How do small & medium sized businesses (SMB) compete with larger companies in attracting awesome candidates?

By showing prospective candidates what is really, really special about working here.

Developing the employer brand can be focused on strengths of being in the SMB ecosystem, such as show casing a more closely knit, friendly, and personable company culture. This can be much harder to do at larger organizations.

Your perspective new hire should feel like they've found a place that's inviting and they can belong. Show an authentic view of work life. This can include a strong sense of employee ownership of projects, for instance, but also a collection of interests that employees partake outside of the workspace.

Also share some of the neat perks: if work hours can sometimes stretch long during the work week, talk about how you allow employees an hour off during non-critical business times for fitness three times per week as commitment to work-life balance and creating the resilient employee.

Lastly, showcase a planned or established career path. Is it possible for star performers to rise relatively quickly on their team? Candidates I work with often speak about the difficulties of focusing on career development at bigger companies, as there is frequent change, pauses, resets, and the risk of project accomplishments getting lost in the wash of many other projects. So being able to show how a perspective candidate can be on high-profile projects and make a significant impact can spark interest.

Showcase awards. Even better, how your company embraces a culture of learning, achievement and innovation with lunch & learns followed by awards on Friday afternoon.

The goal is to be outstanding and unique on your career & jobs page!