Successful businesses thrive on talent—though it's not always easy to find the best of the best. Getting the best employees should be a priority for all managers, and the following suggestions from Tsun-yan Hsieh and Anthony Tjan's post on the Harvard Business Review blog can help you develop the habits of a talent magnet.
1. Get to know talent before you actually need it. Start by networking in your industry and socializing with the best people across specific areas. Find out what their interests and passions are. The best time to get to know people is when you don't need to hire them right away.
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As written by Tjan in the HBR blog entry, "If you don't establish a relationship first, chances are you will end up paying top dollar to get them — and even if they sign up, you may have trouble retaining them."
2. Sell yourself, not the business. Often, managers oversell the excitement of their entrepreneurial opportunity or institution, but neglect to sell themselves. "The most talented people are attracted to leaders whom they can trust and role models they want to emulate, writes Tjan.
A high salary isn't reason enough for a talented individual to join your team. The promise of room to grow is also becoming a little stale. Try pinpointing what makes you a great leader an employee would want to follow. It could be your dedication to your team, your reputation as an enthusiastic teacher, or your knack for settling work-related disputes. Basically, you are selling yourself by telling them what they can learn from you that they can't learn anywhere else.
3. Develop your relationship over time. The most talented people are likely very busy with other projects. Think of recruting them as a long-term game: update them regularly and keep them informed about your work, purpose and ongoing mission. The best talent have a lot of options. Let them know how you are different.
