Posted on: Monday, September 4, 2006
Some tips on attracting excellent employees
By MICHAEL CROM
Gannett News Service
Q. I have been assigned the duty of filling several positions. How can I attract the most talented and qualified individuals possible, and how can I convince them to remain with the company once they are here?
A. In today's competitive work environment, hiring good employees is more difficult than ever, and holding onto them is harder still. Nevertheless, there are several effective ways to recruit qualified individuals and entice them to stay with your company over the long haul. Here are some suggestions:
Compensation and benefits. Offering a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package is attractive to potential employees, and also demonstrates that the employer cares for the well-being of their employees. Do research into standard offerings on career Web sites and make sure your company is above the average.
Apparent growth potential. Demonstrate the company's recent growth and potential for continued success, so that the candidate believes he or she is trying out to be on a winning team.
Be honest. Develop clear and concise job descriptions detailing what skills and expertise are required for the position. Being up-front ensures that candidates ready to rise to the challenges you present will pursue the job.
Incentives. Offer incentives to older workers or those considering a different job to encourage them to remain with your organization instead of changing jobs.
Be flexible and informative. Flexible work arrangements, such as job sharing or telecommuting, may increase efficiency. Also, keeping employees informed of what's going on in the company will make them feel more involved in the organization's mission.
Lighten up. Set aside part of the company budget for employee lunches or cocktail hours. The development of office friendships will make employees happier.
Michael Crom is executive vice president of Dale Carnegie Training. Reach him at carnegiecoach@dalecarnegie.com.
