When Everyone Wants the Same Top Candidates ?? #recruiting

The competition is fierce out there. In the war for talent, we're often vying for the same elite candidates as industry rivals and major brands. It's a constant battle to stand out and attract top applicants away from competitors.

As a recruiting leader, I've experienced firsthand how intense the fight for top talent can be. When a coveted candidate enters our funnel, it sparks a 90-day recruiting race. Here's what we're up against:

Head-to-Head with Rival Companies ??

Our direct competitors zero in on the same high-caliber candidates, trying to sell them on similar roles. We go head-to-head countering each other's offers and persuasive recruiting pitches.

Raiding by Aggressive Recruiters ??

Third-party agency recruiters play rough trying to pull our people. They bombard our top talent with calls and messages, aiming to lure them away. We constantly have to "re-recruit" our own employees.

Big Brand Allure ??

Well-known market leaders like Google or Apple have talent flocking to them. The sheer brand appeal gives them an edge over us for shared candidate targets. Their household name holds more sway.

Location Biases ???

Certain hot spots like Silicon Valley give competitors located there a leg up. Candidates favor those areas for lifestyle appeal and abundant opportunities.

To get an edge on the competition, we've had to get scrappy with our tactics:

- Leveraging unique benefits like unlimited vacation time or remote work options not offered by others ???

- Taking risks on overlooked talent populations ignored by competitors ??

- Getting creative with outreach channels like social media recruiting at scale ??

- Building candidate relationships way before we have a job opening ??

- Promoting our culture, growth potential, and leadership accessibility ??

- Pursuing niche technical skills where less competition exists ??

- Investing in our employer brand storytelling across channels ??

- Increasing speed to offer and quick turnaround times ????♂?

While we don't always win out over rivals, implementing smart competitive strategies gives us a fighting chance to land who we want.

Candidates are more transparent to external agencies like Search Solutions.

What are your best tips for competing for top talent? Please share in the comments! #hiring #recruitment #sourcing