“They just aren’t here in Michigan.”
“When we find someone even close to what we need, we are racing to the finish with a minimum of five other possible employers.”
“I am desperate!”
Unfortunately, desperation for talent often leads to bad hiring decisions. We’ve all been there. Feeling as if the only action is a REaction. Truth be told, we do have the capacity to squelch that desperation through action, but it takes recognition, intention, and persistence. All of those things are hard to do when the story running through your head is that talent doesn’t exist here in Michigan, the competition is too fierce, and hiring now is your only option.
Three Solid Pillars for Attraction
Recognize who you are and use that as a beacon for the talent. That’s what great companies like Duolingo have done. It’s so easy to look back and see where it all happened, not so easy to lose the desperation and build the identity as a great place to work. There are three solid pillars that will help you plant your own beacon. Start now and you can gain the best talent attraction tool a company can have… the identity of a great place to work.
Recognize who you are. What does your company care about and how are you making a difference in the lives of your employees as they go on this journey with you? Get it all out there: your vision for the future, your deeply held principles, and the quality of the journey talent will have achieving that bright future as a team.
Be intentional in your messaging. Now that you know who you are, build that into all of your messaging; recruiting, innovating, marketing, selling, and management. Over and over you’ll see that people come to work for companies with a vision for the future and a culture they enjoy working in. How are you talking about those things?
Be persistent. Build who you are into everything. Your day-to-day meetings should have the flavor of you. Innovation practices are nothing unless they are consistent with what you care about. Your customers cannot be loyal unless you act at all times with what you say you are. The more the market experiences you and the clear message of who you are, the more they’ll believe it. So it has to be authentic and consistent.
Let The Talent Choose In
The recognition, intention, and persistence will pay off. No matter where they are, no matter who they are working for, the talent you need will choose themselves in. Giving them a clear path and letting them choose you will ensure employment longevity and success for everyone.
What you’ll need are messages that aren’t the same-old same-old. On a micro-level you’ll need your employment opportunities to stand out from the rest by being clear about your culture. Show them what they will gain by being part of the team. Rework how you show talent their part in your company’s journey forward. You can also check into a visual way to share opportunities on your website, in social media, in email, or on most job boards.
Probably the most important tactic in the day-to-day is to involve the talent you have. Show them you care now. Go tell your team how much you appreciate them… no really. Get up and thank them now.
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M. Miche Rayment is the Founder and Chief Facilitator for The Hire Effect™. The Hire Effect’s clients learn how to attract the talent they need and choose the right people at the right time. TheHireEffect.com