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Looking to bring on top talent and grow your organization? Regardless of industry or desired skillset, this guide gives you the tools to move through the hiring process with efficiency and confidence. Inside, you'll find concrete tips on writing a job description, utilizing social media, assessing candidates, onboarding new staff, working with a staffing firm, and more. It's your hiring strategy streamlined—and your next candidate within reach.
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PUPBLISHING EFFECTIVE JOB DESCRIPTIONS FOR TOP TALENT
When writing a job description, the main goal is to get the “right” job seeker to click your posting. However, if your job post doesn’t provide them with the right information, or isn’t attractive enough to compel them to apply, you will unfortunately miss out on candidates that could be great fits for your role.
At The Planet Group, we’ve developed a proven approach for crafting job descriptions that improve your chances of attracting talent that fits the bill.
Optimize Your Job Title
Avoid inflated titles—stick to something accurate and easy to understand (e.g., Civil Engineer, Product Designer, Workday Technical Lead).
Summarize the Role
Give a brief, engaging overview of the position. Speak directly to job seekers so they can see themselves in the role.
Highlight Key Responsibilities
After your summary, highlight the five most essential job duties and expectations with bullet points. This lets candidates know what it takes to succeed in this position.
List Qualifications
Include required skills and experience, plus any acceptable combinations of education and background. Optional: add “preferred” skills for extra clarity.
Demonstrate Company Values
Highlight your mission, values, and what makes your workplace stand out— benefits, time off, bonuses, or anything else that adds value.
ATTRACT TOP TALENT ON SOCIAL
Now that your job description is live, the next step in your hiring guide is to get active on social media. Your goal is to not only source for candidates, but to sell them on what your company is offering.
Be Real
Job seekers want authenticity. To secure top hires, share what makes your company unique and what day-to-day life looks like—not polished marketing speak. Example: Instead of generic photos, post a behind-the-scenes video of your digital marketing team brainstorming a campaign launch, or an energy expert walking through a field site.
Maintain Your Employer Presence
Beyond LinkedIn and Facebook, platforms like Glassdoor help candidates learn who you are as an employer. Keep your profiles current and reflective of your values.
Post Relevant and Engaging Content
Highlight projects that make an impact.
Example: Spotlight how your Data & AI team helped a healthcare system modernize patient record access or how your ERP experts accelerated a client’s Oracle Fusion deployment.
Get Your Employees Involved
Your employees are your best ambassadors. Feature their voices and stories to bring your culture to life, build trust, and attract talent that will fit right in.
SOFT SKILLS THAT SET GREAT HIRES APART
At The Planet Group, we know technical skills get candidates noticed—but soft skills make them successful. Here are five core traits we prioritize when screening for top talent:
Creativity
Top experts think beyond the obvious. Whether it’s solving a client’s challenge or adapting to shifting priorities, creativity means using available resources and collaborating across teams. Example: A digital marketing expert might develop a new content strategy by pulling insights from SEO, analytics, and creative design teams.
Process-Oriented
Innovation is important—but so is consistency. The best candidates balance flexibility with the ability to follow established workflows. Look for those who are teachable and adaptable.
Clear Communication
Strong communicators make better teammates. Prioritize candidates who express ideas clearly—verbally, in writing, and across platforms.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence matters. When attracting talent, assess for self-awareness, empathy, and social awareness through situational or behavioral interview questions.
Decisiveness
Whether it’s in HR, leadership, or cross-functional roles, being able to make informed, timely decisions is critical. Great hires do the research, weigh options, and act confidently.
BEWARE OF FAKE CANDIDATES
Finding the perfect candidates can be a challenge. Sometimes it’s luck, more often it’s skill but, either way, securing the right person for the job has become a lot more difficult. Factor in the growing number of “fake” candidates saturating the market and things start to get even more complicated.
What Do You Mean Fake?
Sometimes, it’s someone who fakes their way through an interview. Other times, it’s someone entirely different showing up for the job. Either way, it’s a risk you can’t afford.
Example: A resume claiming five years of hands-on experience in Workday Studio may raise suspicion if their profile only shows recent exposure to HRIS platforms, or no detailed project work at all.
How to Spot Them
Resumes packed with buzzwords and perfect skills? Be cautious. If it feels too polished, it probably is. Always compare resumes with LinkedIn or other public profiles to spot inconsistencies. Check out our guide on how to spot fake candidates before making your next hire.
How to Protect Yourself
- Ask candidates to verify their ID on camera
- Use screen sharing during virtual interviews
- Always check references—don’t skip this step
MAKE SURE YOUR NEXT HIRE IS A GOOD CULTURAL FIT
Assessing cultural fit presents some challenges for hiring managers, as it’s both highly subjective and deeply important to long-term retention. Here’s several aspects to keep in mind when screening potential hires.
Know Your Culture
Start with clarity. What values, behaviors, and beliefs define success at your company? Think about your top performers—what do they share beyond skills?
Ask Situational Questions
Go beyond technical skills. Use open-ended questions (“What would you do if…?”) to understand how candidates approach challenges and collaborate with others.
Example: When hiring an HR manager, you might ask, “How would you handle a conflict between two team members where both feel they’ve been wronged?”—this helps reveal emotional intelligence and conflict-resolution style.
