Recruiting Talent Always Starts with Retention

Republished with permission from robthornburgh.com.

How do the great brands in any industry consistently recruit the top talent? Sure, these companies are respected names and often ranked as a “best place” to work. However, they didn’t start out that way. The magic sauce that brought the best minds into their company, but more importantly retained them long-term is simple: they treat their existing team extraordinarily well.

Leading companies proactively build and manage culture. This isn’t a casual effort. They are constantly innovating. People want to work for these businesses thanks to their reputation and the exceptional work they perform in the market.

If your own corporate culture and resulting recruitment efforts aren’t succeeding at the highest levels, here are five (5) critical factors to pay close attention to:

1. Ask the Difficult Questions. Build an environment of trust where team members will give you honest feedback on what is and isn’t working. Be sure to remember that new employee. Its amazing what they see after only a few weeks on the job.

2. That Word Integrity. Someone once said that in looking for people to hire, “You always look for three qualities. Integrity, intelligence, and energy. If you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.” Make sure you are bringing in the right people. They define culture and have a massive impact on tomorrows hiring efforts.

3. The Best Ambassadors. How do prospective employees and sales professionals learn about a company? Look around. Your team talks to their own network about work life in casual conversations every day. Constantly develop your people. Give them every reason to remain your best brand ambassadors.

4. Leverage Your Unique Story. A defining characteristic of any thriving business is they avoid trying to be like other companies. They reside in their own zone and master the storytelling of why they are unique.

5. Style Matters. There is no need for a less than professional approach to attracting talent. No poaching, no negative selling about your competition. Rather, tell the industry about your extraordinary work, establish a higher set of expectations and as a result, your first-class reputation will naturally open opportunities.

Yes, there will be those who move on. It’s inevitable – family, money, or accidental missteps by management can all lead to changes. That’s not a reason to avoid heavily investing in and nurturing existing relationships.

Remember, the grass is always greener when and where you water it. People are your ultimate voice in the market, now and in the future. Everyone matters, from the front desk to your top performing sales professionals. Provide your collective team the right tools to succeed in their work. Find new ways to add value to those that were instrumental in getting you where you are today – only then will you fully reap the recruitment rewards.