Still Searching For Your Unicorn Candidate?
How to Find and Attract Candidates That Make Your Company Shine.
Are you in search of the unicorn candidate? You know, that mystical candidate whose resume sparkles with the perfect qualifications and turns every project they touch into gold from the moment of hire? If so, you’re not alone in your quest… but you’re also not alone in your search efforts coming up short.
In today’s low unemployment, competitive talent environment, that unicorn employee is realistically almost impossible to find. That doesn’t mean the right candidate isn’t out there, however. It just means you might have to put a little more work into finding the right candidates and grooming them to sparkle and shine.
As experienced recruiters, we’ve developed some tried-and-true techniques for finding and attracting candidates. While they may not catch that mystical (and most likely mythical) unicorn candidate, they are proven to work in snagging qualified candidates for the job.
Who are your current unicorn employees? What traits make someone a unicorn at your company? You probably have a few employees who have earned their unicorn-status through hard work and training. Pinpointing those people and acknowledging what traits have earned them their unicorn status will show you what traits to look for in candidates.
Ensure your referral program shines. It’s no secret that some of the best hires come from referrals by your current team. After all, who knows what it takes to be successful at your company better than your already successful employees? Having an incentivizing referral program for your employees is one of the best ways to ensure you’re getting their best recommendations.
Make your job descriptions sparkle. Those dusty old job descriptions you’ve been using for years aren’t going to stand out from the colorful, exciting job descriptions they’re now up against. There is no lack of opportunity in the current employment market, so make sure your job descriptions are up-to-date, accurate and eye-catching in order to snag the interest of the candidates you’re seeking.
Review your application and interview process. A complex, tedious application is the easiest way to scare off candidates. Your job application should be simple and easy to fill out, even from a mobile device. Likewise, an intimidating or unorganized interview will scare off the candidates who make it past the application process. Remember that an interview is a two-way conversation: candidates are deciding if they want to work for you, just like you’re deciding if you want them too. Realistically, the candidate(s) you’re most excited about likely have multiple opportunities available to them.
Be prepared to make informed decisions quickly. Nothing is worse than losing a great candidate because your company took too long to make a hiring decision. In today’s competitive employment environment, everyone is on the hunt for great candidates which makes it is easier than ever to miss one due to an unorganized or inefficient decision-making process. Make sure all decision-makers are informed and available before starting the interview process to ensure a decision can be made quickly.
Every employer wants to find the mystical unicorn candidate whose resume sparkles with the perfect qualifications and turns all their projects into gold. You’re a realist though (we all have to be realistic to some degree, right?) and realize that finding your unicorn candidate is highly unlikely, especially in today’s current low unemployment environment. In doing so, you understand what you really need, and are way more likely to find, is the right candidate.
That’s where The Arnold Group (TAG) can help. We may not find the mystical (and let’s face it, most likely mythical) unicorn candidate your competitors are spending all their gold searching for, but we do have the right candidates that will make your company shine. We’d love to discuss what the right candidate(s) for your organization look like and help you on the search to find them – we look forward to hearing from you, contact us today.