Improve the Quantity and Quality of Employment Candidates

How can you hire only "A" players when you have a hard time finding even "B" players?

Ask most business owners and they will tell you how hard it is to find good talent. Just finding people who show up is a challenge.

You're in a competition to win the talent war. If you want to win, the first step is to find better candidates:

Commit to hiring and retaining only "A" players - then tell that to the world. Top talent wants to work with other top talent. "B" and "C" players are intimidated by "A" players. But you better convince yourself, your employees and the candidates that what you say is real. You hire and retain only "A" players.

Get rid of "C" players. They don't help you build a great business, even if they come cheap. But they deserve one last chance to succeed, because that's the moral thing to do, they are valuable human beings, and they know a lot about your business. They require less training than a new hire. So you may want to try turning them into "A" or "B" players. Maybe you failed them as a manager. If you are not already tracking their performance accurately and objectively against meaningful quantifiable standards, begin doing so. How else will you know their true level of productivity and performance?

Successful companies pay well. They know that you get what you pay for. The incremental cost of an "A" player is a pittance compared to the value that he or she can add to your company. Great, talented and hardworking performers not only are highly productive, they become role models and help you establish the culture that you desire. Sure, it might be tough to commit the dough today, but it's an investment - if you do the work to attract and secure true top performers - that will pay off handsomely.

High-level performers are confident people. They know they can deliver. They also want to earn as much money as they can. Give them the ability to earn a lot of money if they perform. Pay them out of the profits they generate over a certain level, and you haven't taken any real risk. It might be the only way you get an "A" player to come on board.

The ultimate level of buy-in is ownership. For proven stars, offering ownership might be an important way to keep them on your team. The next best thing is to simply share a piece of the bottom line, if not for all employees, then for key people. It has team-building power and is the next best thing to ownership.

Nobody likes to work for a nobody. On the contrary, people want to work for a company that is "on the radar," a company that wins awards. Positive press can go a long way in raising morale and making your company a more desirable place to work.

Do you think Apple Inc. has a hard time finding talent? How about Rolling Stone magazine? MTV? These places are cool. Develop a culture that is fun and relaxed. Make sure these traits are evident on your website, newsletter, "help wanted" ads and in your press releases.

Locating talent can't be a "sometimes job" handled by you or your personnel director. Everyone in your organization has to participate. Make this clear to your employees. Ask for their help. Tell them to be on the lookout for great people to join the team. After all, they're the ones who have to work with the newcomers. But take note of those who seem to resist hiring high performers. They're likely "B" or "C" performers who are insecure about hiring real talent. Only true "A" players are comfortable with, and really want to work with, "A" players.