Attracting and hiring top talent is a primary undertaking for sustaining business growth and organizational success. Companies must refine their recruitment strategies to attract the best candidates as the job market stays highly competitive. Enhancing employer branding, reducing time-to-fill, and improving the quality of hires are critical aspects of this process. Understanding the nuances of effective talent acquisition can significantly impact an organization's ability to innovate, grow, and maintain a competitive edge.

Sorting through the modern complexities of the hiring process demands a comprehensive approach across its main components, from sourcing to onboarding new hires. Organizations contend with global talent shortages, rapidly changing job markets, and evolving candidate expectations. Leveraging data analytics and understanding cultural fit are fundamental for attracting and retaining top talent. The rise of remote work has also expanded the geographical talent pool, necessitating new strategies to attract candidates from diverse locations. Additionally, arising pressures and trends are challenging diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, requiring a reassessment of recruitment practices to ensure the workplace remains inclusive.

Perspectives from Thought Leaders on How to Attract and Hire Talent

To provide practical insights into this area, we have gathered views and recommendations from expert practitioners who have successfully navigated the complexities of attracting and hiring talent. Their experiences and reflections offer valuable lessons that organizations tackling this challenge can consider.

Jadey Ryndak
Senior Recruitment Consultant at Vocation
 

In a neutral or employer market, leaders often de-prioritize the use of recruiters and employer branding. If you are flooded with applications, why continue to invest strategic resources to drive more candidates? The answer is that not all candidates are equal, and the fight for top talent continues, both in attracting and retaining individuals who will grow and sustain your company. The goal of external recruiting and employer brand positioning isn’t to attract more candidates; it’s to attract and resonate with the “right” talent. When each role matters, hiring becomes a high-stakes action.

From my experience supporting leaders in hiring for key roles, the "why" matters just as much as the "what." Hiring leaders almost always choose candidates who strongly align with the role, the organization, the industry, or the specific business challenge. Additionally, candidates often accept offers from organizations and leaders who align with their personal interests, career goals, and values.

Creating an employer brand that resonates with candidates:

• Talent is a critical resource and requires strategic planning and rigor. Your employer branding must first align with the overall business objectives, market positioning, growth plans, and competitive analysis.
  
  
• Identify the most pressing skills, levels, and locations. Utilize surveys and interviews to understand the key elements that matter most to your workforce, particularly focusing on key talent or critical gap areas.
  
  
• Work closely with the marketing and communications team to align around the organization's mission and vision, origin story, and what differentiates it. Ensure there is a direct narrative that connects your employer brand with the organization's ethos and its impact on clients and other stakeholders. The more authentic the connection, the more it resonates with candidates.
  
  
• Tell real stories. Engaged employees are your brand's best ambassadors. As appropriate for your brand, use video and social media to showcase the work, culture, and X-factor that make your organization unique through employees' voices.
  
  
• Consistency across channels is crucial. Maintain a consistent employer branding message across all channels, including job postings, social media, and the company website. Creating a feedback loop where employee experiences and feedback are regularly integrated into employer branding strategies is also essential. This helps ensure that the brand evolves with the needs and perceptions of both current and potential employees.
  
  
• Measuring the impact of employer branding efforts can be achieved through tools such as employee satisfaction surveys, candidate feedback, and brand perception metrics. Highlight the need for continuous improvement and adaptation of employer branding strategies based on changing market conditions and feedback.
  
  

Strategies that have proven effective for sourcing and attracting talent:

• Transparency and visibility matter. Providing all of the information upfront helps speed up and clarify the process. Salary, benefits, goals, company positioning, team dynamics, what’s working and what needs improvement – all of it. The more unvarnished the details are, the more credibility and trust are built. The right candidate will welcome the full story and resonate with the task at hand. This helps not just with hiring but with long-term retention.
  
  
• CXO as lead recruiter. Getting the C-suite actively involved in recruiting makes a significant difference. Their visibility, network, and credibility provide unique access to top talent. Partner with executives to promote open roles or key hiring initiatives at conferences, networking events, podcasts, and media events. Create a communication process for a quick and easy flow of leads from the C-suite to your recruiting team for high-touch follow-up. Engage them in high-stakes candidate recruitment efforts – they can be great “closers.”
  
