Recruiting (and Keeping) Rockstar Employees

Here are 8 steps to recruiting and keeping rockstar employees.

Make a Plan.

Everything in life needs a plan. You need to know where to start to know where you are going. There are several factors to consider like will you hire within or open to outside candidates? Will you post to job sites such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Indeed? Will you use a headhunter? These questions should all be answered before you post that job opening.

Create a timeframe.

Sometimes you have to work backwards. Think about when you need that employee to start.  Then determine how long for interviews. How many rounds of interviews will there be? This will help you to decide on how long to accept applications.

You expect your candidates to have a good resume; you need to too.

Top recruits will have many options. LinkedIn reports job seekers have become choosier, viewing nearly twice as many job posts before applying in 2021 than they did in previous years. You must show why your company outranks the competition and is the place for them. Therefore, the job posting itself will need to get the right candidates to apply.

It goes without saying organizations must research the average salary for the different positions and be competitive. But not just competitive in salary. Candidates also look at benefits such as medical plans, retirement plans, and work flexibility. Your company must keep up with the competition in these areas as well.

Outline the process to the candidates.

You don’t want to find the right candidate and then lose them because of the timing. Explain the process and timeline for them. Do not leave them wondering where they stand, or they will look elsewhere.

Work with your hiring manager.

Candidates will be scanning the job openings to see if they qualify for the job listing. A list of talents needs to be specific. If you are looking for a particular set of skills, it must be relayed from the start, or you are wasting everyone’s time. There is no such thing as overcommunicating with your hiring manager on the job skills, requirements, and qualities you are looking for in a new employee.

Don’t forget about past candidates. Did you recently hire for an opening and had a hard time deciding between two people? Would they be a good fit for your new opening?

Seal the deal.

You did it. You found your rockstar. Now don’t lose them. Be up front about the position, salary, and benefits. Give them time to think it over, but not too much time. Set a deadline for acceptance.

Onboarding is still part of the process.

The first few weeks are critical for the employer/employee relationship. And the whole team must contribute. You need a welcoming atmosphere, a smooth transition, and offer lots of training. You may have an experienced employee, but they are experiencing a new culture.

Set goals for 30 days, 60, days, 6 months, etc. so the employee knows what to strive for. And your team needs to know early on if the employee is a good fit or not.

Retain that talent.

You have now created a rockstar. So now they have even more skills and experience that are attractive to other organizations. Strong relationships must be maintained. A happy employee will work harder and stay loyal.

The Job Market is Only Going to Get More Competitive.

Recruiting is one of the most expensive things an organization does. According to Buddy Punch, it costs nearly $7,000 to hire a professional employee. You cannot take the recruiting process lightly.