Hiring Top Talent with Purpose

IT staffing in 2014 saw a greater demand for experienced technical talent such as mid to senior software developers, technical architects, development managers and development leads.  This increased demand continued to put candidates in the driving seat when selecting their next position and left many organizations scrambling to get key projects completed.  Although salary figures and building a resume were important criteria for candidates in their decision making process, so were many intangible factors such as the company culture, work environment and the products and services the company provided.

Our clients often ask us how they can attract and KEEP top talent that is critical to the success of their organization.  Veanne Smith comments, “It is important for hiring organizations to make a strong impression from the very onset of the recruiting/interviewing process. Our clients who have the most difficulty hiring right now are those who force the candidate to take a test, complete a form, or survive a grueling technical interview before someone from the organization gives them the slightest glimpse of the organization’s purpose, culture, or perks.”More and more we are seeing that candidates want to work for an organization they can get behind, an organization that has a clear vision that excites and inspires.  More specifically, candidates are seeking organizations with purpose.

What does a purpose-lead organization look like?  Joey Reiman, an Atlanta-based consultant, writer and speaker says, “Discovering your purpose delivers unprecedented clarity, a better strategy, and empowers you to make a genuine impact on people’s lives. It guides and inspires those in your company as well as those your company serves. The new bottom line is that meaning and money go hand in hand.”

I first came upon Joey Reiman at Atlanta’s 2014 TEDx event.  Joey’s enthusiasm and passion commanded the attention of all within seconds.  Shortly after he started speaking, I found myself reaching for my phone, not to surf the web but to quickly type all the inspiring ideas, motivating quotes, and creative thoughts that came to me during his 18 minute presentation.

The climax of the TEDx talk discusses how the world is in crisis and it is the world’s businesses that are best situated to “save the day.”  How can businesses accomplish this and be the world’s super hero?  By finding its purpose, its reason for being, its “why,” its response-ability that makes the world a richer and more meaningful place to live.  

A recent Gallup study showed 71% of people are disengaged in their jobs, meaning we have a crisis of meaning at work with people in jobs too small for their spirits.   When a business is purpose-driven, it has a reason for being, which inspires people to do more and be more.  By businesses focusing on stakeholders vs. shareholders and the next century vs. the next quarter, Joey states that companies can make more good, more available, to more people and he has seen purpose-driven companies reap the rewards with profits 1000% higher over a 10 year period. 

Could a focus on purpose be the next age in business?

If the technology workforce is a leading indicator by the employment choices they are making, then the answer is possibly yes.

To learn more on Joey Reiman, visit his TedX talk or read his book, The Story of Purpose.

For more information about IT staffing and how your business can attract and keep key technology talent, please click the Contact Us link on the right.

Reference: http://www.gallup.com/poll/150383/majority-american-workers-not-engaged-jobs.aspx