One of the most difficult tasks and questions we get asked to support with is how do we find the right people to bring onto their team. With so many qualified candidates, it can be tough to know if you’re making the best choice for your business. As your business grows and changes, the skill set that you need will change as well. So how can you be sure that you’re attracting, hiring, and retaining the best talent? Here are a few things to keep in mind
1. Having a clear story – Employer Brand
This is so important when building your business, remember having a brand is great but having an employer brand is crucial to not only attracting but also retaining talent. It’s that simple question – Why would someone want to work for you? This should cover points like:
A LinkedIn study found 75% of job applicants will view the company website and social platforms before applying for a position
Once you have built this brand it’s then essential as a business you live this brand eg if you offer Hybrid working for example then ensure that this is a true offering
2. Hire with the future in mind
When you’re looking at potential candidates, consider their skills and experience in relation to the job that you’re hiring for today and those needed for the future. Look for people with real examples / lived experiences of what you need today and where possible in the future. If you are at the early stages of the company build having people who have prior start-up experience will always be helpful as early employees will need to be agile and able to wear multiple hats. It’s important to hire people who are willing to grow along with your business.
3. Think About Culture Fit
When you’re building a team, it’s important to make sure that everyone shares a similar vision for the future of the company, this is your DNA and is key for really showing that Employer Brand you have built. What this is not is a team of cloned individuals (the difference here is key). You want to hire people who will buy into your company culture and help contribute to a positive working environment. Take some time to get to know each candidate on a personal level so that you can get a sense of whether they would be a good fit for your company culture.
It only takes one bad hire to poison an otherwise A-Player team. If you pick up on an issue in an interview don’t overlook it for me it’s looking for people who believe in visions and values and are keen to buy into yours as these people genuinely care.
4. Have a defined process and stick to it
Sounds simple but having a defined process is key, and usually overlooked. This should start with the job sign-off internally which will include a job description/brief, the creation of a 30/60/90-day expectation for each position, and a defined interview and offer process. The hiring process is the first insight into your true employer brand and how you operate so spending time to get this right is key. Things to consider:
5. Work with a recruitment partner
The cost to engage a specialist who spends every day networking in this space is one all companies should consider and weigh up against the cost that your current recruitment efforts, time, gaps in the current team, and the true impact of this. As the saying goes “Time is Money”.
A good talent partner will have access to the best talent available; this includes access to candidates that are actively seeking work (typically job applicants), but it will also give access to talent that is currently employed elsewhere but part of the recruiter’s network.
It’s clear that making the right hire is essential for any business owner. Halzak understands that not every business has the resources, time, or knowledge to take on the task, that’s why we specialise in connecting the best Sales, Marketing, and Engineering Talent with growing SaaS / Tech companies across UK, Europe, and North America.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Halzak could support you, please get in touch!