Involve The Team
Get feedback from different perspectives—peers, leaders, and cross-functional partners. Diverse input helps build a fuller picture.
Embrace Diversity
Cultural fit isn’t about hiring the same type of person. It’s about team balance. Sometimes the best fit is someone who adds a new dimension.
Be Transparent
To secure top hires, set clear expectations from day one—remote work norms, availability, communication style, and what success looks like in your environment.
CAPITALIZE ON CONTRACT WORK
Bringing on full-time employees isn’t always the right move— especially when speed, flexibility, and specialized skills are critical. Contractors offer immediate value without the long-term commitment.
Hire Smart, Move Fast
- Set clear expectations upfront and streamline your process.
- Involve key team members, but avoid the lengthy steps used for permanent hires.
- Be transparent about timelines so top talent doesn’t disengage while waiting for updates.
Example: A global organization might bring in a contract Senior Accountant during quarter-end close to manage reconciliations, journal entries, and reporting. With audit season approaching, having extra hands ensures accuracy without the need for a long-term hire.
Ramp Up
Contractors are brought in to solve problems fast—but they’re still learning your environment. Make expectations crystal clear, especially for remote workers: meeting attendance, response times, and deliverable deadlines should all be explicitly outlined.
Execute Effectively
Once they’re up and running, don’t go on autopilot. Continue checking in, offering support, and reinforcing alignment with project goals. Engagement drives performance—even on short-term assignments.
TIPS FOR ONBOARDING CONTRACTORS
Onboarding isn’t just about paperwork—it’s about setting up your contractor for success from day one, especially for longer-term or contract-to-hire roles.
Lay Out The Process
Start onboarding before day one. Clearly explain what needs to be completed before their start date—like paperwork, system access, or background checks— and what can be finished onsite. This prevents delays and confusion.
Review Expectations
Set clear ground rules from the start— work hours, meeting cadence, tech tools, communication norms, and job responsibilities.
Example: For an HR Business Partner on a 6-month contract, outline expectations around employee relations, DEI initiatives, and calendar-driven tasks like open enrollment or compliance training.
Assign A Buddy Or Mentor
Support their learning curve with a structured training plan and a go-to contact for questions. Define success milestones for week one, month one, and beyond.
Talk Career Goals
If the role is contract-to-hire or long-term, schedule a conversation about career development early on. It shows commitment—and improves retention.
CHOOSING BETWEEN TWO GREAT CANDIDATES
You’ve made it to the final round—but now you’re stuck between two top contenders. When both seem like strong fits, how do you make the right call?
Start With The End In Mind
The best hiring decisions begin before the final round. Revisit your original criteria:
- What business challenge is this role solving?
- What skills are non-negotiable?
- What traits thrive in your culture?
Clear answers here will guide your decision.
Advance Only The Best
Final-round candidates should already meet your must-haves. Interviews at this stage are for finding the best fit—not just someone who checks the boxes.
Trust Your Recruiter
Your recruiter brings a crucial perspective. They’ve seen more of each candidate and understand your needs. If you’re torn, their insight can help tip the scales.
Separate "Musts" From "Nice-To-Haves"
Perfect doesn’t always exist. Can one candidate ramp up faster? Does the other bring unique value?
Example: Say you’re hiring a Plant Operations Manager. One candidate might have stronger lean manufacturing experience, while the other has led teams through large-scale equipment upgrades. If the plant is prepping for automation in the next year, that second candidate may bring the edge you need—despite a slightly steeper learning curve up front.
PARTNERING WITH A STAFFING FIRM
For many organizations, the most efficient way to hire top talent is through partnering with a reputable staffing firm. When choosing your staffing partner, it all comes down to one thing: delivery. You need a team that can move fast, but not at the expense of quality.
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It's All About The Delivery
Strong delivery isn’t just speed—it’s precision. A reliable staffing partner is your guide to hiring top talent. They bring multiple recruiters to every role, build alignment from day one, and find the right expert—not just the fastest option. Beware of firms that prioritize time-to-fill over fit. Rushed placements lead to unhappy candidates, costly misfires, and wasted time for your team.
What Sets The Best Apart
The top staffing partners come prepared—with deep pipelines, national networks, and niche specialization across disciplines. At The Planet Group, we don’t wait until a job opens to start recruiting. Our experts are constantly building relationships with both passive and active talent—across industries and skill sets from accounting and finance pros to engineering leads, UX designers, and Workday architects.
READY TO HIRE TOP TALENT?
If you’ve found you are ready to start recruiting talent, reach out to us today. The Planet Group is one of the world’s largest global staffing and advisory solutions companies. We provide strategic and innovative solutions for our clients in the Engineering, Manufacturing, Energy, Construction, Digital Marketing, Accounting and Finance, Human Resources, Technology, and Enterprise spaces.
In addition, our sister company, Launch Consulting Group, navigates world-class organizations through digital transformation. Specifically, they empower people— helping them harness data, implement modern technology and enhance the human experience so they can thrive in a digital-first world. From developing modern platforms to crafting personalized apex experiences, Launch helps leaders make bold moves backed by confidence.
Don’t miss out on your next great hire. Contact us today.
