Top talent is easy to find, but not always easy to hold on to. Getting top talent into your workforce is about a lot more than just offering higher pay than your competitors. Businesses are working hard to develop strategies focused on retaining the most talented candidates. If you don’t have a hiring strategy for these top-tier candidates, you could be falling behind the competition. In today’s hiring world, you need a multifaceted approach to win over these heavily recruited employees.

Know What You Want

Top candidates want to know exactly what you’re looking for. Vague job descriptions, or descriptions that vary from one interviewer to the next, will turn them off. It makes you look indecisive and uncertain—two things nobody wants in an employer. Develop a comprehensive job description for the role you want to fill before looking for candidates to fill it.

Take a Look Around

Walk through your business. Look at the physical environment, the other workers, even the vendors. Would you want to spend 40 or more hours a week in your business? Keep in mind that they will have multiple offers. Maintaining a pleasant work environment will help potential hires feel comfortable about the time they’ll be spending there.

Getting to Know You

Hiring is more personal than it used to be. When you’ve identified the best talent, spend some time getting to know them. Through interviews, reference checks, and social media, you can learn about their individual interests. When you approach them with a customized compensation package that fits their personal needs, they’ll be impressed.

An Offer They Can’t Refuse

Once you’ve gotten to know the candidate, you can entice them with a package tailored to their lifestyle. Are they a new parent? You could offer them subsidized daycare. Are they into fitness? Include a gym membership in their compensation package. The key is not to get hung up on the monetary value of what you’re offering. You already know that you’re going to have to pay them well to retain them. The key is to also offer them something personal that makes them feel like they’re already a part of the team.

Utilize Their Potential

Your top talent should be your top contributors. Make sure that your best candidates know they won’t be stuck in menial, repetitive tasks. They want to work in a place where their knowledge and skills will be used. They also want to have their knowledge and skills challenged, so they can become even better talent. If you’re searching for the best talent, make sure you have a position that requires the best talent.

Moving on Up

Even the most challenging role will become tedious if there’s no room for advancement. The best applicants want a role with growing responsibilities and new challenges. Make sure you offer them a way to grow in to a more demanding position.

Value and Respect

Top candidates won’t sign on with a company that doesn’t respect and value their contributions. The best talent will work harder, and produce more, than many of your other workers. Let them know that this will be appreciated. Nobody wants to work 80-hour weeks landing the big contract, just to have the boss give them grief when they need an afternoon off for a dentist’s appointment.

Creating a Strategy

With this kind of multifaceted approach, it’s best to work with experts who have done it all before. A quality staffing agency can help you with every aspect of the hiring process. With their help, you can develop a hiring strategy that is sure to attract the best talent.