Want to Attract Great Talent?

In almost every organization I encounter, there is a movement toward becoming an "employer of choice." Most organizations use this phrase to demonstrate their willingness to attract great talent and retain current talent. For companies that want to make this more than a phrase -- that want to make it a true recruitment philosophy -- there is real work involved in attracting and keeping great talent.

Attracting great talent starts with a complete overhaul of traditional recruiting efforts. First, individuals who possess great talent are not generally out looking for a job. They are already employed, and often happy with and loyal to their current employer. Attempting to lure them away with pay, perks or benefits is not enough. Talented people are concerned about the culture and the management that will be supporting their efforts.

It is insufficient simply to give valuable prospects information about the organization's financial performance. They want to know your organization's purpose or reason for being -- its "spiritual DNA." They want to know the clarity of the organization's vision and the credibility of its leadership. But most of all, they want to join a company that will leverage their talents to their maximum potential.

While it is easy to proclaim that your organization is committed to attracting great talent, step back and ask, "How do we quantify talent? Have we defined the specific talents that are necessary for each role, or are we relying on experience and skills as the only measurable criteria?"

Step one -- measuring and quantifying talent -- begins when you identify your best performers in each role, and the recurring patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior that characterize them. Unfortunately, when I ask organizational leaders to identify their best managers, salespeople, or call center service and sales personnel, they often give me a bewildered look. If you want to attract great talent, however, you must be able to identify your "best."

Next, identify the patterns consistent in your best. How do they develop and maintain relationships? What fuels them forward? What thought processes do they rely on? This can be done without laborious psychological profiling. The Gallup Organization has found that there are 34 themes of strength that fall generally into four theme types: relating, striving, thinking, and impacting.

How do you identify the talents of your best? Examine your best in every role, asking straightforward questions:

• How do your best build relationships? Do they build them through "empathy," sensing the emotions and feelings of those around them, or in another way?
• How do they impact others to get things done? Do they possess "woo" -- a talent for "winning others over" -- or do they use other means to impact people?
• How do your best people process information or think about things? Are they "analytical," craving "proof" of conclusions, or do they process information by making intuitive connections?
• What fuels your outstanding achievers? Do they possess "belief" -- the need to be in a job that contributes to a broader purpose -- or does their "fuel" come from "alternate sources"?

The answers to these basic queries will help define the talents that correlate to success within each role.

After you have identified the desired talents (the recurring patterns of thought, feeling and behavior that can be productively applied), your selection process can begin. At this point, many organizations fall into the trap of hiring the "most convenient talent" instead of the "right talent" for the role. If you truly are determined to hire the right talent -- that is, to establish high standards of selection -- be ready to "kick up" recruitment efforts. Traditionally, we have asked potential employees to come to us. No more. Companies must follow a clear recruitment plan to find and attract great talent. Once you have a clearly defined set of talents for every role, you can create an organizational culture that is always on the lookout for people who possess these talents.

So what does it take to attract great people? The correct answer is, "it depends"; it depends entirely on the individual we want to attract. Cookie-cutter policies or procedures won't attract great talent. Talented employees are looking for an organization that fits who they are, and fits their family situations and their dreams. Effective recruitment will be highly targeted, and individualized to the talents needed in each role.

People want to join organizations that have the reputation for being highly selective in their acquisition of new talent. Many human resource functions still follow the old "butts-in-seats" philosophy -- "Just keep the machine running by throwing 'any body' at the need, and any body will do." True "employers of choice" realize that this short-term mentality will lead to long-term consequences.

Next week: The challenge of retaining great talent and building loyalty among your current employees.