How to Find the Best Talent

You want to staff your company with the best employees. The high flyers, hotshots and true leaders. The ones that knuckle down, get it done fast and get it done right. Experts who surprise you with solutions you never thought possible. True collaborators that beat your expectations consistently. So, you go on the hunt to staff up. But where do you find these great employees?

Generally if you post a classified ad you’ll have job seekers coming out of the woodwork and a stack of resumes to sift through. If you post the right classified ad, you might actually weed out the ones who read the whole thing and think, “yeah, this isn’t for me.” But, the problem is, you’re still left with a bunch of weeds.

Most job seekers spend less than 60 seconds reading a job posting according to a survey conducted by TheLadders. That’s less than a minute for them to determine if they are a good fit for your company. That’s typically why you end up looking at a bunch of resumes and thinking to yourself, “I’m not sure how 15 years of nursing qualifies for a job as a supply chain analyst.”

While posting a job classified is important and even required, there are better ways to find that rockstar employee. Because, that rockstar typically isn’t looking for a new job. In the recruiting business we refer to top talent who are not currently looking for employment as “passive candidates”.

But, finding these passive candidates is not easy. For starters, know what you want. by making a list of the criteria you want in a top employee. Then, you can use social media to find these rockstars. A little bit of pride goes with being the best, and you’ll find the best posting about their accomplishments and achievements. Linkedin is another great resource as are Linkedin groups. Also, get out there and meet people. You will find that networking events are a great place to meet people even if they are not looking for a job. Word of mouth can go a long way, too. Ask colleagues, friends and anyone you know. Lastly, you will have to work hard to maintain a relationship with these hot shots so that when they are looking, you come to mind first.

It generally takes a lot of time and effort to find these passive candidates, but the payoff is worth it. That’s why at Swoon, we really do take the time to seek out the best passive candidates, and build relationships with them so we can find the best fit for you.

About Swoon

We are technology and professional recruiters with an unorthodox method and a proven track record of temporary and direct hire placements. Through an approachable method to recruiting we get to know our clients and candidates then connect the best and the brightest with Fortune 1000 companies nationwide. Are you ready to be Swoon’d?