Ask someone who is desperate for a job, and they’ll tell you that any employer is OK with them. Now, if you ask the same question of someone confident in their position as an expert or top talent, you’ll get an entirely different answer. These are the candidates who know they are sought-after and, that being the case, can consider their wants and needs versus only worrying about what potential employers seek. Since they’re more coveted, top talent can be more discerning and expect hiring managers to impress them as much as they intend to do any impressing themselves.
Should you bother reaching out to such finicky candidates? The answer is yes! Because this is the talent that you genuinely need to recruit and retain to remain competitive. The more you know about the attributes the top talent wants in an employer, the better.
Creative Control and Innovation
When someone goes through the effort of gaining the experience and education required to be “top talent,” they expect to be treated accordingly. Yes, that means being fairly compensated for their abilities. However, it goes deeper than that. The elite talent in most industries will seek opportunities where they have the autonomy to create and innovate.
Of course, it isn’t enough to simply allow these things. Top talent needs a work environment with the tools and resources available to maximize their capabilities and feel fostered. For brands, this could mean investing in new technologies and reaching out to candidates to ensure they can use these technologies that allow them to create and innovate.
An Organizational Structure They Can Navigate
The more complex the organizational structure, the bigger headache it can create for talented recruits. If there are information silos and communication roadblocks, that’s something that a talented job prospect may determine makes a job no longer worth pursuing.
When the reporting structure is easy to understand and it’s much easier to find answers to important questions, top talent will be happy. Most good employees also want to know what is expected of them. That makes it easier to focus on innovation and execution.
A Compatible Work Environment
Will I feel welcome and comfortable in this work environment? That’s an essential question for talented professionals who are seeking a job. Keep in mind that this is less about good vs. bad than it is about candidates who are more likely to accept and keep a position if they are going to be happy going to work each day.
Brands will have better success recruiting and retaining these workers if they create a company culture that works for their elite talent.
Clear Path to Upward Mobility
Some top talent has developed their skills simply because they are passionate about what they do for a living. Most others do so to gain more employment opportunities and enjoy upward mobility in their proven careers. When they interview potential employers, they may not be fully focused on the position in front of them. Instead, many will want a clear understanding of how they can move up in the ranks, so to say.
This is something that hiring managers can address as they work with talented candidates in the hiring process. For example, instead of simply selling prospects on the perks of their hiring position, they can also educate them about any potential paths to advancement.
Investment in Employees
Investment in employees is much broader than many companies realize. It’s also an essential factor for talented hires as they determine where they want to work. Yes, investment in employees includes offering training and technologies. It also means providing perks such as gym memberships and company activities. These are the efforts that show employers care about the well-being of their employees.
Good Compensation
Of course, you can’t overlook pay. Top-talent candidates know what they’re worth, especially in this tight job market. A bunch of perks won’t entice them if they do not receive appropriate baseline compensation for their abilities. Consider salary and insurance benefits to be the baseline for attracting the best talent. Everything else will need to build off of that.
Trust and Communication
If employees feel blindsided by management decisions constantly and “out of the loop,” it can be challenging to develop a sense of trust. Unfortunately, without that transparency, talented workers are less likely to stick around.
Talented Coworkers
Nobody wants to be the only talented, hardworking member of any organizational team. That’s simply too much pressure and often leads to one person taking on the majority of work. This causes burnout and fatigue. Instead, elite talent wants to work in an environment where they can team up with people who are also skilled and innovative.
The best people to communicate all of this may be employees as brand ambassadors. They can use video and social media to create employer branding content and educate prospects about whom they will be working with. At the same time, brands need to pay close attention to employee sentiment. If that takes a downward turn, it could be possible that peer relationships within your organization are suffering. This is often caused by a perception that employees or groups of employees are incompatible.
Insights Are Key
Is your company ready to attract top talent, then keep that talent working for you? The best way to ensure this is to know exactly what you have to offer, entice workers with a great work environment, and always provide room for growth.
