By Ross Campbell, Toronto Financial Services & Insurance Recruiter
It is no secret that competition for the best talent has never been fiercer. Innovative companies are going to greater lengths than ever to attract and retain the best of the best, so how do you keep up? In this blog I’ll break down where to start with your talent acquisition plan and how companies are thinking outside the box to attract the very best in the market.
1. Start with a Plan
The planning phase of your talent acquisition strategy is arguably the most important step in the hiring process.
Create a specific profile of the ideal candidate or team, write it down, and refer back to it often.
Next, if you don’t already have an established employment brand, decide how you want to position your company to attract those candidates.
Make sure to reduce risk and uncertainty by researching market conditions, the scarcity of functional roles, and review any regulatory constraints.
2. Go Digital
Fuse Marketing Group’s “tell me about your first time” video is a great example of a completely original idea that targets the demographic they’re looking to attract. In it, Fuse interviews staffers about their “first time” to attract first-time interns. It not only promotes Fuse’s internship program, but also establishes their employment brand as a creative, innovative agency. Not to mention, it introduces potential interns to the people they’d be working with. Win-win-win.
3. Promote Employee Perks
Companies are becoming more and more creative with their perks. These days, employee perks can range from free parking all the way to personal concierge services. Believe it or not, as a recruiter I’ve seen job offers come together or fall apart over even the smallest perk. Here are some examples of employee perks I’ve seen in the market:
- Free parking
- Unlimited vacation (provided you meet targets)
- Free childcare
- Flex hours
- Ability to work from home
- Free food (this can range from snacks to 3 meals a day with an on-site chef)
- Free or subsidized tuition for employees’ kids
- Bring your dog to work
- Gym memberships
- Game rooms
- Concierge services for employees who stay late at the office (dry cleaning, errands, etc.)
Let’s face it – not every company is able to go as far as Google when it comes to employee perks, but see what you can offer and promote, promote, promote when you go to market for talent. Sure, an office full of puppies or an on-site chef are flashier than free parking, but you never know what will make the difference for a candidate.
As companies are becoming increasingly innovative in their talent acquisition strategies, it may seem daunting to try to keep up, but it doesn’t have to be. Establish your company as a talent magnet by coming up with innovative ways to establish and support your employment brand.
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Click here for more Headhunter Insights, learn more about Financial Services & Insurance Recruiter Ross Campbell, and connect with him on LinkedIn.
IQ PARTNERS is an Executive Search & Recruitment firm with offices in Toronto and Vancouver. We help companies hire better, hire less & retain more. We have teams of specialist recruiters in Financial Services & Insurance, Marketing Communications & Media, Emerging Tech & Telecom, Consumer Goods & Retail, B2B & Industrial, Technology, Accounting & Finance, HR & Operations, Mining & Engineering, Life Sciences, and Construction, Property & Real Estate. IQ PARTNERS has its head office in Toronto and operates internationally via Aravati Global Search Network. Click here to view current job openings and to register with us.
