How many times have you thought: “If we just find the right people, everything else will fall into place”? A good hire can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to your bottom line, and a great hire transforms that one-time bump into an annuity paying dividends year after year. But how will you find that great hire?

Use Your Network

Before you contact job sites and recruiting firms, use your network! Current employees, past employees, friends, colleagues, suppliers, and sometimes competitors can be a great source of candidate leads. Tell your network that you are looking, and be clear about what you are looking for.

Be Memorable

Write an advertisement that people will want to pass along; something that expresses both what you are looking for, and your company’s personality. Ideally, you’ll tell two hundred friends, they’ll tell two hundred friends, and so on. For example:

HERE YOU ARE. Another day at the office. Remember how proud you were when you landed that great management role? And now? Your work’s ok, but you feel you have done it all. Stuck in the office, when you love to be in front of clients. You’re keeping your eyes open – you’re very ambitious. You want new energy, something that you can cultivate and make your own. That’s great if you’re a Sales Manager with 10 years under your belt, and a track record of building great teams. Do you speak your mind and love to learn? That’s exactly what we’re looking for.

Mission accomplished! Your ad went viral and the perfect person has arrived. If not, it’s time to write job postings and get recruiters involved.