Most companies are only as good as the sum of their employees’ skills. Pretty self evidently, this translates into a need to find, recruit and retain individuals who have implementable expertise. This is not always as easy as it sounds.

First up, recruitment is an expensive exercise. Over and above that, there is always a high degree of competition for outstanding candidates - your competitors want the country’s most creative designer, most competent programmer and most persuasive client services director just as much as you do.

Your super staff members are out there, but you have to help them find you. (Image by Eneas under CC)

There are a number of ways to maximise your ability to recruit and retain valuable employees. Here are some tips to help you get started.

1). Build your credibility

The thing about the best person for the job is that they usually know that they’re the best. This means that they probably want to work for the best agency or company. So first off, you need to be at the top of your game. More importantly, whether you are or aren’t better than your competition, you need to be seen as such, which requires building credibility. There are many ways to do this and it is largely dependent on the industry in which you are operating.  In an agency context, winning awards and promoting your victory is helpful. Accreditation and endorsement from reputable partners is also helpful. Honesty and transparency are key, as is information sharing. 

2). Offer an internship programme

I have two brothers who, when it comes to their relationships with women, both operate off the “get em young and teach em” principle. Not obscenely young mind you, just too young to see through their ruse of charm and bravado. While this doesn’t always work out so well for them in a romantic context, it is a useful concept when applied to recruitment. While graduates may not have the experience behind them, they have fresh minds and fresh ideas which can bring value to the business. They are also keen to learn and gain experience, something which is often best accomplished through an internship. Offering graduate internships will allow you to attract talented individuals with the potential to blossom into valuable permanent employees, while also being low risk – you are under no obligation to retain contractual interns outside of the terms of their contract should they not live up to your expectations.

3). Get involved in education

This relates to both the first and the second point. Getting involved in education builds credibility, and when your efforts are directed at tertiary students, will ensure that when it comes to job applications, your company is at the forefront of their minds. Indeed, whether at a corporate or student level, education expands your company profile while positioning you as the leading authority in your industry.

4). Pay recruitment bounties

Your staff have more connections than you realise, and provided they are happy and well taken care of, they are also likely to be good ambassadors for your brand. Add a little incentive into the mix and these two elements can work hand in hand to further your recruitment efforts. Employees who are offered an incentive for the recruitment of successful applicants are not only more likely to pressurise people in their network, but because of how it could reflect on them are also likely to only seek out quality applicants.
 
5). Use the resources you already have to cut costs

When it comes to recruitment, companies have more resources than they realise. Job openings, for example, can be advertised in:

• Your corporate blog
• Your press room
• Company newsletters

This is risky, because blatant self promotion should be avoided in these channels. The recruiter thus needs to find a good angle to ensure that there is value for the user in these advertisements. Other less conventional methods can include the use of popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, all of which take advantage of the power of word-of-mouth. While I might be happily employed, I might also have a friend whose boss is a jerk. Without a doubt, I will tell her about the fantastic position you are offering in her preferred field. Catch my drift?

6). Don’t forget your in-house candidates

In your efforts to attract new talent to your company, it is easy to overlook the employees who are already there. This is a mistake. The provision of opportunity for lateral and vertical movement within your ranks can benefit the company in a number of ways. Not only will it make your staff feel appreciated, boosting morale, but it will also allow you to assess whether the best person for a position is right under your nose, which in the long run, will save you time, energy and most importantly, money.

Did you enjoy this post? Whynot check out:

• Quirk Interns
• Engaging as a Company