This month’s Dynamonet was held at Nigel Wright Recruitment in Grey Street in the centre of Newcastle. These events are put on every month as a way of getting like minded people to come together to think about issues that affect the technology industry in the region.
They take place around the board meetings which brings everything nicely together. If you are interested then check out the web page www.dynamonortheast.co.uk
This time Sue gave us her thoughts on recruiting the best talent. In these times of so-called skills shortages it is even more important that we get the best people we can for the vacancies we have. I say ‘so-called’ as skills shortages is a subject I have come to many times. I am still convinced that we do not do enough to develop the latent talents we have within our own people.
The headlines in the papers however, about the huge shortage of nurses in the National Health Service show that these issues are very real.
Attracting talent is the first challenge but keeping talent is another. It is a recruitment war out there. Everyone wants the best and so, just as you are trying to entice people into your firm, then so is everyone else. The job search, the CV and the interview are not enough. It is about making sure that the person is the right fit for your company and vice versa. Your whole company is part of the recruitment process and one of the best ways to attracting talent is for your people to say great things about who you are and what you do.
Sue’s presentation left me with a couple of thoughts stuck in my head. Firstly is that you are always recruiting. You should always be on the lookout for talent and if you cannot offer that person a place now, keep thinking about them for the future.
Turning this on its head though means that, as an individual, you are always being recruited. People are always assessing you as as a suitable employee. Your reputation is a very important asset and everything you do affects it. This is especially salient for the Facebook generation
Secondly she talked about taking on trainees to support the existing experienced people which made me think. You are always a trainee. Everyday is a possibility to learn something new. Everyday can be exciting. In my experience it is the opportunity to learn and develop that is the best way of attracting and keeping talent within your business.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 