Gone are the days of hundreds of job seekers vying for the same position and planning to live out their career days with one company. Those were much more comfortable times for businesses, but these days, the roles are reversed. Companies are actually competing for the top performers who are looking for a place where they can make a difference. They are doing everything they can to stand out as prime employers so that they can build their teams with the most qualified professionals.
But before beginning the recruitment process, it’s essential that employers prepare some information ahead of time. There are particular things that top performers will want to know before agreeing to have an interview.
Candidates today want to know a lot more about growth potential than their requirements and responsibilities. They want more than a job description mapping out what they are accountable for. Choosing a career is similar to finding a spouse, you don’t just marry anyone and you certainly don’t just take any job. Top performers are very thoughtful when it comes to making a career move.
So, let’s take a look at 5 specific things potential candidates want to know:
1. Culture
Corporate culture wins the top spot for areas of interest for potential employees because it has become one of the most important factors in seeking employment. Hopefully your company is intentional about its work environment. Not all companies have or even should have the same culture, but each one should be unique to its own agenda. Take the culture at Google, for example. Google’s headquarters are decorated in a way that is fun and lighthearted, encouraging rest, play and creativity. But it doesn’t stop there. They also offer tons of unique employee benefits like free haircuts, meals and on-site video games.
Your culture doesn’t have to be quite as fun and playful if that doesn’t fit your brand. But it does need to be tailored to engage employees in everyday activities. Collaboration, open communication and transparent leadership are some factors to be addressed in order to demonstrate your company culture.
Other things candidates look for in a company culture is its view of family. Do they value work/life balance and the importance of a life outside the workplace? These types of things have become increasingly important to high performing individuals as they recognize the benefits of balance and relationships. High performers tend to juggle many balls professionally and personally, and a company that can encourage this will be highly sought after.
To find out about a company, potential employees will usually do their research before they agree to an interview. In today’s millennial-led culture, it’s crucial for your company to have a strong social media presence. If information is hard to find or if a company lacks social proof, it will most likely be looked over by strong potential candidates.
Let’s face it – they have options!
2. Career Growth
Top performers will never be happy with capped potential. If they do not have room to have more accountability and grow in position and earnings, they will certainly look elsewhere or view your company as only a stepping stool until a better opportunity comes along.
It’s important to discuss with your candidates the various ways to earn promotion within your organization. For example, what type of management training or mentorship programs do you have? Do you promote from within? How long does it usually take for an employee to move to the next level? What are the requirements they need to meet or exceed to get there?
Growth potential is going to be the selling point for any company who has a clear-cut path to success and a map of how to get there.
3. Company Values
While earning potential is nice, most high performers today are looking to make a difference. They want to leave their mark on the world and find the place where they can make the most impact. Most of all, the mission of the company they work for needs to align with their own goals and values. It’s part of the ever-important workplace culture that everyone is measuring against their own set standards.
4. Leadership
In addition to social media, candidates will check sites like glassdoor to get a good idea of a company’s reviews and management style, so be ready to field questions about negative reviews or employee complaints. Candidates want a clear understanding of who is in charge and what the leadership style is like.
In other words, how structured is the leadership model? What’s the method of communication? How open is employee/employer interaction? Are there clear goals enforced by senior leaders? What type of team leadership model is in place?
Top performers are not opposed to hard work, but they want to work hard for a leader who is inspiring and has the ability to work with and through people. Not to mention a leader who they can learn from.
Understanding the leadership style of your company is an absolutely essential part of the recruiting process.
5. Company Growth
Rising executives want to know they are aligned with a company that’s going places. According to Gallop, “High quality candidates search for the best companies.”
That may not be a huge surprise. Doesn’t everyone want to work for a high profile company? Most do, but the difference with top performers is that they do their homework and expect the same from whomever they are interested in working with.
They look at the big picture for growth statistics and company stability. They realize that for them to grow and learn themselves, they will have to be aligned with a company that is on the rise and shared the same values.
In order to attract and retain quality candidates, prepare a portfolio of your company’s growth over the previous years, future growth potential, and how you believe that potential candidates can enhance this pattern. Also be sure to add the benefits this brings to the table for anyone willing to put in the work.
High performers are always up for a challenge!
Final Thoughts
Compensation and benefits are obvious pieces of the hiring equation, but they are certainly not the only factors that matter anymore. These five commonly-overlooked areas are often also at the top of a candidate’s list, sometimes even above salary.
For this reason, many employers are now putting together this type of information to have readily available for interested individuals. It’s become an integral part of the recruitment package. They know that top performers have lots of options and compiling relevant information could make the difference in whether or not they choose to learn more.
The key is to make your company stand out and offer more than your competitor. However, if you find your company is weak in one of the listed areas, it may be time to address some issues. It’s quite possible that with a few tweaks to your policy and/or process or adding benefits and/or programs, your company could stand out as an ideal place to work. You could be the one to hire the next Steve Jobs.