Creative Sourcing Strategies That Attract Top IT Talent: Part 2
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But beyond leveraging your network and working your social channels, there are things you can do to stand out from the other company’s that are looking at the same pool of talent.
The top candidates are looking to interact with companies on a different level. Hoping a top tier candidate will passively respond to a job ad won’t work. Those who are really top of their game will be expecting you to reach out to them.
BUILD YOUR COMPANY’S BRAND
Top candidates want to know more about a company, about how they work, what their values are, what their mission is, before they engage. So much of what attracts talent to a company goes beyond salary.
Sell your unique selling propositions to your ideal talent in the same way you would to your ideal customer. What sets you apart may be the deciding factor for someone to make a move.
Using social platforms that might not be your normal ‘go to’, like Instagram, is a great way to build your brand image.
SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE
Finding out where talent hangs out online and genuinely engaging with them in those spaces is a great way to open up a dialogue that can lead to a solid relationship.
GitHub.com is a great example. A platform built by and for developers to connect is the place to ask questions and listen, to find the people who are doing interesting things and to show that your company is too. Just don’t be that guy who is putting up the hard sell.
MAKE SURE YOUR EXISTING TALENT ARE HAPPY
There’s nothing more effective in attracting a new customer than a referral from an existing one. Apply the same logic in your hiring strategy and look to your existing group of talent to tell their friends and colleagues about what they could gain by working at your company. You’re far more likely to find someone who might just be the right fit through this kind of warm introduction. A positive word from someone who already works within your organization is more valuable than all the incentives you could possibly offer.
With these seemingly simple strategies, you can build a database of potential candidates who have the right skills and would be a good fit for your organization. And remember: even if you don’t have a role for a candidate you’ve come across right now, you might have one in the future, so maintaining contact is a good way to speed up your process, down the road.
Stay in touch with interesting candidates, invite them to events, and keep yourself in their minds. You never know: the day might come when they are looking to make a move and who do you think they’ll think of first when they do?
This blog is part 2 in a 2-part series on Building your Tech Workforce: Attracting Top IT Talent
Read Part 1: How IT Talent is Leveraging a Tight Market