Successfully recruit and retain top talent

Often, talent management is unintentionally placed near the end of the agenda. We all know finding the right people will lead to good outcomes for the organization, but the challenge for many leaders is balancing all of the responsibilities that come with their position.

One calculated way to aid in the recruitment of leaders suited to a company’s objectives is to develop a list of various intentional questions. The additional insight allows for a fresh and unique perspective, which can make the difference between a successful placement and an irregular fit. We are able to obtain a deeper understanding of a candidate by delving in and asking about the culture they create, their management style, thoughts on long-term planning, and personal goals. While this may seem like a nontraditional avenue of questions to ask, ultimately, they are inherently important to any organization.

Finding appropriate alignment

We often see fantastic, high-performing leaders who are exceptional, but with the wrong organization. It can be disheartening to see these individuals offered and accept an opportunity that is not a good fit for everyone involved. To find suitably accomplished individuals who are ideal to move through a company’s recruitment process we believe we need to do the following:

Define the requirements of the position

What does that mean? It’s optimal to communicate more than a job description with responsibilities and educational requirements. Defining the prerequisites of any position should include a deep understanding of your own company culture, the type of candidate that would fit very well in the organization, the type of management style which will suit best, and the long-term goal of the person in their position.

By being able to answer the questions of who you are, what is important to the company and its people now, as well as where you want to go in the future, you not only find stronger roots to your company’s mission and purpose but find the ability to communicate that to your potential leader through your interview process. Who you are, how you want to portray yourself and the role of the candidate within that culture is more than just checking off a series of boxes. Defining the requirements ultimately leads to the best candidate for the position and high-performing leader retention.

Get to know the candidate well during the recruitment process

When a company really understands the personal goals of an individual, as well as where they see themselves in five or ten years, by culling the appropriate information to determine what is most important to them, it can ensure a purposeful exchange and lead to finding the perfect fit. Relationships really matter in the hiring process, and getting to know the candidates well will lead to better outcomes.

Transparency is essential

Without transparency, candidates may make the wrong decision. We believe the interview process is a two-way street. It’s important to understand the responsibilities, culture and management style, but it is even more important to get to know the candidate personally and find out what is important to them. The more you know the candidate, and the sooner you obtain this information, the better for the long-term outcome of your organization. That sounds intuitive, but keep in mind you should want the candidate to say no if it’s not the right opportunity. We always tell candidates that we are looking for that next long-term home, where they see themselves comfortably in the organization. That is really critical. In my opinion, that is the single most important piece of, not only recruitment, but retention. The goal is finding the perfect candidate to fit in with your organization, who also finds that you match up with their long-term expectations.

Retention is key to long-term productivity and stability in an organization. A company can achieve retention through transparency during the recruitment process. Sharing the culture of your organization’s challenges and strategic vision will lead to better long-term results.

We see high turnover in organizations that exhibit a lack of transparency during the hiring process. Communicating where you currently are is critical in any relationship. One could draw a parallel between the hiring process and a dating relationship, where the candidate is getting to know the organization and the company is getting to know the candidate. It becomes a decision for both sides if they are compatible and they’re able to have all of the information to determine if they should proceed forward. If the candidate does not have all the information or does not have a clear understanding of the culture, strategic vision, and/or challenges in the organization, their decision may be affected. They may say yes when they really should say no.

If it is not a fit, getting to that “no” is as important (if not more important) than hearing “yes”. No one wants to bring on a leader in an organization to have them only stay short-term. A company can create a win/win situation with strong communication during the recruitment process, providing crystal-clear transparency, and discussing short- and long-term goals of both the candidate and organization. An open line of communication leads to a great fit and equals dynamic leader retention. Why is that so important? When you have turnover in your senior leadership, it affects all levels of leadership and staff, which in turn affects your ability to meet your short-term and long-term goals.

With transparency, communication and planning, a stronger recruitment process and long-term retention of high-performing candidates can be achieved leading to lower turnover and higher productivity. When there is a commitment to this process, it creates a deliberately successful outcome for employee and employer.