Hiring Top Talent Just Got Tougher
By Paul Johnson

Finding top talent should be easier now.  Unemployment is up, and many companies have shed employees for economic reasons.  So there is a relaxing of the talent pool; more people are on the market.  And with fewer hiring opportunities, hiring managers may feel that finding Superman or Superwoman should be easier. 

Well, perhaps some organizations may be finding that to be true.  But in tough economic times, my experience is that talented leaders are still hard to find and often hard to “land”.  Top candidates in “hot” markets are making contributions where they are.  If they consider making a move, they may have multiple offers.  And that is the case today, particularly in certain specialties and industry segments where demand is greater than supply. 

So, how do you set yourself apart as a hiring manager to find talented leaders and build a strong team?  Consider these three practical suggestions:

Compelling Position Description

First, take the time to craft a position description that communicates your vision for the role.  Include company information, key responsibilities, and qualifications.  (A job description on file may be a good place to start, but add flavor and bring it up to date for this important hire).  A thoughtful, well-written description will be both attractive and compelling for the person you are seeking to hire.  Then, when you have a good “draft”, run it by key company stakeholders to gain their input and to clarify the role that this new hire will play.  This dialogue will help to develop consensus on what the person will be doing, so that everyone is “singing off the same page”. 

This was never so clear to me than when I was working for a technology company in Massachusetts.  I remember vividly meeting with a candidate for Director of Strategic Marketing to get his “take” after several hours of interviewing.  This was a sharp candidate that the VP of Marketing was very interested in.  He told me that he was not interested in the job, even before it was offered.  When I asked why, he related his experience of interviewing with three executives.  Each one had expressed a different view of what the job was, to the point that he told me, “You guys don’t know what you are looking for!”  

Critical Success Factors

Second, be able to verbalize three or four “Must Haves” for your ideal candidate.  These may, or may not, be stated in the position description, but I find that they are crucial.  The question here is, “What does this person absolutely have to have to be successful in this job?”  Identifying these critical success factors will help you keep on track in the screening, interviewing, and reference-checking aspects of the selection process. 

Decisive Action

Finally, for top talent in “hot” markets, be ready to move quickly and decisively once you interview an outstanding candidate who fits well on your team.  If you wait too long (and there are many reasons why this may happen), your best candidate may decide that your interest has waned and that their “stock” has gone down in your eyes.  While this is most common among sales and business development types, it can also happen in other disciplines.  Your top candidate may accept another offer.  The question to ask is, “If this person accepted another offer, would I regret not having moved more quickly?”

Moving decisively also involves making an employment offer that is clearly intended to “land” the new team member.  Rather than “low-balling”, make a solid offer.  And for top talent with other good opportunities, be willing to negotiate, as appropriate, to secure the person – whom you believe will make a significant difference in the organization. 

So – by crafting a compelling position description, verbalizing clear critical success factors, and acting decisively - you will increase the likelihood of success in hiring top talent . . . and building a strong team.