Hiring an unqualified or lazy employee can have costly consequences for your business’s bottom line. To avoid wasted time, money, and frustration, you need to take the recruiting and hiring process seriously. When it comes to attracting top talent, it helps to think like a recruiter.
What exactly does thinking like a recruiter mean? You don’t hire the first person you see. You come up with recruiting strategies that let you find qualified candidates. And, it means you make top talent want to work for you.
The first time I hired someone, I didn’t even interview her. Instead, I called the local trade school and asked them to send a senior to do clerical work. The outcome was nothing short of a bad experience. Over time I have learned that to attract talent, you have to expect talent. You need to recruit, screen, and interview candidates.
How to attract talent
Attracting talent is an essential part of hiring. It’s what gets the ball rolling so that you can choose someone who’s qualified for the job. Most business owners have a strategy or two for driving candidates to apply at their businesses—but is it the right strategy? Will it attract the candidate who will become a star employee?
I’ve been hiring for over 30 years at my businesses. Without the know-how to attract top talent, my companies would not be operating at the levels they are today.
Here’s how to attract top talent:
1. Create an attractive and detailed job description
Once you decide you need to hire, your first course of action is to map out the qualifications, skills, and experience you need to get the job done. You will need to include all of this in a clear, concise job description.
Learning how to write a job description is critical to effective hiring. Your job description is the advertisement that draws in candidates. If it’s written poorly or vaguely, you won’t get the kind of applicants you need.
Include all the information you need to paint a picture of the job. Talk about the job title, the purpose of the job, and give details on the job responsibilities. Explain how the position would make a difference in your overall business processes. Provide a salary range and highlight the small business employee benefits you plan to offer. Be clear about which qualifications applicants must have and which would be preferable.
A clear, accurate job description without spelling mistakes or other errors will be taken more seriously by job seekers. Think of your job description like a business plan. To get investors to invest in your company, you should have a clear, well-written business plan. Likewise, to get top talent to invest in your company (i.e., apply), you need a well-written job description.
2. Build your brand
Your brand is how people recognize your business. It is represented in your logo, name, products, social media platforms, and other communication channels. A strong brand is what encourages customers to buy from you. And, it’s what entices employees to work for you.