Attracting Talent in a Competitive Landscape

It’s no secret that attracting top talent is difficult in today’s competitive market. With global talent shortage a growing issue, it’s even more challenging for companies to find the right talent to fill their vacancies. We’ve got some tips on what you can do to make your company attractive and recruit the right talent.

Promote your brand

Candidates today are spending more time researching companies before applying. Having a brand that communicates that you are a great company to work for can give you the leg up on the competition. Here are a few ways to get that message out there:

• Online and on Social Media – As more and more people are taking to social media, it’s no longer enough to have a stellar website to promote your brand. At the very least you need to consider a good looking careers page and a quality LinkedIn company page.

We also recommend having another social media account such as Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. These platforms allow for a flexible and more casual place to show off your company’s personality and culture.

• Use your current employees – Another easy way to showcase your brand is through current employees. The people who already work for you believe in your brand enough (hopefully!) to spend 40 hours or more a week trying to grow it. These are your most reliable advocates and the ones who would be the most convincing when attracting that sought after star talent.

• Live by your mission statement and advertise that you do– Most candidates look at what a company says about how it conducts its business, and decide if their views align with those of that company. Therefore it’s important to have a strong mission statement and have it in an easy to find place.

Cultivate a great candidate experience

A prospective candidate’s first impression of your company (after their online research) is the application process. If the application process is too arduous, it may put off the talent you put so much effort in trying to attract.

Many things need to come into consideration when thinking about the candidate experience:

• Have a detailed job description – You want to make sure you aren’t so vague that you inadvertently target the wrong candidates for the role. This causes a frustrating experience for both you and the candidate.

• Set expectations – Let them know how long the process will take and what the steps are along the way. Make sure you also communicate any changes in the process as they come up.

• Have a user friendly application platform– Many people today job search from their smart phones. Make sure your site is mobile friendly and that applicants can easily find your job postings and apply.

Ensuring that you have a recruitment system in place to create a great candidate experience, and promoting your brand, will go a long way to secure that top prospect.