Overcome the challenges of finding the right talent and keeping them.
They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Therefore—when it comes to recruitment—it pays dividends up front to ensure that the beholder—your organization—is clear in what it is looking for, that this is clearly communicated, and that all options are considered when looking to recruit this gifted talent. In addition, depending on the size and scope of the role, don't limit your search to a specific location in search of that gem. And once you have recruited someone, think through the individual's continued development and how the employee will help drive the business and stay.
Throughout my career in HR, I have lost count of how many times a recruiting manager or client has come to me worrying about deadlines and business pressures, and demanded immediate assistance on recruiting talent—and that is the only brief. When I inquire about what this person's skills and experience might look like, and how we can identify the specifics of what is sought, it becomes evident that this might be a hire that requires a lot more consideration before beginning the search.
What is talent?
It always has struck me that talent means many different things to different people. People regularly use the word to define recruiting a good candidate. To me, depending on what your organization's objectives are and the kind of person you want to bring aboard—particularly when you work in an international environment—the search for true talent should be something that is properly considered and scoped.
Having acquired that talent, you should then be looking to ensure that the person's development is planned for, invested in, and maintained. The process does not stop once a new hire walks through the front door of the office.
How should you manage talent?
Like any asset, investment in your key performers will enable greater differentiation and step change when your organization needs it. And just as you felt it necessary to go out and search for these elusive people, so will others. If you recruit an ideal candidate—whom your organization deems as having great experience, potential, and leadership capability—then you ought to be thinking of the retention and development side of the equation from the beginning. Look to foster new employees' abilities to make an impact and avoid pigeonholing them.
And here is the other complication: True talent also will likely have a high level of self-awareness and self-worth in their own career management. We know that the economy of the future, in most cases, will not harbor 30-year careers in large companies—employment for life or the traditional vertical career paths aren't as common these days. We know that the demands of economic and industrial change will mean individuals re-scoping and reskilling throughout their careers. Talent will be aware of this and will be professionally engaged and confident enough to consider their own potential. Of course, people's personal career drivers change.
Where should you start the search for talent?
I have many U.S.-based C-suite clients who come to me as their operations expand internationally, and the conversation normally starts with the following kind of proposition: "We need to recruit talent for a role in APAC. Can you provide some names of good contacts from Singapore?" Well, Asia-Pacific is a big place, but do not just think about basing your search in that one geographical location. Yes, it might be a good starting point, but don't limit yourself and cause delays at the beginning.
We operate in a globally networked economy, far more developed than it was just 10 years ago. The cream of the labor market will be globally mobile and accustomed to working internationally. This is what provides the experiences that you might particularly need. If that is the case, why limit yourself to focusing on a candidate search in Singapore for a Singapore-based role? If you truly want the best candidate with a particular skill or experience, then broadening your approach to talent acquisition at the outset will better your position to finding the right candidate. It does not hurt to look at alternative options in an environment where certain skills and attributes are highly sought after.
Working internationally brings many complexities and requirements for your organization. The one thing that can make your life easier from the beginning is to ensure that when you are hiring or redeploying talent, you bring people on board who will represent you well when you are 7,000 miles away, and that they have the international experience, sense of belonging, and will take ownership in your organization.
Supported by the growth in global, professionally used social media networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, we have seen the nature of talent acquisition change dramatically during the past five years. Companies also are adding in-house search teams to find the right people, without the use of expensive search and selection firms. Having said that, good-quality, renowned, and professional recruitment consultants can still provide a valuable service, in particular where they know their candidates and have developed long-term relationships.
How should your organization be thinking about talent?
Having gone to the efforts of recruiting someone, organizations need to remain attractive in retaining them. Here are some thoughts on how you should be thinking about attracting, developing, and retaining your true talent in a global context:
Acquisition. Beyond the technical skills and capabilities, exactly what makes this person "true talent"? Is the business clear on what it's looking for and what the individual will be doing in the early months? This will shape the search and set expectations. If you get the person on board, you don't want there to be an anti-climax or a mismatch of expectation.
In a global economy, talent is globally mobile. Define the search, but don't constrain yourself to one geography. Internationally experienced people (if that is what you are looking for) might currently be on assignment in another location and be keen to relocate again. You want the "live" intelligence from a talent acquisition team on where potential hires currently are in their own thinking and career planning.
Development. Maintain your new hire's interest in the role and keep the individual engaged in the organization's future vision and values.
Provide stretch assignments and opportunities to become involved in shaping the business. These learning opportunities mean greater engagement/belonging with the business.
Also, extending mentoring schemes and executive sponsorship programs are good, positive ways to ensure that an effective support mechanism and continued learning is in place, even if informally managed.
Retention. Beyond remuneration (salary, benefits, bonuses), organizations ought to be thinking about their culture and installing enthusiastic and capable role models into leadership positions to create an environment where people enjoy working.
Ensuring that your employees are engaged with the organization and immediate leaders is critical for retention. We all know the benefits of increased productivity if employees are engaged and happy in their work. Plus, it extends learning.
Does the talented individual have a task/project/business to work on and develop, even as a side project to his core task? Talent always will want to know about opportunity and potential, beyond the here and now.
Why use a more structured approach to talent?
Thinking beyond recruiting talented individuals has many additional benefits. Besides getting value from the money, time, and effort that has just been invested in recruiting someone, here are some reasons why taking time to plan and approach the acquisition of talent is important:
- You want to continue to be able to attract the best and the brightest you can. You want your employee brand to be attractive in the market—nothing travels faster than word of mouth and disgruntled former employees. The labor market and recruitment consultants will fast learn about mismatched searches and poor planning.
- You want personal and professional growth in your workplace. This in turn reinforces a positive, winning culture and encourages growth and a healthy, positive environment. Your company becomes a great place to work, and it aids retention.
- You will attract and retain like-minded (talented) individuals. We all know the names of market-leading companies with great employment reputations, where job candidates aspire to get their branded names onto their resumes. As a company, you will start to build the wider capability of the organization, which will start to attract good candidates. People will also follow role models and leaders in their field.
- Talented people will become role models and leaders for professional and forward-looking behaviors. You want to get new hires off to a good start in your organization.
The ultimate goal is to find the individual who will actively contribute from day one. Talent management begins on day two.
Read more from CTDO magazine: Essential talent development content for C-suite leaders.