Attracting and retaining talent can be difficult, so we asked Rich Thomas, Co-Founder of Moxie People, a social housing recruitment agency based in Cardiff for some advice. Not only do Moxie have a wealth of experience in recruitment, they also have a huge heart and make a real difference within the local community, working the #MoxieWay.
Attracting and retaining talent can be difficult, so we asked Rich Thomas, Co-Founder of Moxie People, a social housing recruitment agency based in Cardiff for some advice. Not only does Moxie have a wealth of experience in recruitment, they also have a huge heart and make a real difference within the local community, working the #MoxieWay.
Rich talks us through the key areas to focus on when recruiting and how to go about attracting the best talent.
To attract talent to your business, you will need to:
1. Create a compelling brand
2. Showcase your company culture
3. Clearly understand your needs and what you offer
4. Define your recruitment strategy
5. Don't neglect the onboarding process
6. Hire for talent, train for skills
1. Create A Compelling Brand
It’s hugely important that startups create a compelling brand that fosters trust in job seekers and encourages people to apply.
You can start this process by drawing up a mission statement that outlines your purpose, goals, and values as a business.
In turn, outlining and defining who you want to be to your employees, job seekers, and wider network will all contribute to creating a compelling brand that is attractive to talent.
2. Showcase Your Company Culture
The next tip to attract talent to your business is to showcase your company culture.
Startup culture is a huge advantage for a lot of job seekers, whether you are offering greater flexibility, growth opportunities, or a chance to create something huge.
It’s really important to demonstrate this throughout your employer branding and recruitment process to ensure you're showing what your business offers and what talent can expect that is different from any other standard 9 to 5 job.
3. Clearly Understand Your Needs & What You Offer
It’s really important that at the early stage of the hiring process, you define the candidate's persona.
This is your opportunity to understand the skills you are looking for, the experience that falls in line with that but also, and the values and attitudes of the people you are employing.
During this stage, you can also outline how you are going to attract the best talent in terms of your strategy and where best to reach them.
4. Define Your Recruitment Strategy
It’s really important as a startup to understand how you can stand out amongst the better-known employers.
This comes down to ensuring that every piece of marketing material clearly defines the job role and offering.
Remember to keep your careers page up to date and be clear about development opportunities.
As well as this, think about how you can target the best talent in your industry. Is that through social media channels such as Linkedin or Instagram? Is it accessing talent through Universities or different education providers? Perhaps it’s through your existing network.
Take the time to explore all options and define your strategy in order to attract and secure the right talent through the appropriate channels.
5. Don’t Neglect The Onboarding Process
The next tip is to ensure you don't neglect the onboarding process.
Onboarding is often a step that gets overlooked, but when done effectively, this can help new starters understand how they can succeed in their role.
As part of the onboarding process, try to help new starters understand what you are trying to achieve as a business and the role they could play in achieving these goals.
This will ensure that they're on the same page in terms of their role as well as help them to understand the overall growth strategy for your business.
6. Hire For Talent, Train For Skills
When assessing applicants, it’s important to consider their motivation, attitude, and communication style.
Ultimately, attitude should out way skills and experience because you’re not just looking at the here and now, but for the long-term growth of your business.
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