  
• It is crucial to create a positive candidate experience throughout the recruiting process. To maintain a strong reputation, ensure timely communication and respectful interactions. Encourage C-suite executives to share their personal stories and vision for the company, enhancing the authenticity of the employer brand.
  
  
• Utilize technology and data analytics to identify and engage qualified candidates more effectively. Incorporate diversity and inclusion strategies into the recruitment process to attract a broader range of qualified candidates.

Eddie Stewart
Principal Consultant at ES Talent Solutions

In today’s world, it seems fast is best. We streamline activities, homogenize work to create scale, and get more things done quickly. There can be great value in this, but in recruiting talent, I have learned that taking a different approach upfront can lead to more recruiting success. When looking at what sourcing strategies to pursue, look at each position and work on a “segmentation” strategy. What is the best method to fill each role? Where have we had success in the past? Instead of “we use agencies to fill our Chemical Engineering openings,” think about the possibility of using a different strategy for openings across geographies, operating companies, etc. For example, while we haven’t found a better solution than agencies to fill our openings in Kansas City, we discovered some great local associations and conferences we can tap into to fill our openings in Dallas. When these segmentation strategies have been realized, we can now look across functions and divisions to identify similarities and look for efficiencies in implementing these strategies.  Being creative in looking for segmented strategies takes time but is well worth it when it leads to cost savings and increased quality of hires.

Another important lesson revolves around the “Time is Money” theme. Some large corporations spend millions of dollars implementing the latest technologies, purchasing candidate-generated lists, etc. To them, filling the top of the funnel with more prospects increases the odds of filling their roles. There is a lot of truth to this. Where does this leave the companies who do not have the money to fund these massive projects? On the Time/Money continuum, there is a path to success for smaller or less-funded companies.  It does come with a cost, and that is time. Look for ways to provide “concierge” treatment to prospects. Handwritten messages, timely replies, recruiters and hiring managers attending events, etc. This funnel starts with less input at the top and more pass-through down the funnel, arriving at the same result – identifying and hiring great talent.

Gwen Silverstein
Principal Consultant at Top Talent Matters

At a time when talent acquisition is evolving rapidly, creating a compelling employer brand and employee value proposition (EVP) remains fundamental. As an HR and Talent Acquisition Leader, my experience in technology, engineering, professional services, and entrepreneurial global organizations has given me unique insights into what resonates with candidates and the uncommon practices that effectively source and attract top talent.

• Candidates today seek authenticity and transparency from potential employers. They want to know what it's really like to work for an organization beyond the polished exterior. Sharing genuine employee stories, showcasing day-in-the-life videos, and providing a behind-the-scenes look at the workplace culture has significantly resonated with candidates. This approach helps build trust and allows potential hires to envision themselves as part of the team.
  
  
• Top talent is motivated by more than compensation; they are looking for purpose and impact. Highlighting your organization's meaningful work and its impact on the community and industry can be a powerful attractor. Whether through corporate social responsibility initiatives, innovative projects, or contributions to industry advancements, showcasing how your organization makes a difference can inspire candidates to join your mission.
  
  
• In an aggressive job market, personalized communication can make a significant difference. Tailoring messages to address candidates' interests and career goals shows that you value them as individuals. This can be achieved through personalized emails, targeted content, and one-on-one interactions during the recruitment process. By making candidates feel seen and valued, you create a positive and memorable experience.
  
  
• Most often, the best talent is not actively looking for new opportunities. Engaging passive candidates via thought leadership, networking events, and industry forums has proven effective. By positioning your organization as a thought leader and creating opportunities for interaction, you can attract the attention of high-caliber professionals who may consider a move for the right opportunity.
  
  
• Turning employees into brand ambassadors can be a game-changer. Encouraging employees to share their experiences on social media, participate in referral programs, and represent the company at industry events can expand your reach and credibility. Potential candidates often trust the word of current employees more than advertising, making employee advocacy a powerful tool.
  
  
• Advanced recruitment technologies and data analytics can streamline the sourcing process and identify high-potential candidates more effectively. AI-driven tools can analyze candidate profiles, predict cultural fit, and match skills with job requirements, reducing the time and effort spent on manual screening. Additionally, data analytics can provide insights into recruitment trends and candidate behavior, helping to refine strategies and improve outcomes.
  
