Many companies today make the common mistake of focusing solely on assessing candidates during the resourcing process and forget about selling the company and the position to the applicant.
The resourcing process is the first stage in a long-term relationship and communication needs to be a two-way street, leaving all parties walking away feeling excited about the opportunity. It's difficult for a candidate to get excited about a potential role if you have not made the benefits, both tangible and intangible, clear.
Today, the best employees want more than a good salary. We know from interfacing with leading Project Managers across Mining, Energy and Infrastructure sectors that there are three key factors typically guiding their decision-making process. While salary is important, it is rarely the determinant. Company culture, work-life balance and opportunity take priority.
Those at the top of the talent pool are likely to be fielding approaches from multiple companies. What sets one apart from the other are the intangible benefits available as part of the role. Particularly when those benefits can have a direct impact on a candidate’s quality of life. It’s much easier for a candidate to see themselves within your business if you paint a picture of what life inside your company really looks like.
Company culture
Every company claims to have a great culture, though it is another thing entirely to demonstrate it. Start by defining your company culture, then detail for candidates what that means in practice. For example, if you offer a flexible working environment, what does that look like for an employee? Does it mean working from home several days a month, or flexible hours to fit in with family commitments?
If you pride yourself on fostering a supportive culture, demonstrate how that works day-to-day by detailing your approach to inclusion, diversity, gender equality and mental health. In essence, make sure you define your company culture and communicate it effectively with real examples.
Work-life balance
Project Managers are realistic about the long hours and commitment required to successfully deliver major projects. A clear understanding of the accountabilities is essential to a candidate determining how the role will genuinely fit with their life outside the office. For those with young families, work-life balance is a key factor in job selection. If your team or company can offer significant advantages in this area, shout about them.
Additionally, prospective candidates will have reached out to their network and enquired about the team and personalities they will be working with. As no workplace is perfect, painting a picture of one that is will only lead to feelings of disappointment and frustration in the long (or short) term. Be honest about the opportunities and challenges linked to the role and the team they will be working in.
Opportunity
Top talent is always looking to advance their careers through unique, project specific challenges. Highlight where such opportunities may exist within the company by sharing stories of how current employees have had the chance to explore various paths within the company. Prospective employees want to see the potential for professional and personal growth.
Benefits
While salary isn't everything, it's still important. Offering a competitive salary and attractive benefits could be what encourages the candidate to accept your offer if all other areas are equal. Benefits are particularly important if you are not offering the top salary in the market. Remember, the intangibles on offer may be clear to you, but make sure you highlight them in detail.
Communication is the key to selling your organisation to leading talent in the market. Remember the resourcing phase is the start of a relationship where both sides should be putting their best foot forward. Demonstrating how you stand out from the competition is essential.
13 Mar 2025