By Broadleaf President & CEO Lynne Marie Finn

It’s no secret that it’s very challenging to find top talent these days with a tight labor market — especially for high demand skill sets. As an experienced business leader, you know what it takes to overcome challenges. But, when it comes to finding the caliber of talent you need, are you bringing your A game to talent acquisition? Do you have what it takes to win?

Here are three things you can do to level the playing field in talent acquisition:

 

1. Expand your candidate pool.

One way to expand the pool is to determine the best way to get the work done. The more types of workers you’re willing to consider, the bigger your pool of potential candidates becomes. Do you really need a full-time employee, or:

• Can a contingent worker or freelancer do it?

• Can the work be shared among people?

• Should the work be outsourced to experts in that area?

Additionally, be flexible about where and when the work gets done. Ask yourself:

• Can the person work remotely—at least part of the time?

• Can their schedule be flexible to give them more autonomy?

• Are you willing to hire for base skills and cultural fit and then provide specific training?

Not all positions lend themselves to flexibility with work schedules or prior experience, but this approach will increase your candidate pool and thereby enhance your chance of finding the talent you need.

 

2. Put your best foot forward during the hiring process.

The stakes are high when you compete for top talent, and your A game is required from your first encounter with a candidate to the offer stage. This process showcases who you are as an organization and why a candidate should want to work for you.

• Online job postings need to be punchy and interesting so your company stands out among a field of amateurs.

• Job descriptions should give candidates a real feel for your work culture, your values, and how the position fits into the company’s ecosystem; too many job descriptions are merely a recitation of the job’s duties.

• The entire screening process should be welcoming, informative and upbeat so candidates feel valued and get excited about the opportunity to join your team.

• The personal interview is “game day” where enthusiasm, authenticity and warmth are required to woo the candidate to “for the win.”

 

3. Position your organization as an employer of choice.

What will distinguish your organization as an employer of choice?

• People like working there and refer others to apply.

• Employees are engaged and feel like they have a voice.

• Payrates and benefits are market competitive .

• Opportunities for training and career development.

 

If you’re not positioning your company to be an employer of choice you’ll not only have trouble attracting talent in the first place, but, even more importantly, you won’t be able to retain the talent you have in this fiercely competitive labor market.

Job seekers today are younger and, let’s face it, in control of their own destiny. And that’s great! But it sure makes things tougher for employers. If millennials are changing jobs an average of four times in their first decade out of college, it’s incumbent on companies to bring their A game to the talent retention arena too. But that’s a whole different ball game!

At Broadleaf, we work with companies to put the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Do you want to build the strongest team possible? Contact us today!