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15 Small Business Tips to Hiring Rock Star Talent

In a small business, talent is your most valuable asset

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Each addition to your team can drive huge gains

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‘Count on the best people outperforming

the worst by about 10:1’*

* Peopleware (1997), Tom DeMarco & Timothy Lister

But how do you find rock star talent with scarce time and resources?

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©2013 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

First, lay the foundation Start with your story

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Tell Your Personal Story on Your Profile Your team members are the business… •  What defines you? •  What do you value? •  Who do you want to work with? •  Why is your business exciting? •  Why should others join you? •  How do you lead?

Your Company Page: The Basics Create an information hub for talent to learn about your

company by adding a logo, banner image, and description

Connect your Team Encourage fellow employees to add their current position at

your company – they’ll appear directly on the Company Page

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Have a Clear Employee ‘Value Proposition’

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Have a Clear Employee ‘Value Proposition’

Culture

Team

Mission

Compensation

Growth Perks

Workplace

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You’ve created a company presence that attracts rock star talent

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Now you’re ready to go out and find some

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©2013 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

It’s time to flex the LinkedIn network Build your pipeline

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Search on LinkedIn Search using keywords that illustrate the attributes you’re looking for in a candidate; quality talent might exist within your network

Search on LinkedIn Narrow down your results using search facets

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Engage in LinkedIn Groups

Join groups that relate to your hiring goals to identify industry experts – they could make great candidates

Make use of the LinkedIn Algorithm Quickly identify LinkedIn members that closely match the attributes of a top

candidate using the ’People Similar to’ section on their profile page

Get a warm introduction Leverage your network and get introduced

to potential candidates through mutual connections

Reach out with InMail Message any potential candidate on LinkedIn with InMail. Show you’re

being selective and highlight skills that make them an appealing candidate.

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Post a Job on LinkedIn

Reach the right talent, across LinkedIn …whether they’re actively looking or not

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Consider Developing Entry-Level Talent

“I wasn’t even thinking about hiring an intern until LinkedIn offered me a free student posting… now that person is full-time, and I’m going to do it again” - LinkedIn SMB CEO

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You leveraged LinkedIn and created a top-notch shortlist

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Now make the perfect match Screen, interview, hire

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Do Your Homework

Use mutual connections and shared networks, such as alumni or former employees, to assess a candidate’s strengths

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When you’re hiring for an unfamiliar role - say, your first ever VP of Sales - make sure you calibrate. Meet with people in that function to learn ‘what good looks like’. – Katie, talent leader, investment company

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Know when to engage with the experts

You may not have the time to dedicate to finding your next hire - and that’s OK. Instead, consider working with a recruiting agency.

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The agency fee might seem astronomical, but the ROI is also astronomical when you get the right team member.

– Jeff, startup CEO, San Francisco

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Finally, when you’ve chosen… Make a match, not a sale

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How do you compete with big company offers? Well, if someone’s comparing you to a 10,000 person public company, you may have picked the wrong candidate.

– Jeff, startup CEO, San Francisco

Start hiring now: Linkedin.com

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