Brad covered a lot of ground during the seminar and I won’t attempt to repeat all of what he said here. However, he made several points that really spoke to me, touching on the competitive sport that hiring has become and how to play the game successfully. Let me share some highlights.

Brad said that finding the best people today requires constant vigilance and active recruiting, distinct from specific hiring activity. To be effective, he recommends moving your recruiting process into the 21st century. Earlier methods may have worked with a huge pool of potential candidates to draw from. However, that’s not what we have today. We are trolling in fairly shallow waters, waters that may not include the best talent out there. Why not? Well, the best candidates probably have jobs where they are relatively happy, so you must work harder to locate them and pique their interest. Putting a job description, with all of its boring detail, in the “Help Wanted” column is unlikely to draw much of their attention.

What will capture attention? You must remember that those great employees aren’t interested in your job requirements or your company. As Dennis frequently says, they all listen to the same radio station – WII FM. In other words, What’s In It For Me? If you want air time on that station, you must focus on the reasons top candidates take new jobs:

• For the challenge, the opportunity and growth it offers to them
• Because they share the vision of the company and believe they can have an impact
• Because they will work for the right boss.

Brad recommends focusing on the candidate, not your company, by developing a compelling marketing statement that includes 4 things: 1. An attention grabbing headline 2. A “what’s in it for me” statement about the opportunity 3. The company vision for its future 4. Description of the challenges the new employee will face. (This will excite top talent and drive average talent away, thus separating the wheat from the chaff.)

Expanding beyond the compelling marketing statement, Brad suggests developing a strategic recruiting plan to win the fierce battle for top talent that recruiting has become. Brainstorm with current employees to determine better sources for good talent. Share that compelling marketing statement with all of your employees and enlist them as company advocates. Get the entire company involved. Develop a mindset of always looking for great talent and, when you find some, be ready to talk about your company as a source of great opportunity and an outstanding place to work.

For more detailed information about Brad’s ideas, please visit his web site!

On Septebmer 20th, we will offer a Lunch & Learn seminar, “Buying a Business - 7 Steps to Achieve the Dream”, in partnership with Charlie Chaffin of Cascade Bank. The seminar will run from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Downtown Everett. The cost is $25 and lunch will be provided. Seats are limited, so don’t delay! For more information or to register, call 425.918.1910, email info@nextstepsolutions.com, or visit our web site.

Finally, Margaret and Dennis will be the featured speakers at the Seattle Chamber of Commerce "Focus On" session in November. Their talk is entitled "Profit is NOT a 4-Letter Word!" Detailed information will be available soon from the Seattle Chamber.