“If Google called any of your employees with a job opportunity, would they listen?”

I recently posed this question to a group of manufacturing leaders located in Western Maryland while talking about new strategies to connect with top talent.

Even twenty years ago, local talent was fairly insulated from the advances of non-regional employers due to the lack of connectedness. This, of course, has all changed. Today, talent has a much better idea of how big the world is and global employers can reach them regardless of location.

In effect, this means that regardless of your business, its size, or location, you are competing against EVERYONE for the best people.

How do you win?

1. Build your Employer Brand

2. Get out of the Box

3. Use Pre-Demand Recruiting Strategies

An Employer Brand is not a derivative of the company, it IS the company. Share and share often about the work you are doing (and why it matters), the big wins, stories from of the team, and what you think the future looks like…….authenticity, transparency, and honesty are your best tools.

Get out of the Box. You and your team work in a box but that is NOT where the new talent lives. Be active in the community, be visible, and open your doors. Connect with talent and understand that it is your job to find them...not their job to find you.

Pre-Demand Recruiting means be recruiting all the time for all current and future hiring needs. Build a talent pipeline by engaging with talent BEFORE you have an opening. It doesn’t cost anything to post a job anymore, and with job aggregators, your openings are distributed far and wide. Share across social media platforms that you want to connect with talent for future needs.

Lastly, recognize that our biology is not keeping pace with technology. People still look for tribes to join that they identify with. Everyone wants to be accepted, feel valued, and know that they are making a meaningful contribution. Appeal to these basic human needs and your tribe will thrive and grow!

Written by: Austin Meyermann, Founder and CEO of Hunter Crown, LLC and TalentCMO