13 Key Strategies to Attract and Retain Highly Talented People in 2016

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The way we attract and retain highly talented people has been one of the major priorities for Human Resources for a number of years. As the competition for the best talent grows; businesses must reduce the disconnect between their talent requirements and the strategies and processes which underpin them. 

Attracting Highly Talented People

It will come as no surprise to you that research shows the power has shifted from the employer to the candidate. This means attracting the best talent is not just about profiling the role and your organizational fit, it's much more about finding out what likely candidates will want from you as an employer. Your new talent strategy should include:

Social Media Takes Center Stage in Recruitment

Social media continues to grow and now has over 1.2 billion users worldwide. While it has become a great tool for companies to connect their brands with consumers, it has also become a valuable tool for recruiters and job seekers. 

Current studies show that social media use for hiring is at an all-time high with 92 percent of companies using platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook for recruitment.

LinkedIn is the top dog for social recruitment. The professional social network was used by 93 percent of companies in 2012, which is up from 78 percent in 2010. Facebook follows close with 66% whilst Twitter has 54% of recruiters using it platform.

Germany has been ranked the most successful country in Europe in terms of a social media based recruitment according to a survey conducted of 1,200 senior executives across Europe, having over 30 per cent of its companies recruiting using online networks.

Companies are now moving away from the traditional advertisement of job vacancies in newspapers and are now taking to social media as their mode of advertising jobs. Aside the advertisement of jobs, recruiters with a click of a mouse can scan through the profile of applicants on social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook before inviting them for an interview. 

Job seekers on the other hand have the opportunity to apply for jobs and send their CVs to prospective employers through social media for shortlisting. LinkedIn, as an example, has transformed the way people interact with recruiters. Candidates can now apply for jobs by simply using their LinkedIn URL rather than sending a traditional CV. Equally, candidates are using LinkedIn as their online CV and are investing time in developing online profiles to increase their marketability.

Soon there will be a complete shift from the traditional ways of recruitment towards a more technologically advanced method of recruitment with social media at the center of the process.

By: Sidney Arthur

Focus Media