One simple way to win more talent

I’ll share the answer right away- During the interview process, sell the career path instead of the job.

If you have a bias toward action like I do, you’re probably thinking, “Alright, Adam. Thanks for the tip. I’ll start doing that today!” Slow down just a bit, because this takes some time and commitment to get right. But once you do you will find a significant edge in winning the right talent for your organization. I promise.

I’ve touched on this before, but I’ve finally made a step-by-step guide on this really important topic.

Step 1) Get together with some of your leaders and start documenting the common career paths that you see in your company. Move beyond just titles if you can. Write down the training it takes to get promoted. Be real about the time it takes to develop and the hurdles that are difficult to overcome. Think about the changes in compensation you see when someone gets promoted. Document the changes in responsibility and stress as well- The more truth that you can bake into this, the more likely the right candidate accepts your job offer.

Step 2) Take those notes and get them on a beautiful document. It could also be your website, a job packet, or a digital link attached to each job post. Here’s where we landed after several different tries.

Step 3) Back up your words. If you haven’t already, systemize your promotions. Make promotions and employee development part of your quarterly goals. Make them a topic in every performance review, and publicize your promotions. People stick around when they continue to grow. People tend to leave when their growth fizzles. If you build an organization based on employee development and growth, you will rarely struggle for talent.

Step 4) Start competing for talent by selling the career path during candidate interviews. While your peers are trying to make that SDR role sound way better than it is and desperately throwing in free Kombucha & signing bonuses, you can point to the boosted careers of those who chose your winning organization. You will start winning those battles. Regularly.

Adam Morris is the Founder and CEO of SalesFirst Recruiting.