Recently, I was asked, “How can I ensure I create a great team?” After some reflection, I summarised it as follows:
“Recruit talented individuals, provide them with excellent training, set clear objectives, inspire, and lead them.”
A strong team with effective leadership will accomplish remarkable things.
No business with a weak team will achieve as much as one driven by a high-performing group. The ideal employee should have a positive attitude, be eager to learn and excel, persistent, and competent. They should also have a healthy level of self-confidence, allowing them to grow, learn, and improve without constant supervision. For more details, refer to “Recruit Based on Attitude and Behaviour.”
Now, consider your ideal employee.
Where are they? What do they desire? Why do they want it, and how can you connect with them? It’s likely that many are not unemployed because top talent rarely stays unemployed for long, but it’s a possibility. More often than not, they are currently employed and well-compensated because they are good at what they do. It stands to reason, then, that they aren’t seeking a pay cut – if you advertise a role that seems to offer less, they won’t apply, leaving you wondering if anyone is out there. But salary isn’t everything.
Top-tier employees likely want to work for a great company.
Does your job listing, website, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages reflect a fantastic company? If not, why would they consider reaching out if they are content in their current role?
Your ideal employee will also want to be treated with respect, enjoy good benefits, work in a pleasant environment, and be surrounded by engaging people with an inspiring leader. They may check LinkedIn, explore your company page, look into who else works for you, and assess their motivation. They will almost certainly visit your company website.
Do you have a section showcasing your brilliant team, complete with pictures and profiles of key members? If you examined your website, LinkedIn, and other platforms, would you want to work for your company? If not, it’s time to improve both your image and reality!
It’s likely that your ideal employee wants to work for a business that delivers meaningful services.
They want to be part of a growing, ambitious company that proudly shares its successes. Let’s be honest, no one leaves a stable job to join a company that appears dull, complacent, purposeless, or even desperate. Actually, that’s not entirely true – you might attract employees who are equally desperate!
To attract the best people, you need to project the image of an exciting workplace with promising career opportunities, which means demonstrating growth and ambition. Having an impressive five-year plan is fantastic, but it needs to be visible – potential employees need to see some evidence. So, as you advertise for your ideal candidate, or better yet, use a top recruitment firm to find them, ensure it’s clear why they should want to work for you.
