HOW TO ATTRACT A-PLAYERS TO YOUR BUSINESS 🏆
Our Founder & CEO, Bianca Ward, shares her go-to recruitment strategies — and how they’ve evolved in a post-pandemic world.
In today's dynamic job market, the landscape of talent attraction has undergone a significant transformation.
Gone are the days when winning top talent was simply a matter of offering the highest salary or the most prestigious title.
As organisations compete for A-Players, understanding what truly motivates these high-performers has become more crucial than ever.
In this article, Bianca will explore the changing priorities of A-Players and reveal effective strategies for attracting and securing these exceptional individuals in your organisation.
Qu. What Are the Key Characteristics or Traits That A-Players Typically Look for in a Company or Role?
Through the work we're doing, we're seeing that the traditional markers of success—such as salary, status, and position title — are becoming less important over time.
Instead, A-Players are prioritising work-life balance, career development, and meaningful work. They're also looking for leaders who can guide, empower, and co-create alongside them — leaders who create space for A-Players to share their thoughts and bring ideas to the table rather than taking a top-down, directive approach.
Qu. From Your Experience, What Strategies or Approaches Have Been Most Effective in Attracting Top-Tier Talent?
Traditionally, we'd approach candidates and entice them with a competitive pay and benefits package. However, with the rising cost of living, this approach is becoming unsustainable.
We're encouraging our clients to become more resourceful and look at things more holistically in terms of the whole employee experience.
In terms of strategies, we're huge advocates for fusing creativity and innovation into recruitment. For example, using creativity to stand out and innovation by continuously improving the candidate experience through feedback.
Employee Value Propositions (EVPs) are fantastic strategies to authentically showcase your employer brand by highlighting positive employee experiences. We also recommend diversifying your strategy, expanding the talent you seek, and building a recruitment database so you can continuously prospect A-Players.
We know that A-Players are always in demand and have numerous options available to them. It's also important to put ourselves in their shoes and design a recruitment strategy based on their journey. Considering this, the chance of an A-Player applying directly via SEEK is low. They might not even have an updated CV if they've been poached throughout their career.
I think the key to attracting A-Players is to adopt a more proactive and personalised approach — something akin to a sales sequence (more like a recruitment agency approach) — rather than relying solely on traditional recruitment methods. Investing this extra effort in the recruitment process for A-Players is crucial. Companies that understand this will always hold an edge over their competition.
Qu. How Important Is Company Culture in Attracting A-Players, and What Steps Can Organisations Take to Showcase Their Culture Effectively?
It's absolutely vital.
Great cultures prioritise the same A-Player motivations—work-life balance, career development, and meaningful work.
This shift is largely influenced by Gen Z and Millennials, who value the overall workplace experience and seek alignment with companies that care about the same things they do.
When it comes to showcasing your culture, authentic and creative content is making waves compared to the traditional corporate tone.
Candidates are more curious these days and keen to identify with your company's purpose, values, and goals.
Openly sharing details of your vision or behind-the-scenes insights offers a great opportunity for an authentic glimpse. Additionally, encouraging employees to share their firsthand experiences on platforms like LinkedIn or company blogs can provide genuine insights that resonate with A-Players.
Qu. In Competitive Industries, How Can Companies Differentiate Themselves to Appeal to A-Players Who Have Multiple Job Offers?
In competitive industries, I recommend developing an EVP that incorporates both internal and external research.
Internally, I’d gather insights from your team about what it’s like to work for your company. Externally, I’d research what your competitors are offering.
By understanding both perspectives, you can create a compelling EVP that genuinely reflects your company’s unique strengths. This allows you to present a well-rounded proposition to A-Players, highlighting what sets your company apart.
Need some help attracting A-Players to your business?
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Creatively yours,
Bianca Ward
CEO & Founder @ EmployeeXP
