5 Tips for Recruiting & Retaining Managerial Talent

Client Mindy Asks: Our tech company is growing and expanding. We’ve hired some managers in the past, and it hasn’t worked out the way we expected it to. I need to learn how to recruit and retain managerial talent. I want our people to stay with us and produce the results we’re looking for.

Coach Joel Answers: Mindy, you’ve hit on two key points.  When you recruit well, the second issue—retention—becomes much easier. So let’s start with some recruiting tips to ensure that you are recruiting managers who will be more likely to stick around.

1. Determine your needs.

First, it’s absolutely critical that you have a thorough understanding of what you expect from your manager.  You need to know not only the duties he or she will perform, but the intangibles, such as emotional intelligence.  Even if your new hire comes with great technical skills, if they don’t have people skills, vision, and motivation, it will be difficult for them to manage.

So look at your corporate climate.  What social, communication, and team building skills do they need as well? Enthusiasm and motivation can go a long way to ensure the success of the new manager.

2. Advertise broadly.

Your ideal manager may be working within your company.  Or they may be working for your competitor.  Make sure your open position is made known to a wide range of prospects.  Can it be filled by someone just out of college?  Is the market so tight you need to look to pull someone out of retirement?  Don’t lose your best talent by limiting your scope when recruiting managers.

3. Sell yourself.

What does your company offer to attract the kind of managers you want to hire? Being transparent about the type of company you are and what you have to offer is the key to retaining the managers you hire. A mismatch results in your managers not hanging around long.

What is there in your brand that will resonate with the recruit? Are you eco-friendly? Consensus building?  Highlight your cross training or the value your company places on its employees.

4. Show them it’s true.

What is there in your recruitment process that illustrates the strengths of the company you’re selling to your new hires?  If you tell them your company values employees, will your prospects find a helpful HR office?  Will they find that your online presence reflects your promises to them?  Is the application process easy and straightforward, or convoluted and full of hoops to jump through?

5. Offer sufficient training.

Once you have your new managers in place, you must provide them with the training they need to do their jobs well and to advance in the company. Retaining managers is easy if you can do these three things:  Keep them happy.  Keep them fulfilled.  Keep them engaged in and with your company.

One way to ensure you retain your managers is by ensuring they have a full range of training to orient them properly. Have a mentor to help them understand the company culture.  Offer frequent feedback where your manager can feel confident he or she is on the right track and he or she feels free to ask questions. Work together to create realistic milestones for integration and achievement.

Recruiting and retaining managers are closely linked together. When you know how to attract your ideal hire, you increase the probability that you will keep your manager for a long time. However, it’s important to continue training, support, and open communication on an ongoing basis. Hire a motivational trainer to help supercharge your managers’ growth, choosing a trainer who offers practical tools for becoming a better leader.

Are you looking for ways your company can recruit and keep excellent managers? Contact Joel for insights you might be missing.