Latest / Agency Uncovered / How to Attract Top Talent: Employer Branding, Salary & Flexibility | Alexa Booth da Silveira
Transcript
- Sasha Damon (00:03) How can businesses attract better candidates? We’re here with Alexa Booth da Silveira. So Alexa, how can businesses attract better candidates? Alexa Booth da Silveira (00:13) Businesses can build a strong employer brand, offer competitive packages, and streamline the hiring process — long, drawn-out recruitment processes often discourage good candidates. But companies also need to own their truth. Be honest about the reviews you have online, because candidates do look at them, and don’t be afraid to address them. Sasha Damon (00:37) That’s a very interesting point of view. So what makes a company attractive to high-quality candidates? You mentioned good reviews and listening — can you elaborate? Alexa Booth da Silveira (00:49) Having a clear career path for people, a positive culture, being flexible, and having visible employee success stories. Companies that really invest in the growth of their team rank better with top applicants than companies that just bring you in and say, “There you go, that’s what you’re going to do.” Companies that are transparent about what’s changed and what they’re working towards attract better candidates. Sasha Damon (01:19) That makes sense. And how important are salary, benefits and company culture when attracting talent? Alexa Booth da Silveira (01:28) To be honest, the salary opens the door. Alexa Booth da Silveira (01:32) No one’s going to work for free — that’s your starting point. But your culture and your growth opportunities are what keep employees engaged. That’s what makes candidates want to stay: having that sense of belonging. Sasha Damon (01:48) And company culture is supposed to be like glue. When someone feels at home, they’ll go out of their way to make anything possible for that company. So how can employers stand out when competing for the same candidates? Have you had experience with this? Alexa Booth da Silveira (02:07) Yes, I have. It’s the company that’s transparent in its communication around the hiring process and what they’re looking for, that’s able to offer flexibility, and that offers unique perks like a learning budget or unlimited PTO. A candidate isn’t just looking at salary and whether it’ll pay the bills at the end of the month. They’re looking at how they’re going to grow there and how they’re going to succeed. What does success look like for me if I join them? Sasha Damon (02:39) So what can businesses do if they’re struggling to get qualified applicants? Alexa Booth da Silveira (02:46) Re-look at the job ad. Broaden your sourcing channels, and maybe adjust the requirements — maybe your requirements for the role don’t match the skill sets that are out there. And also look at training: if they meet 85% of the requirements, consider training for the rest. That’s how you get your qualified candidates. Sasha Damon (03:10) And that goes back to what we said in a previous conversation — you have the ability to mould them to your company culture and how they fit in. So can a company really attract top talent if it isn’t willing to pay above-market salaries? Is that possible? Alexa Booth da Silveira (03:32) It is, in a sense, if you offer an exceptional culture, or you’re doing mission-driven work, or you offer unique growth opportunities. Flexibility and work-life balance are key requirements for top candidates. So while salary is important, it’s also about what else is going to be a benefit to me, rather than a rigid structure. Flexibility especially, in today’s age — people want that work-life balance. They want to be able to go to the gym at lunchtime without worrying about being back at a certain time. People with kids need to drop them off and pick them up. They want that flexibility. They want work to revolve around their life as much as their life revolves around work. Sasha Damon (04:19) And I think since we’re moving more towards remote work, that makes sense. It’s hard not to have work revolve around your life when you’re not in an office — you’re in your home all day. Sasha Damon (04:36) So Alexa, thank you so much for your time. We really appreciate your insights. Alexa Booth da Silveira (04:39) You’re welcome.