It’s no secret that businesses around the world are struggling to find top talent. The pandemic has led to uncertainty in a variety of sectors, and companies that are returning to the office (as well as those in the retail space) are still trying to find the right balance between work-from-home and in-office hours. It’s a delicate balance that is constantly evolving.
Combine that with the fact that many industries are looking for great hires to fit a specific niche, and you can quickly see why this is a still-growing issue today. It’s not all doom and gloom, however. As CEO of JumpCrew, we recently celebrated an amazing growth milestone that culminated in hiring an astounding 100 people in only 100 days amidst a labor shortage and the pandemic.
How We Hired 100 People in 100 Days
I wanted to take a moment to share our experience with the process and provide some valuable insights into what it entailed. Then, hopefully, you will be able to apply some of these tips to your own business employment process to attract and, most importantly, retain top talent.
Teamwork is key
If there is one takeaway you leave with after reading this, let it be this point right here. Teamwork is key. A strong team that believes in the company’s mission and wants to see it grow can be your best asset when finding new hires that meld seamlessly into your existing team.
Happy co-workers want to tell people they respect what they do and where they do it. By trusting in your team and empowering them to participate in the process, you will continue to bring in strong talent.
Relocate your HQ to an emerging job market
If you are a startup or a newer company, it can be challenging to attract the fantastic talent needed to help you grow. In hot spots like Silicon Valley, Austin, or Boston, it’s even more complex, and giants like Google, Meta, and Amazon will surely be more attractive options for many.
It’s important to remember that fantastic talent is located everywhere. When we started our company, we were located in New York, and we couldn’t compete, and everything was so expensive. So then, five years ago, we used facts and data around hiring and location trends and made the tough decision to relocate to Nashville, Tennessee.
It has paid off for us more than we could have ever expected. Since our move, we have established ourselves in the area, made excellent connections with top companies, and haven’t slowed down since.
Don’t feed into the hype of what everybody else is doing, might do, or wants to do. Instead, take a solid analytical approach to what you believe are trends that are here to stay, and if that leads you out of one of the traditional tech hotspots, then so be it.
Publish a book
This might seem like it is coming out of left field, but if you are looking to recruit the top talent, having a published book can give you an edge over other startups or companies. It can be especially effective if the book is on a topic related to your field or relevant to what is going on in the marketplace.
For example, our co-founder, David Patcher, recently published a book on remote work and how to build a community around that challenge. Potential talent may be looking for a change from their current position that doesn’t fulfill the needs of a work community that lifts each other up. Maybe they are fresh out of college and want to ensure they’ll have the support network they need. It could be many things.
By positioning yourself as an expert in the field, you get the chance to showcase your culture and services while standing out to win the war on talent.
Be creative with compensation strategies
The era of wacky office perks is over. People aren’t coming to work for you because you have a ping-pong table. Instead, co-workers want great compensation packages, and ones that stand out can help secure great talent.
Obviously, budget is always a factor, but it really came down to finding a realistic balance while still rewarding new hires in a way that actively encouraged teams to achieve their goals. This meant providing performance incentives for new hires within their first few months with us, among other tactics.
During this particular time in the market where labor, not jobs, are in short supply, this is yet another thing you can do to highlight your business and stand apart from others.
Prepare yourself and your existing team for the new hires
Hiring 100 people in 100 days is no small task, and it requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. For us, that meant moving to a larger office to support our growth and making sure our team felt safe, comfortable, and inspired in our new home.
It also meant using the tips mentioned above to improve our onboarding process to give new hires the tools they needed to succeed. In addition, we developed a new training program that allowed us to adapt to new talent that may have a different or less experienced skill set than what we typically hire.
By trying something new, we hired more people while providing them great training opportunities to become successful in our organization.
At the end of the day, hiring a large number of people is never going to be easy and may seem daunting. There are so many moving parts that it will feel overwhelming at times. But that is where the tips above come into play and can hopefully help you scale quickly and efficiently. Sure, not everyone will be able to publish a book, but if you have a wealth of knowledge on a specific subject, it is absolutely something to consider.
By focusing on your current team and listening to what they have to say, you are already taking the proper steps to secure outstanding hires who will be eager to join your team and contribute significantly. It will take adaptability, flexibility, and creativity to make it happen, even if that ultimately means moving your operations to an emerging market and not a staple like San Francisco or New York.
Finally, you can bring it all together by offering competitive compensation packages that meet everyone’s needs regardless of the market you are in while providing the necessary training to set up your existing team members and new hires for success. This will ultimately help your company reach new heights.
Image Credit: Provided by the author; Pexels; Thank you!
