I was listening to a video the other day by a well-known consultant, and he was sharing his observations about recruiting. 

His business is scaling fast, and he was talking about the need to bring onboard exceptional talent.  

He highlighted how this was one of his own KPIs currently to ensure the future growth of his organisation. 

Of course, as recruitment professionals, we know this as it’s a strategy we recommend to all our clients. 

Though do we think in the same way when it comes to building our teams or do we simply recruit who is available at a knockdown price? 

…maybe it’s time to consider how you build your talent pipeline the way you recommend your clients do? 

Here are a few suggestions for you. 

Start With The End In Mind 

 

If you have major growth goals, then someone must deliver the placements to hit your revenue objectives.  

Therefore, you need to build your talent pipeline. 

This includes defining, attracting and developing the right mix of talent to support growth. I don’t want to sound like a stuck record, but the 360 model is dying, brought on by changes in the market.  

Therefore, if that is the case how will you structure your current team? 

Do you need a star BD person supported by an administrator and resourcer? Perhaps you need to outsource all your backoffice work to make physical room for more billers. 

The thing about your people growth? 

As an example, this could be: 

  • Developing consultants into senior roles; 
  • Hiring a new associate director; 
  • Recruiting a specific talent manager to train and recruit for you; 
  • Developing a high performing consultant to build a new desk; 
  • Promoting and training your senior consultant into a billing manager; 
  • Mapping the market to identify critical consultants to attract; 
  • Connecting with a tremendous rec to rec; 
  • Hiring an apprentice as a trainee consultant; 
  • Employing a team of resourcers; 
  • Utilising the apprentice levy and bringing onboard a marketing executive. 

Complex, not really.  

Though it is a process you will need to follow to build your team. It’s about assessing both internal and external talent pools and identifying any gaps and then working out the best strategies to bring in the people you want. 

Be Proactive 

 

Ambitious organisations are always recruiting. What if an outstanding BD person becomes available – do you say yes now and build for the future? 

I know several business owners that always have an open door when it comes to recruiting great people. They even send traffic via social media to their work for us page too. 

With proactivity comes identifying high fliers who are earmarked to take on specific roles as you grow. 

Uplevel Your Employer Brand 

Attracting the right talent and creating an engaged workforce is all part of having a great employer brand; not something recruitment companies are renowned for. 

Today everyone has choice. 

In a recent presentation at Recruitment Expo, one of the speakers shared data around the importance of employer branding when it comes to attracting AND critically keeping hold of talent. 

According to the CIPD, an employer brand is the way organisations differentiate themselves from competitors in the market. With the right reputation, you can recruit, retain, and engage the recruiting talent that will help you grow. 

 

While there are many different definitions for “employer branding” depending on whom you ask, they all mostly say the same thing. Your brand is the way that ‘potential new recruits in the business world perceive you, and your opportunity to showcase what makes you unique.  

Otherwise known as an “Employer Value Proposition”, your brand can help you to attract top-tier talent to your organisation while ensuring that you fill your team full of people who share the same values. Defining your identity as an employer means thinking about the following things: 

  • People: What kind of talent do you want in your organisation?
     
  • Company culture: What’s the ethos that drives your business?
     
  • Employer value proposition: What benefits can you offer candidates?
     
  • Experience: How do you improve the recruiting and onboarding process? 

Building a magnetic employment brand allows organisations to attract the right people for future growth. When you have a reputation that precedes client experience, you can compete beyond things like remuneration and job titles. Instead, you start offering people “opportunities” that fit with their personal and professional goals.  

Warm regards  

Nicky and Katy 

P.S. If you are scaling this year there are many other elements to consider too. Would you like our help on where to focus? Then book a call with us here.