The signs are in – the employment trend in Singapore is picking up again. As the republic continue to do well economically and register better-than-expected growth, investors’ confident will climb and business will expand. Good news for job seekers, especially those who had just graduated and those who has been retrenched last year – companies are hiring again.
It will then be inevitable for employers to fight for the top talents around, as they are essential for the company’s success. While hiring and retaining best talent is as tough as it’s ever been, it is still possible to attract more talent than what your company needs. A typical EnergySkills’ job advertisement attracts more than 200 applicants! Your strike rate will depend on a number of factors – the number one being your employment branding. Here’s what you can do:
“My staff is my greatest asset” – live by it!
The best way to attract top talents wanting to work for your company is rather straight forward. The best employees want to work in an environment where they are respected for who they are and be rewarded for what they achieved. This company culture will stem from an “employee-first” attitude by the employer. Be considerate to your staff and reward them when appropriate. A great company culture is like a magnet to top performers in your industry – even from your competitors!
Empowering your best staff
In our experience in the recruitment industry, EnergySkills knows that it is impossible for all positions be filled with the right candidate or even anyone at all. Leveraging on your existing staff became important, and putting your top talents in influential positions will have a great impact on your company performance. For example, if your sales personnel have direct impact on your company’s bottom line, greater hiring emphasis should be in place to hire the best people to take up sales role. Then, empower them with the right environment to excel in what they do. Having the best people in these important jobs will greatly enhance your company’s performance
Be involved in your hiring process
If your people are your best asset, it will be wise for you to be involved in the entire recruitment cycle. In assisting our clients fulfilling their staffing requirements, we found that the best job-fit can be found with full involvement of managers whom the selected candidate will be reporting. By clearly expressing what you require in the candidate, and interviewing potential candidates yourselves, not only you are maximizing your recruitment dollars but you also minimize the chances of hiring failure. The last thing you need is when your hired candidate unable to fit into the organization and the job role
Your best employees are your best recruiters
Satisfied employees are your company ambassadors – they will speak of good things of your company to their friends and relatives. Naturally, your staff will also be the best person who fully understands your company culture and what kind of people you seek to hire. This kind of “referral” works in top companies and staff are rewarded for every successful referral that their companies hired.
Having an effective company culture in hiring, empowering and rewarding your staff will spare your company for the inevitable hunt for top talents as the job market becomes more competitive. Building company culture takes times – so start early and invest in your future employment branding.
Razlan Manjaji is the web editor for EnergySkills, a professional
engineering recruitment and career services firm for the oil & gas
industry. To subscribe to their monthly newsletter, send him an email at
editor@energyskills.com.sg with the subject “newsletter”. Visit their
website at http://www.energyskills.com.sg for career opportunities and
more information on EnergySkills.
