How To Find The Best Employees

It’s no secret that a business can rise or fall on the strength of its employees. They are a vital part of any company's success, so how can you find the best people?

Write a good job post

This might seem like a fairly obvious tip but you would be amazed at how many job adverts make it onto job sites missing vital information like is the role full or part-time, permanent, or temporary. Another common pitfall is the lack of any hint of salary information or directions on how to apply.

Remember this is possibly a potential hire's very first interaction with your company. Do you want to give them the impression that you are a dynamic and interesting company to work for or leave them feeling a bit confused?

Use an agency

Take the stress out of finding the perfect fit by letting a recruitment agency do some of the hard work for you. I recommend working with agencies that specialize in your particular sector.

For example, an agency like MBN Solutions who deals only with the tech, digital, and data science fields will be well-placed to tap into top talent. A more tailored agency will also be able to write a great job posting directed at your dream hire and even give you specific advice on industry salary ranges.

Take a look at your existing talent pool

Internal candidates are often overlooked when it comes to finding new staff. The benefits of hiring from within include knowing exactly who you are getting and being able to cut out some of that endless new start faffing around.

But the biggest bonus of all is that by providing career progression you are also building employee loyalty. An internal candidate won't need to learn all about your business, they already know about it. They may need to learn a different facet of the business or work in a different area but they understand the culture.

In fact, research shows that external hires receive lower performance reviews in the first 24 months of working compared to internal hires even though they are paid on average 18%-20% more.

Look in unusual places

Don't be blinded by the everyday approach to hiring. If the role you are hiring for doesn’t require specific industry experience consider university graduates or even students. Young and full of enthusiasm they can be primed to travel further in your company early on.

Another option is to look to new job seekers or those looking to get back into the working world. Could previous experience in different sectors translate to your industry? Again depending on the role you need to be filled, would an apprenticeship be an option?

Get your employees to spread the word

There’s the classic saying- it's not what you know it's who you know, and it couldn't be truer when it comes to finding the perfect new hire. Your existing employees are going to (hopefully) be your best advertisement.

Make sure they know about open opportunities. They may know others in similar roles who are looking for a change or new opportunities. I got one of the most rewarding jobs of my career thanks to a friend telling me about an opening and selling my skill set to the managing director.

Would you work for your company?

I’ll leave you with this final piece of advice- Ask yourself if you would take a job with you.

Not every business can afford a top of range wages but they can make up for it in other ways. If wages are a sticking point what other perks or benefits can you bring to the table that would attract the right people? Make sure you advertise those too.

If you find yourself constantly having to find new staff, ask yourself why you have such a high turnover rate. What could you change that might make people stay longer?

With these top tips, I hope you find yourself with a wealth of exciting candidates to choose from.