If The Most Talented People Are Not Applying For Jobs At Your Company,
It Is Time To “Poach” Then From Your Competitors

The term “poaching” is used when a company steals an employee from another company, usually a competitor. For some people this might raise some ethical issues about recruiting other firms’ employees, yet there is an everyday competition to steal customers without a second thought. In a market like today’s that’s quickly growing, the top performers are already employed and their wages are raising as demand for quality employees increases. If you want the best performers on your team, then there are sacrifices that you will have to make, not only to successfully recruit, but also to retain these talented individuals.

Before you can recruit top talent you must identify it. Whether by employee referral, or already knowing some of the top names in your industry, the recruitment process should be focused and intense. There is no way to get great people if you appear unfocused, unorganized or not serious in your desire to recruit. And it is best to determine who you want and how much you are willing to sacrifice to get that person before you begin the recruiting process.

To poach successfully, one needs to be subtle. Top performers already have jobs, they are most likely content and even if they aren’t, they are usually not letting it be widely known that they are looking for a new opportunity. If your company is a competitor, they will not always be open to speaking with you or your employees directly, so it often helps to use a recruiter. If someone referred a certain person that you want then let your recruiter know, and make sure your recruiter has enough information to effectively “sell” you opportunity and your company. If you are not sure who you want, then instruct your recruiter to do some research and identify and approach the top performers in your industry.

It is important to build a relationship with the person you are trying to recruit, so that even if they decide not to move, they know your company name and will think of you when they do explore a job change. For this reason it is important to work with a recruiter that can represent you effectively, and even introduce you to top performers that are not interested in making a move at this time, but are interested in networking in their industry. These types of exploratory and casual conversations are a good way to get top performers to know you.

You have to know and look for signs that your target top performers are thinking about or getting ready to leave their current job. This can be done through contacts and friends of the target talent. Even if you don’t have a position open, when you find out that a top performer is thinking about leaving, you should move in. You can let a bottom level performer go, or if you have the resources, create a new position. Have your recruiter or one of your top managers call them up to sell your company and try to get them to come in for an interview. Be prepared to give a job offer quickly. If you are recruiting a top performer, then there will be other companies after them as well, so you should make your move fast. Also, be prepared for a counteroffer from their current employer, so you will have to offer them something compelling that will make them refuse a counteroffer. It could be more money, better benefits or possibly a better opportunity to advance.

You may think that by poaching employees from a competitor, they will get angry and do the same thing back. Actually, this strategy often intimidates competitors and even if they do try to retaliate, if you are successful at keeping your best people happy, the people you gain will outweigh the people you lose. And while poaching is sometimes controversial, it is necessary if you are serious about building a company of the top performers.

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