How to Entice Someone to Work for You

The name of the game in the recruitment and selection process often is how to entice someone to come to work for you. Key to developing a method to entice someone to join your staff is understanding that money isn't everything, and it's not always a persuasive factor in the hiring process. Employers have to be creative and devise out-of-the-box strategies for convincing a candidate that the company can offer the best employment experience.

Although money isn't always the most effective way to entice someone to join your staff, compensation comes in many forms. A more creative way of using money and compensation to convince a candidate to work for you is agreeing to a bonus based on productivity, performance or the company's profitability. Many employers who pay bonuses calculate them as a percentage of the employee's salary, although many organizations don't guarantee the employee will receive. For example, if you offer a year-end bonus, you could negotiate the percentage figure or the guaranteed rate that you'll pay the employee.

Employees who want to maintain work-life balance look for employers who offer flexible scheduling, telecommuting options or time off to pursue personal and family interests. Companies recognized as having some of the best benefits offer their employees fully paid sabbaticals. Promising your candidate a paid sabbatical can be enticing and, if you structure the terms to your advantage, it might even improve your employee retention. Employers who provide benefits such as a sabbatical typically require that the employee work for the organization for at least a few years before the employee can take off for an eight-week safari and collect a paycheck.

Job candidates are often enticed to work for an organization they believe has the kind of workplace culture where they will thrive professionally, feel appreciated and receive recognition for their individual contributions, as well as their efforts as a team player. When you're trying to attract a candidate you sense is more interested in the company philosophy than compensation, or the type of work environment instead of how many vacations days he'll receive, use your company's positive vibe to win the candidate over.

Professional development and training are factors that candidates look for when they intend to embark upon a career in the field or when they're looking for an employer that offers stability and upward mobility. Promising leadership training and professional development are a good start, but it's more convincing if you point to examples of employees who started in entry-level roles and progressed with the company after receiving the professional development and mentoring they needed to move up the ladder. Candidates who aspire to high-level positions with your organization might be interested in working for you if you attract them with your plans for succession into executive leadership roles.

Know what qualifications you want in a candidate and be able to articulate your expectations in order to effectively sell your organization as a great place to work. Job seekers who interview with hiring managers who can't quite explain what the job is about or how the role fits into the overall organization can be discouraged from the start. They will sense that your lack of clarity in the interview process is indicative of the way you interact with employees. Clarity, communication and honesty go a long way in making a good impression on job seekers and candidates you want to bring on board.