Power in the labor market may be shifting back slightly to employers as more big-​name companies slow hiring and increase layoffs. That doesn’t mean will be easier for you to attract top talent. To stay competitive, you need to know the latest hiring tips. And as a corporate leader, you should follow best practices to retain employees.

Top Hiring Tips

As a corporate leader or CEO, you play a huge role in setting your firm’s reputation. Too many leaders don’t take the role seriously, and at best, become accidental recruiters. With the power you have, why not become a deliberate and active recruiter?

A well-​publicized corporate mission can serve as a strong recruiting tool. You may believe that you’ve done enough to shape your company mission. If you’ve articulated it clearly, that’s a good first step. Your next step is to make it relatable. “Be sure your company shares vivid, relatable stories about employees who are thriving, passionate and living your mission, so candidates can picture themselves working there,” advises Mary Malone McCarthy.

Influencers have this angle nailed. They demonstrate how the products they use and promote have made a difference in their lives. You can appeal to job seekers’ desire to participate in a great organization by showing how you have changed lives too.

Candidate Assessments

CEOs who maintain visibility in the business community can generate enthusiasm and applications from a wide range of prospective employees. Before you rush to hire an applicant, remember the importance of fit. To increase the chances of onboarding a topnotch employee, ask your candidates to take a psychometric assessment. The results shed light on the following fits:

• Job Fit: A potential employee may be certain they’ll make a great marketing copywriter. Their assessment results say otherwise. They may reveal the candidate is a natural for a business development role. If your company has open positions that are suitable for this candidate, suggest that they apply. 
• Manager Fit: No two managers communicate with team members in the same way. Some managers enjoy lengthy one-​on-​one meetings and develop team member skills over time. If your top applicant has a profile that suggests they need little coaching and are ready to dive into their tasks, they might not excel under a manager who wants to be kept constantly appraised of progress.
• Company Fit: Don’t presume that a candidate is a good match for company fit because of what they’ve heard you talk about. Verify through assessments and discussion that they share values important to your culture, whether it’s about organizational hierarchy or always maintaining an empathetic viewpoint with clients and prospects.
• Customer Fit: A candidate may apply for a job in your company because they want to work with your top customers. They might not realize that the open position will not give them direct access to outside customers. Instead, they may be serving internal customers such as sales reps. Clear up any confusion on this topic before you extend an offer.

The best top hiring tips are always about taking your time to be sure the candidate you like will be a good fit on all levels.

How to Retain Your New Hires

The promises you make during the hiring process about job content and upward mobility in the company matter to your new employees. If you expect them to stay engaged and put forth their best efforts, stay in touch. New reports abound about younger employees who plan to leave their jobs this year. Our proprietary research, AudienceSCAN, shows that consumers who plan to change jobs are likely to be between the ages of 18 to 35.

Do you understand what motivates employees in this age group? The top reason for departing a job, according to surveys we’ve conducted, is a lack of opportunity for advancement. Advancement can encompass a range of possibilities. Exactly what will satisfy your employee can be found in the psychometric results that discuss motivation. For some individuals, expanding their power can be the strong motivator. Other employees want the opportunity to earn more money or the freedom to be more creative.

Take the time to study what truly motivates your employee and then build a career path based on that information. As a CEO you can use the latest hiring tips and your commitment to your mission to attract the best employees. The way you guide those employees after they join your organization will result in best-​in-​class performance.

Photo by RODNAE productions.