CLIENT'S GOT TALENT: Why you need to sell your roles to candidates

Your candidates are auditioning you. Is your pitching game sharp enough?

CANDIDATES CAN PICK AND CHOOSE

A candidate-short market is a feast for job seekers and you're just one dish on the menu. More than ever before, top-tier talent need a compelling reason to believe that working with you is the right choice for them. Your job is to give them that reason; to present a pitch that leaves them wanting more - ideally, a signature on the dotted line.

So what is your company going to be? The day old potato salad or the piping hot apple pie? That choice, alone, is yours.

Unless you can 'sell' how your business and this role will enrich a candidate's life and career in ways that are meaningful to them, you're not going to win the talent war.

WHY CHOOSE YOU?

Your first challenge? To articulate (better than your competitiors do) why a candidate should work with you - and understanding what their unique drivers are is the first step.

A powerful job pitch is one that's tailored to a candidate's wants and needs, demonstrates a 'desire to hire' and a willingness to be flexible. Candidate skills, fit and experience are no less important, but unless you can 'sell' why your business and this role will enrich a candidate's life and career in ways that are meaningful to them, you're not going to win the talent war.

VALUE POINTS...

Can you clearly communicate:

• How your company/the role will facilitate the candidate's career + life + personal growth goals
• How talent will be uniquely valued/rewarded for the unique value they bring to your business
• The secret spices you can offer that your competitors can't or won't?

Authenticity Matters

Selling roles to candidates does not = the hard sell, nor being disingenuous or misleading in any way. Unless you have a strong value proprosition to begin with, you'll have a hard time effectively 'selling it' to candidates - and even if you do, you'll run the risk of candidate disallusionment if their lived experience in the role does not live up to the promise of your pitch.

Put simply, you need to walk the talk. You must be able to demonstrate that you understand what's important to them and why, the value they will bring to your business and how you are uniquely able to offer them holistic, life-enhancing value in return.

THE PITCH BEGINS AT HOME

Every point of contact between you and prospective candidates is a perception point for them, and an opportunity for you to put your best foot forward. This includes email and phone contact throughout the hiring process, your LinkedIn presence and crucially, the 'Careers' section on your website.

Top talent will review your employment offerings before they even consider submitting an application for a role. They may even proactively seek out opportunities with your company if your online presence demonstrates compelling value in terms of benefits, entitlements and other reward structures.

Given this, it's surprising how few company websites and job-advertisements utilise these valuable marketing opportunities effectively, if at all.

TIP: Make your Digital Pitch a priority in any audit you carry out of your hiring processes, prospect collateral and digital infrastructure.

Need help with this? Get in touch.

BEST PRACTICES

Understand candidate drivers: What do they want + need, what's meaningful for them. Listen. Be authentic. Rely on candidate intel and briefings from quality recruiters.

Tailor your pitch: How will the role + your business uniquely facilitate those wants + needs? e.g. fast-tracked career trajectory, stock options, unique work-life balance benefits.

Be flexible: Demonstrate a willingness to 'make it work' for the right candidate. What extra carrots can you offer? Can you negotiate on hours/pay/conditions that are tailor made for them?

Happy auditioning!

Need help sharpening your pitch to candidates?

Let's talk!