Got Skill? 8 Tips for Attracting and Retaining Top Talent

In recent years, employee retention has become a major concern for many companies.

It’s now easier than ever for employees to search for new jobs. They can often even do so while at work, using online job boards and social media like LinkedIn.

Full-time employees may decide to quit to give the gig economy a try. Some modern industries, such as certain tech sectors, seem to come with low retention rates as employees are always looking for the next big thing.

However, it doesn’t have to be this way. When you hire the best candidates and invest in keeping them, it’s easy to pull ahead of your competitors. Your workers will be the cream of the crop, and they’ll want to stick around for years to come.

Wondering just how to attract and retain this top talent? This guide is for you! Keep reading to learn how to get (and keep) the employees you’ve always wanted.

1. Use Technology to Your Advantage

It’s tempting to think that an old-fashioned, human approach to screening applications is best. However, technology can help save time for your real hiring staff, and does many jobs just as well.

The best approaches to culling down applications often involve a blend of people and machines. If you’re a desirable company (or just in a desirable location), you probably get hundreds or thousands of online applications. Try using an algorithm to sift through the first round, and save your hiring staff for when it’s time to take a closer look.

You can also use a staffing and recruitment agency to outsource these tasks without relying on algorithms — visit this website for more.

2. Build Your Brand With Your Current Staff

Maybe you’re not one of those companies with applications rolling in. Wondering how to get the attention of the top applicants? One key is having a great brand.

Many companies focus on branding from a marketing standpoint. However, you shouldn’t just focus on how your brand looks to customers. You also need to know how it looks to future employees. That’s why your current employees can become your best brand ambassadors.

If you have existing talent, make sure to show them off. Post employee testimonials on your website, or profiles on your social media, to show interested people who they’ll be working with. This is a win-win, because customers also love the chance for getting to know your team.

3. Get Specific in Job Postings

When you list open positions online, are all the necessary details included?

Many people won’t apply for a job if they have unanswered questions after reading the post. It can be too intimidating or time-consuming for them to contact your company with questions, so they just won’t do it.

The more specific and accurate the information on the job posting is, the better your response will be. Try to be exact about required experience, on-the-job expectations, and salary ranges. This also helps you weed out people who aren’t a good fit. If they can see that they don’t meet the requirements, they probably won’t apply.

4. Promote In-House

The people you already have on your team might be the best candidates for a higher-level position.

They already know how the company works, and are familiar with the culture. If they’ve invested and thrived in their current position, they’re probably ready to move up. By promoting in-house, you can help ensure your favorite employees will want to stick around.

This opens up the lower-level positions for your new hires. It’s often better to start with a good person and train them to become top talent, rather than looking for existing “top talent.” Many applicants are diamonds in the rough — you can give them the chance to thrive.

5. Look at What You Offer

If the right candidates aren’t applying, maybe it’s not them: it’s you.

Does your company offer the right benefits and culture to attract top people in your industry? You might be losing candidates to companies that sweeten the deal. Even if you have a great package of culture and benefits to offer, it could be that potential employees don’t know about it.

This doesn’t mean you have to offer catered meals, on-site dry-cleaning, transportation, and video game consoles in your office. Many employees would rather have flexibility, such as more paid vacation time and parental leave, than “perks” that keep them on the job site.

6. Use Video Recruitment

You probably already know that the modern online marketing world is driven by video. But did you know that you can apply that same principle to attracting talent?

Use video as part of your recruitment or interview process. For example, a video interview can help you connect with candidates who would need to relocate. You can also record videos that give details about expectations and next steps in the hiring process.

Videos can even offer insight into your company culture, current employees, and what it’s like to work there. You’re not just marketing to customers: you also need to sell your company to possible employees, and video is a great way to do it.

7. Know Your Needs

When you design a marketing campaign for customers, you probably have a target audience or persona. Do you have similar insight into the type of employee you’d like to attact and keep?

The better you know what you’re looking for, the easier it will be to find it. What skills, goals, and mindsets are you looking for? What values would make an employee a good fit for your company?

8. Moderate Your Reviews

Current and former employees can review your company on sites like Glassdoor. Check your reviews, and if they aren’t great, find ways to encourage employees to leave a positive one. This might mean listening to their feedback and making changes, so your office truly is a great place to work.

Ready to Find Top Talent?

To retain the right staff, you need to start by attracting the top talent. Top talent doesn’t always mean industry all-stars: it just means the people who will thrive and do good work in your company culture.

Assessment tools can help your hiring practices. Learn more here about the top assessment tools for finding the right staff.