  
• A strong employer brand sets you apart in a competitive job market. Investing in employer branding initiatives, such as awards, certifications, and positive media coverage, can enhance your reputation and attract top talent. Collaborating with marketing to consistently promote the employer brand across various channels ensures a cohesive and appealing message.
  
  
• The demand for flexible work arrangements has surged, and offering options such as remote work, flexible hours, and hybrid models can make your organization more attractive to candidates. Embracing flexibility broadens the talent pool and demonstrates a commitment to employee well-being.
  
  
• Top talent values opportunities for growth and development. Creating robust learning and development programs, mentorship opportunities, and clear career progression paths will differentiate your organization. Investing in employee growth will attract and retain high-performing individuals who see a future with your company.
  
  

Attracting top talent in a competitive job market requires adopting uncommon practices while emphasizing authenticity, purpose, personalization, and the type of innovation that could help to truly stand out.

Jacquie Hughes
Senior VP Human Resources/Consultant at JacquieHR

Here is some advice for employers and professionals who may not remember the candidate side of recruiting. Let’s explore some often-misused elements in the process:

Rejection emails.

Be very conscious about the wording in your e-mail rejecting their application. Words like “unfortunately” or “we regret to inform you” are never great to read. Also, no applicant wants to hear that the company will move forward with other candidates. They don’t care. The way a rejection email is worded can affect the person. And getting many of them can REALLY have an effect. It can also reflect poorly on the company by preventing the applicant from ever reapplying. There are graceful ways to let people know you appreciate their time applying. Take the time to formulate something as positive as possible. It will pay off in the long run and more accurately reflect who you are as a company. 

Hello? Hello? Is anyone there?

It’s a real bummer to interview with someone and never hear back. It’s also a poor reflection on the company and how they care for people. We all get busy, that is real, but there are ways to schedule in proper communication with all your applicants and candidates. If someone has taken the time to interview via video or in person, keeping them posted on the next steps is polite. It is disrespectful to not respond or communicate about any next steps, thank them for their time, or even perhaps let them know the company has made a different decision.

Courtesy call.

And, if your candidate has gone down the line and interviewed or gone through several interviews, please give them a courtesy call if they do not get the job. It shows that you respect their time in the process. You can even offer them a real reason, like, “It was such a close call, and you have such great experience, but it only came down to favoring more global experience.” Candidates can digest that and understand it and not walk away feeling discouraged and discarded. No one wants an impersonal, curt email or text after investing significant time and energy.

Understand The Gaps Before You Pass.

After the pandemic, things have looked different; the landscape is not the same. Candidates are having more trouble being loyal because companies are less loyal. With private equity coming in, buying out companies, making layoffs, then buying another company and making more layoffs, and larger corporations downsizing, you can't blame an employee for always having one foot in the candidate pool just in case.

Maybe someone took time away to care for their family or raise kids—good for them—it shows character. Unfortunately, many companies allow toxic leaders to stay on board, which is a very good reason to leave, even if it creates a hole in someone’s resume. Their mental health is well worth it!

If there are gaps in employment, understand the story before passing on that potential resume. Those gaps were often not the candidate's choice, and they are still very worthy and capable of taking on a position. Perhaps they may even be your next superstar!

Other Articles in the Series on How to Attract and Hire Talent

Understanding the lessons learned is just one aspect of this process. Equally important are the critical cultural elements supporting effective recruitment and the impactful advice for leaders and managers to guide their teams through these changes successfully. Together, these perspectives can give organizations and professionals a comprehensive view of attracting and hiring top talent.

Enabling Practices and Resources

Core Recruiting Strategy and Sourcing Practices to Effectively Identify and Attract the Right Talent.

Recruiting practices used to fill job positions effectively and efficiently have evolved significantly over the last decade, with several approaches being adopted.

Defining Recruiting Needs in Alignment with Business Strategy.

A foundational element for effective recruiting strategy and sourcing is an attractive “Employee Value Proposition (EVP)” or “Employer Branding” that showcases where the organization stands in a number of key areas.

Identifying and Nurturing Effective Internal and External Talent Sources.

The effectiveness and efficiency of the recruiting process will greatly depend on the organization’s ability to identify multiple sources of qualified candidates and nurture those channels on an ongoing basis.