Talent specialist Elin Agodi on why proper talent acquisition goes way beyond job posting.
Talent management is becoming more and more challenging for organisations because competition for skills is rife and your competitors are lining up to find better ways to attract talent to their organisation. Have you ever wondered why companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon have candidates waiting for the next vacancy to become available so they can be considered? Why is it perceived to be "difficult" to get employed in those organisations? Ever thought about what sets them apart and how they have done it so seamlessly? Why do some organisations seem to always be attracting high-quality job seekers and others can’t seem to find the right mix of talent and culture fit?
The reason, unfortunately, is that most organisations don't put enough thought into the kinds of employees that would suit their organisation. They use the same generic job profile that has no character, no "life" and does not connect with job seekers. This generic job advert is why efforts to post a job, screen candidates and interview sometimes result in finding talent that is just not the right fit.
Talent attraction and acquisition is a strategic process that must be planned to make sure that the candidates who want to work for your company are lined up and ready for the next vacancy to become available. Your employer value proposition should offer candidates an experience, a challenge, an opportunity, development, and rewards that make them so excited that all they can do is talk about how they're going to make sure you know every day that you made the right decision to hire them.
Finding talent is like finding customers
I believe that successful talent attraction and acquisition is like marketing and lead generation. Finding the right talent for your organisation is very similar to finding the right customers. It's important to know what you are looking for, where you will find them, how you will connect with them and the value you bring to their lives and the problems you help them solve. Without this, you have no business.
So, in recruitment, your organisation's purpose, values, vision, mission and why factor will resonate with certain job-seekers and at the same time it will push others away. In addition, the characteristics that make up a successful employee will also help you determine which employees are best suited for success in your organisation. All this aligns with how you attract and acquire talent. Your company can’t be everything to everyone. Your organisation has certain unique traits that make it different, exciting, and attractive to people based on those traits. Why not leverage those qualities to help you build an Employee Value proposition and talent acquisition strategy that will enable you to attract and acquire the right people, in the right jobs at the right time?
Questions to ask yourself
Let's consider the kinds of questions you should ask yourself before embarking on any talent acquisition drive:
- Why does your organisation exist? What are the core values that inspire the leaders and employees to show up every day? If this has not been defined, imagine what you want it to be like and visualize a picture in your mind and then articulate it in a way that everyone can understand that vision.
- What social contributions or causes is your company involved in? How is your organisation giving back? For most of us, when we feel like we're contributing to a cause bigger than ourselves (no matter how small the cause), we feel a sense of purpose and fulfilment. And the greatest benefit is that clients are attracted to organisations who give back.
- What is important about the employees in your organisation? What qualities, values, beliefs and attitudes do you require of people to be able to advance your organisation's goals? When you know the kind of employees you want, and you can articulate it, it's easy to find them.
- How will attracting the right people, and employing them in the right roles, drive your business? What will it do for your customers? And what major leaps will your organisation be able to make?
By having these few items outlined, and visible on your company’s career page and job posting will take you further along the way to attracting, acquiring, and retaining talent. They will allow your organisation to attract and retain talent that not only has the skills and abilities to be successful but is also a good fit the organisation. As a leader, you must ask yourself if the cost of turnover, high levels of disengagement and poor job satisfaction outweighs the effort to make the organisation a talent magnet. If the answer is no, then you know what to do.
Elin is a Talent Specialist, HR Advisor, NLP Coach and LAB Profile Practitioner.
