Though it began in early 2021, the Great Resignation and the resulting attitude shift toward the workplace was still widely prevalent throughout 2022. Easily categorized as a job seeker’s market, 2022 was a year when employers either rose to meet the demands of their candidates or they failed to attract the talent they needed to keep operations running smoothly.
With 2023 now in full swing, employers have the opportunity to start anew and reconsider or revamp their hiring and recruiting strategies to ensure a successful year. To share their own insights, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council each share one major lesson they learned last year about how to attract top talent and how carrying this lesson forward into 2023 can help you build the best team for your company.
Members pictured from left to right.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. Show Candidates They Have Room To Grow
One crucial hiring lesson I learned in 2022 is that you have to give your team room to grow. When you hire people and expect them to stay in the same place for years, friction will follow. If you want to attract top talent, show potential hires how they can grow and learn once they start working for your business—then follow up and deliver on your promises. – John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC
2. Cast A Wide Net
If you’re accustomed to finding talent in one or two places (such as LinkedIn or a certain job board), cast a wider net. You never know where you may find the best employees. It could be through referrals, career fairs, connecting with university career centers or more niche-specific groups and job boards. Don’t limit yourself to the same methods and platforms you’ve used in the past. – Kalin Kassabov, ProTexting
3. Offer Flexibility And Autonomy
In 2022, I learned that top talent opts for companies where they can work from wherever they want, whenever they want. People find it incredibly motivating when their employer trusts and respects them enough to offer them flexibility in their job. Not only does this give employees greater control over their lives, but it also helps boost morale. – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
4. Make Diversity A Priority
One of the most significant things employees demand from firms is diversity and inclusion. They require businesses to make sure that an organization is a mix of many ages, cultures and backgrounds. A varied workforce has historically been very advantageously set up. Top talent considers diversity and inclusion a “must-have” rather than just a nice-to-have endeavor. – Candice Georgiadis, Digital Day
5. Implement An Effective Employee Referral Program
The one major lesson I learned about how to attract top talent was the importance of having a good employee referral program. Employee referrals are a powerful tool for recruiting because they come from a trusted source. When someone is referred by a friend or colleague, they are more likely to be a good fit for the company and the position. – Abhijeet Kaldate, Astra WordPress Theme
6. Showcase Your Learning Opportunities
If you wish to attract top talent, you have to showcase the learning opportunities that your company has to offer. We’ve come a long way from the Industrial Revolution and are now living in the information age. The preferences of today’s employees are different from their predecessors. So, to attract top talent you need to highlight how your company can help them progress forward. – Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
7. Build A Strong Employer Brand
One of the major lessons we learned in 2022 about how to attract top talent was the importance of employer branding. In order to attract the best and the brightest, we need to make sure that our company is seen as a desirable place to work. We need to have a strong employer brand that stands out from the crowd. It’s a very effective way to attract top talent and make them part of your team. – Josh Kohlbach, Wholesale Suite
8. Develop An Inspiring Vision
Top talent wants to be part of an exciting business with incredible growth prospects and a clear vision for how to get there. When recruiting talent, perfect your pitch because you’re selling them to join just as much as they’re selling you on becoming part of your organization. Visionary founders always attract the best talent. – Andy Karuza, NachoNacho