The Secret to Getting More Applications for Every Position
How we attracted a flood of applicants for the recently opened positions and successfully recruited A-Team players to join our team.
Lately, a common refrain from decision-makers is, “It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find good help!” While I don’t entirely disagree with that sentiment, I believe there’s plenty of excellent talent out there eager for significant career opportunities. What they need is a compelling cause to rally behind and an exceptional leader to guide them in making their mark in the world.
As a leader, your task is to cultivate a compelling movement that attracts people to join. Moreover, you must ensure they have the support and resources to thrive and develop.
So, how do you achieve this?
Firstly, it starts with intentionality. When Jenna and I launched Eclipse DOT, we made a deliberate choice: we aimed to be the premier workplace where people would clamor to join our team. That’s what it means to start with intentionality—aspiring to be the best.
Consider Apple. They set out long ago to become the ultimate employer, and they followed through by offering pioneering benefits that set them apart. They fostered an extraordinary company culture, earning not just employees but devoted fans. Ever tried giving an Apple user an Android device? They’ll likely recoil in horror—that’s how loyal they are to Apple.
By starting with intentionality, Apple reaps the rewards.
Secondly, you must refuse to tolerate unacceptable behavior. Does this mean firing everyone who steps out of line?
Absolutely not!
What I mean is that everyone must understand the boundaries and the repercussions of crossing them. The more you tolerate, the more likely you’ll attract B-team players.
Here’s the thing: A-team players prefer collaborating with others of their caliber. They dislike shouldering all the workload, while B-team players aren’t too enthusiastic about putting in the extra effort. As a result, A-team players quickly become frustrated with this imbalance.
The more you tolerate, the more you compromise.
While I consider myself a very understanding person and tend to be lenient, everyone on my team is crystal clear about our boundaries and the consequences of overstepping them. Moreover, they understand that I’ll never assign them a task I haven’t tackled countless times before.
This brings us to the importance of being an exceptional leader, not just a boss if you aim to attract top-notch talent to your team.
Nobody likes working for a boss!
A-team players won’t stick around if they feel like they’re being bossed around. They’ll head for the door faster than you can say “promotion.”
But seriously, attracting top talent requires fair compensation. I’m not just talking about a decent salary; it’s about recognizing their contributions with rewards and incentives along the way.
On our team, we frequently provide salary increases to demonstrate our gratitude for our team and their efforts in advancing our mission.
However, compensation is just one of countless ways to express appreciation. There are numerous other ways to demonstrate care, such as offering an enhanced vacation package that grows more rapidly than the industry standard. Additionally, consider organizing an annual company trip that caters to families, fostering a family-friendly environment within the company.
You might consider hosting monthly company gatherings where you provide lunch and facilitate brainstorming sessions to discuss the company’s direction. Involving everyone in decision-making boosts morale.
Another idea is to honor employees’ birthdays without hesitation. Better yet, offer them half a day off with pay on their children’s birthdays, allowing them to spend quality time with their families.
You can also recognize their wedding anniversaries with a thoughtful gift.
The possibilities are endless! There are numerous incentives you can offer to keep your team motivated and dedicated.
One of the most effective strategies we’ve discovered for retaining A-team players is simply asking them what we can do to support their success.
Just today, one of my team members called me. He said, “Hey Dan, there’s this online training by Russell Brunson (one of my mentors) coming up, and I’d like to attend. It’s this Thursday at 2 p.m. Would it be okay if I participated? It should only take about 2 hours, and (here’s the best part) I’ll clock out for that time! I’m eager to learn this.”
My response completely caught him off guard, to say the least.
“Hey, buddy, not only do I think that’s an amazing idea! I want to pay you to learn from it, so stay on the clock for it. But here’s the kicker: after the training, if you found it valuable and feel like you learned from it, I want to compensate you by attending more sessions with his team to help you grow!”
There was complete silence on the phone for about 30 seconds. Finally, I asked, “Did I lose you?”
His response gave me goosebumps. “Dan, that’s exactly why I love working with you. I come to you, scared to death to ask, and you’re like, not only yes, but HECK YES. And then you go and put whipped cream on top of that. I’ve never felt better about what I do or who I do it with.”
I want you to take a moment to re-read that. Go ahead, I’ll wait…
Notice the words he used. He doesn’t work for me; he works with me. He loves the mission that we are working toward. He loves the team he works with. He loves the fact that when he has amazing ideas, he gets credit for them.
Do you understand now?
I’m not suggesting that every job will attract a flood of applicants, and I’m certainly not claiming that every business can hire A-Team players all the time. But if you aspire to transform into an A-team employer, it’s a deliberate choice you must make.
Let me tell you, it won’t be a walk in the park. You’ll constantly face the temptation to compromise your standards and take the easy road. You might hesitate to offer that third raise in a year. You’ll face numerous challenges, but you must choose greatness.
If you’re interested in having our team assist you, reach out to us today at info@eclispe-dot.com. Our mission is to simplify your life so you can focus on what truly matters: growing your business.
Now go out there, rev up your engines, and start achieving greatness!
Ready to Transform Your Leadership Approach? Delve into ‘Goals, how to set and achieve any goal!‘ and enhance your skills. Follow our expert insights on this transformative journey. Explore more now at EclipseDOT.com.
