a recruitment strategy that ensures attracting the right talent.

#1. Make your job vacancy more appealing

A job vacancy must contain all of the details and requirements of the position but this doesn’t mean it has to be unexciting. Naturally, a candidate is going to want to know about the salary but, in today’s environment, there are other aspects that top talent is interested in.

Adding a video to your vacancy promotion not only shows the candidates that you are tech-minded but also gives them a better idea of the company culture (see below). Including links to your career blog will also show talent that you are committed to the employee experience.

#2. Get the right company culture

There’s little point in creating a video just for a candidate to discover that it’s no reflection on the real situation. Creating the right company culture means that employees are happy in their environment and motivated to work hard. This is essential for productivity as well as attracting the right talent.

Don’t be scared to ask for employee feedback so you gain honest insights into your company culture and inspiration on what changes to make. Small details like days off for birthdays, casual Fridays or team lunches will set your company apart from many others. Providing perks like free coffee and gym memberships are also popular trends.

#3. Boost your company reputation

Most candidates will research your company online before an interview. An outstanding online company reputation is more important today than ever. Once your company culture is optimised, it will be easier to ask employers to leave online reviews.

On a similar note, keep track of your employer reviews and respond to them appropriately. Responding to employer reviews shows you care about their experience. Top talent will notice this.

#4. Offer flexibility where you can

Work/Life balance is a high priority for most candidates. Flexibility needs to be included as part of your job vacancy. If you aren’t willing to break away from the traditional 9-5 hours, you risk putting off top talent. Employees that have flexible working hours and the option to work from home feel that you trust them. Such trust encourages empowerment and independence, which both positively reflect on productivity. Flexibility also helps to improve your company culture and company reputation—again, attracting more of the best talent.

#5. Look beyond job vacancies on recruitment sites

Hiring managers can often successfully fill positions by using social media to increase job vacancy visibility and to search for potential talent. However, you should include other forms of recruitment in your strategy.

By building strong relationships with universities, you can also include campus recruiting in your personnel strategy. Place adverts in campus newspapers and online job boards. Offer seminars or open days where students can see what your company can do for them. As an added extra, include interviews with senior staff and stakeholders.

#6. Set up an employee referral program

An employee referral program is a win-win situation. More candidates are brought into your company for interviews while employees are rewarded for their efforts. Programs can be created to best suit your company and employees but Amazon gift cards or time off for each new referral, for example, are good ways to motivate employees to bring in new talent.

#7. Automate but don’t forget personal relationships

Top talent will not wait for you to complete the hiring process.

A long hiring process leads to time when your competition can make another offer and sign a contract faster. AI-based recruitment software can greatly cut the length of your recruitment process by screening CVs and even carrying out online skills assessments. Leaving these tasks to AI reduces the chance of unconscious bias. Much of the software today comes with HR chatbots, live chat and video interviews that also have the advantage of giving your company brand a modern look.

That said, there are still parts of the recruitment process that require human interaction. Interviews are one of the few opportunities to make a first impression and begin a long-lasting relationship. Whether you or your line managers are interviewing top talent, training should be provided so that interviews are structured, professional, and focus on personal relationship development.

#8. Highlight the benefits of working for your company

The best talent want to know that they are part of something important. They need to see that there is more to coming to work each day than just a paycheck. Explain your company goals and discuss how their role will assist in achieving them.

At the same time, show talent what you can do for them. Explain your training programs, courses available and opportunities for their career development. Showing talent that you have equal opportunities for employees greatly helps to create a diverse team.

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