Last week we kicked off our series on how to make your employees love you. Whether you already have employees working for you or are just starting to prepare your business for its first hire, our blogs this month will be loaded with great information that can help you become the employer everyone wants to work for!
If you missed our first blog on 7 Steps You Need To Take Before You Make Your First Hire, check it out now.
All caught up? Great! This week we’re going to teach you how to attract the best of the best once you’re ready to start your search for your first employee.
How to attract top performers to your business:
Be prepared. You’re busy. The people walking in your door for an interview are busy. Don’t waste your time or theirs. Make it a point to keep your interviews and your hiring process as short as possible by being prepared ahead of time with a list of the most important information you need to know. This will show that you value your potential employees’ time as well as showing them that you make it a habit to be prepared.
Offer a partnership, not a job.
Only 30% of employees are satisfied with the growth opportunities of their current job. Rather than offering a “job” to candidates, offer them a partnership, or a “trade”. Explain to your prospective hires what they’ll learn that will make them eligible for growth and advancement within your company as well as skills they’ll pick up that will make them more employable at another company. It’s ok to acknowledge the fact that your employees may not stay with you forever and most candidates will appreciate the honesty.
Be willing to train the perfect candidate. The willingness to train your prospects will help you hire for positions that are typically hard to fill. Also keep in mind that attitude and personality can be more important than being able to fulfill a checklist of required skills. It’s important to find a candidate that is working toward something and always looking to better themselves. These candidates will be the best fit to help your business move forward.
Offer great perks. This means more than free coffee and even more than the “traditional” health benefits, 401K and vacation hours. A more laid back dress code and flexible hours could set you apart from other potential employers. Offering the option to work from home lets potential employees know that you understand the value they place on being able to spend time with family and pursuing passions outside of work. Offering extra perks will make your employees happy which in turn will make you happy!
Give your employees purpose. Everybody wants to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves. Give your employees the opportunity to do more than just make money. Whether that means something as simple as cultivating a green work environment or something more complex like encouraging community outreach or charity work, giving your employees the chance to get involved in something that gives them purpose will motivate them to work harder and ultimately make them much more content in their position.
Encourage independence and growth. Create an environment that allows your employees to anticipate needs and get things done without needing to be micromanaged. Allowing your employees the freedom to work independently gives them the opportunity to prove themselves to you. As often as possible, provide opportunities for employees to move up the ladder in your business. Employees who see the chance for growth will be motivated to improve their skills and put everything into their work.
Offer a competitive wage. This one is a no-brainer, right? If the going rate for the position you’re trying to fill is $25/hour, don’t expect someone to do it for minimum wage. Even if you do find someone to do the job for that rate, they won’t be able to do as good a job as someone who expects to be paid more. Find someone who knows their worth and who sees the value in what they do. Figure out the going rate for the job you’re trying to fill and at the very least, match that rate.
Ultimately, if you want to attract the best possible candidates to your company, you have to set yourself apart. Make your business stand out among all the other businesses looking to fill a similar position. Advertise your strengths as a business and as an employer and emphasize the things that make the position you’re offering unique.
Be sure and come back next week. We’ll be teaching you how to retain great employees by using great rewards.
Until next time!
