Business/Trade Article
Business Matters newsletter, Fall 2001 issue, published by Planet Newsletter
Attracting Top Talent to Your Business
So you're not quite corporate America, but just like the big guys you want to recruit top-of-the-line talent for your business. Even though large companies may have the edge with salaries and benefits, your company can offer other incentives that can help you attract first-rate employees. Here are some tips for excelling in the competition for top talent.
Maximize your competitive advantages. A small business can often offer job seekers more responsibility, greater autonomy, and the ability to contribute to key business decision-making. In addition, your company might be able to boost its appeal by offering flexible hours, telecommuting arrangements, and a better work-life balance.
Use the Internet. The Internet can be a leveler in the battle for talent between big corporations and smaller companies. For a fraction of the cost of a classified newspaper ad, your company can post a job listing with one of the big job-lead banks, such as Monster.com or hotjobs.com.
What's more, many job sites can offer you valuable services like skills testing, background investigations, and credit checks. These can be welcome services for a growing company. Be creative: Search for free or low-cost posting sites, perhaps contacting local universities, colleges, and technical schools for interns or sharp soon-to-be grads.
Consider temporary staffing. Temporary staffing agencies can offer you at least two advantages. First, they're an effective way to add skilled staff to handle short-term business needs. Second, they can be a good source for permanent employees.
Network, network, network. Work your connections for the names of people who've worked as vendors for you in the past, or who may already know your business or your customers. Individuals with this kind of knowledge can rapidly become productive employees and give you an additional competitive boost.
Keep your ear to the ground. Watch for companies, especially larger ones, that are downsizing or have recently cut staff. These employers can be an excellent source of talent, especially management and professional staff in engineering, accounting, marketing, and sales. A call to the human resources department could result in a list of employee names—names that might otherwise cost your company plenty of money to obtain.
Stay informed. There are many excellent magazines and books containing tips and strategies for staffing smaller businesses, such as the books Finding and Keeping Great Employees by Jim Harris and Joan Brannick, and 301 Great Management Ideas from America's Most Innovative Small Companies, edited by Leslie Brokaw.
The people you need to grow your business are just waiting to find you. Follow these tips so you can find them.
Return to Business/Trade Article synopsis page | Return to Portfolio section