Winning the War on Talent

There is an unprecedented demand for highly skilled employees, and we are officially in a candidate-driven job market.

Recruiting and retaining the best people is essential, but the competition is fierce, with many employees feeling less loyal to their employers. Management needs to ensure their people have the tools and motivation to perform as required, developing the leaders of tomorrow to ensure sustainable success.

According to a survey by the Development Counsellors International, 90 percent of respondents reported that they search for new employment opportunities at least a few times per year. The survey also revealed that nearly half of respondents are somewhat or extremely likely to relocate for a new job opportunity in the next five years again – this percentage increases to 57 percent among respondents under the age of 35.

When respondents were asked to identify the primary motivating factor for a job search, the survey identified that salary, work-life balance, and benefits are of top priority for candidates when it comes to considering a new job opportunity. Respondent’s top factors in location decisions were cost of living, housing cost and housing availability.

“With unemployment rates at historic lows, companies are fighting a war for talent, and their communities are feeling pressure to join the battle,” DCI Director Rebecca Gehman states. “No matter how attractive a new career opportunity might be, the location of that opportunity can make or break a talent relocation decision. In the game of talent attraction, companies promote jobs, but it’s up to regional leaders to help them sell the community. That’s where place branding comes in.”

As cities become more knowledge-based and technologically-driven, their strategies for attracting new talent have shifted dramatically. Now more than ever, cities require a firm understanding of their local assets and a way to leverage these assets to appeal to the world’s best and brightest.

Whether its take-home pay, commute times, or culture, recruiters should find what it is that makes their city more attractive to employee candidates and market that. The best talent attraction strategies provide a direct solution to the challenges that other employers and cities face. “Strategic talent attraction marketing can be as big as a one-stop-shop website or as simple as a one-pager of key messages. There is no one-size-fits all strategy,” says Rebecca Gehman.

One of the first (and most important) steps in talent attraction is knowing your audience. This begins by knowing the demographic you’re targeting (skill level, location, etc.); the typical application process (how and where they apply for jobs); and candidates’ motivation for applying. Having an attractive and colorful job description is the first step to bringing a candidate’s interest to follow down the application path. By making the job description more colorful and the application process easier, you are encouraging qualified candidates to act.

In recruitment, with the rise of technology and social media, the job application process has shifted from being in the recruiters’ hands to having candidates take the wheel on which jobs they are looking for. Technology may assist in sourcing candidates, but it’s ultimately up to how you market your company and the job offered that ensures you get the best candidates’ applications.

When searching for a job or a potential candidate, it is important to maximize your reach of potential candidates. When you use a recruiter, you bring on another set of eyes and allow yourself to focus on your core principals and marketing your company. If you have an open position, try reaching out to a Frazee recruiter to see how easy your search can be! Not sure where to begin? Send us an email at [email protected] today!