All managers have felt that “needle in a haystack” feeling of sifting through stacks and stacks of resumes and job applications to no avail. If that feeling is common for you, it’s time to take recruiting advice from the experts — attracting top candidates to your organization is simple, as long as you know how to look for them.

Go to Your Own Superstars

You know who the shining stars in your organization are, but do you know why they chose your organization? Chances are, if you ask them, you’ll get different answers from each employee. Some of the answers will surprise you, and some may have little to do with the job itself and more to do with your community and your corporate culture. Every answer is important, however, to understanding just what top talent will find irresistible about your organization, and can help you craft job advertisements that accentuate your special positives.

Take Another Look at Your Job Descriptions

One of the most often overlooked and yet most important aspects of attracting top talent to your organization is the lowly job description. When you reframe the job description as a recruiting tool, you’ll immediately see where your weaknesses lie. First, make sure that your job descriptions accurately portray the job as it is performed now, winnowing out duties that are no longer required and emphasizing the most important aspects of the job. Ask for second and third opinions about whether the description is accurate. And don’t forget to write job descriptions with an eye both for addressing the position’s responsibilities and as an advertisement for the job.

Search Strategically

If you’re still putting job advertisements in newspapers and on bulletin boards, then your chances of attracting top talent to your organization are slim. Real recruitment means actively searching for great candidates by going to where you’re most likely to find them: colleges and universities, professional organizations, industry websites and, most importantly, your own employees. When you’re searching for new talent, make sure the best talent you already have on board knows you’re recruiting.

Let the Experts Handle It

Finally, if you aren’t taking advantage of staffing experts’ knowledge and expertise, you’re making recruiting top talent much harder than it has to be. Leading recruiters like those at Staffing Partners are there to do the heavy lifting when it comes to finding the best candidates for your positions, drawing upon their pool of qualified talent and their years of recruiting experience to find the talent your organization needs to shine. Contact Staffing Partners today to discuss how they can help you draw the best and the brightest to your organization.