This week, I was reviewing a potential new hire with a client who is really struggling with finding talent to fill several open seats across her sales teams. As we reviewed the candidate, it was clear that the innate talent just wasn’t there for success in the role. Although the company had tried many different things to attract potential employees, nothing seemed to be working.
I asked her how full the talent bank was, and she said, "Running on empty."
We discussed the strategy of thinking about recruiting just like sales prospecting, something that must be done constantly, with dedicated time each week to build a pipeline of talent for current and future roles.
How to Always Have Qualified Candidates at Your Fingertips
Imagine having a bench of talented candidates who have already been vetted and interviewed and are ready to jump into the game. Sounds too good to be true, but it’s not.
Here’s how you can flip the switch starting today and never scramble to fill a job again.
Know the Talents You Need
A strong place to start is to understand the exact talents needed for the role and assess for those talents. Using a validated talent assessment for the roles you are hiring for creates a talent bank that ensures you are spending time with candidates that actually have the needed talents.
You can save a tremendous amount of time if the first step in the hiring and recruitment process is a highly validated sales talent assessment that provides clear insight into a candidate's innate talent for the role.
Create a Talent Pipeline, Not Just a List of Candidates
When salespeople prospect, they don’t just make a list of potential clients and call it a day. They nurture relationships over time. The same is true for recruiting talent.
Focus on building a pipeline rather than just adding names to your list. Engage with potential candidates regularly, even when you don't have an immediate opening. This allows you to build trust and be at the top of your mind when they are ready for a move.
Just as you would follow up with a sales lead, follow up with candidates in your talent pipeline. Keep them updated on future opportunities, industry news, and why they should consider your company when the time comes. When you maintain consistent contact, you'll be the first call when they’re ready to make a move.
Use Data-Driven Insights to Identify Talent
In sales, you track client preferences, purchasing trends, and behaviors to tailor your approach. Recruiting should follow a similar path. Leverage data analytics and AI tools to help identify talent trends in your industry.
Keep an eye on where top talent is moving and which companies are hiring aggressively. This information gives you insight into how to adjust your recruiting strategies and focus on the most promising talent pools.
Track metrics related to your recruiting efforts, like how many candidates enter your pipeline each month, how long it takes to fill a position, and what channels are most successful in sourcing high-quality candidates. Adjust your strategy based on these insights, just as you would adjust your sales approach based on client data.
Leverage Your Existing Team's Networks
In sales, one of the best referral sources is your existing clients. The same logic applies to recruiting. Your current employees are one of the best sources of referrals for new talent. People tend to know others in their industry, especially in sales, where networking is constant.
Encourage your team to think of who they’ve worked with in the past or who they know in their networks who could be a great fit for your company. You can incentivize referrals with bonuses or recognition programs to get more buy-in from your team. Keep the process simple, and regularly remind employees to think about their connections.
Armed with a short list of must-have talents, you and your team can reach out to all of your contacts to describe your exact needs and seek referrals.
For example, “We are hiring an experienced Account Manager. Who do you know who is a people person but also extremely buttoned-up and able to handle highly complex accounts without making mistakes?”
Then, use the same clear language in your job posting and on social media to get the word out far and wide.
Position Your Company as a Desirable Place to Work
You don’t just sell a product or service; you sell the value and experience of working with your company. Recruiting is no different. To attract top-tier talent, you must ensure your company’s brand is viewed as a desirable workplace.
This goes beyond compensation—culture, work-life balance, and professional growth opportunities are key selling points for today’s job seekers.
Invest in your employer branding. Share success stories from current employees, promote your company’s mission and values, and highlight what makes your workplace unique. Just as customers buy from companies they trust, candidates choose companies that align with their values and goals.
Get Creative
When it comes to sales, sometimes you must get creative to stand out from the competition. The same holds true in recruiting. Instead of waiting for candidates to apply to your job postings, go where your ideal candidates are.
Attend industry events, webinars, and virtual conferences, and network on social media platforms like LinkedIn.
Get proactive with your messaging. Reach out directly to potential candidates and build a relationship with them before a position even becomes available. This "warm prospecting" approach ensures that when a job opening does arise, you already have a connection with qualified talent.
Use a variety of methods, including, job boards, social media platforms, and recruiting agencies to find talent, and make asking for referrals a priority since referral remains the number one way to find strong candidates.
Consistency is Key
Ultimately, consistency is key in sales. You wouldn’t stop prospecting just because you landed one major client; the same goes for recruiting.
Make it a part of your routine to nurture your talent pipeline, connect with new prospects, and stay on top of trends in the talent market. When you maintain a consistent recruiting effort, you’ll find that filling open positions becomes less of a scramble and more of a strategic process.
By treating recruiting like prospecting, you not only ensure you’re always on the lookout for the best talent, but you also build a robust talent pipeline that sets your team up for long-term success.
Learn more about best practices for recruitment and building your talent pipeline by downloading our Recruitment to Retention eBook.
*Editor's Note: This blog has been updated since its original publishing date.
