Luring the “Big Fish”

You’ve got them on the line, but are having trouble reeling them in. This is a rockstar candidate and he or she may have a number of other offers, so how do you ensure yours is the most enticing? We know it’s a candidate’s market for both IT and F&A, so obtaining top talent can be tough.

IT and F&A recruiting experts at The Intersect Group have outlined what they believe get employers the “big fish.”

Scott Gormly, IT Team Lead, says candidates look for a role that will help them achieve three main objectives:

• Work/life balance
• Flexible hours or remote options
• Opportunity for career advancement within the company

The ability to work from home is a huge lure for candidates as commuting has become more of a burden across the country. The average commute time in the U.S. is 25.4 minutes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but trends higher in many regions, including Atlanta, which has metro communities with an average commute time of 38 minutes.

Additionally, according to a recent survey, many employees are more productive when they work from home.

Gormly also says companies that offer a higher-than-average salary are more likely to draw top talent. The more creative the package, the better, he says. F&A Senior Executive Recruiter Katie Tomczyk suggests impressing upon candidates why they are a good fit for the role, both culturally and in terms of their skill set. Lastly, don’t wait too long to make an offer. IT and F&A candidates are likely to have a number of options, and the faster a company can move the candidate through the interview process, the stronger the company’s chance of getting the candidate to accept.