How to Draw in High Potentials with Career Opportunities

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It starts with a job opening, leading hiring authorities through the hoops and hurdles that make up the hunt for a high-potential candidate. The cost of a new hire is more than financial, and there’s no time to waste sorting through resumes that tell you nothing about the person behind the paper.

Sure, you’re looking for someone who can get the job done, but not just any job seeker will do. Though it may be a long shot, it’s also a dream come true to see applicant after applicant with an inkling of high potential for even more than the role you’re hiring for. 

Open positions and job listings can attract a variety of candidates, but for impactful growth that goes beyond corporate titles, high-potential candidates are what you need.

Who are high-potential employees?

High-potential employees used to be bound to old-fashioned ideas of upward mobility and outdated so-called “living” wages. But now, they are a force to be reckoned with, and high-potential employees and job seekers have set their sights on job opportunities with businesses that can deliver the whole package.

Here’s what high potentials are saying goodbye to:

1. Being underpaid
2. Strict office hours and unrequested, yet expected, overtime
3. Roadblocks, red tape, and stunted growth

Here’s what they’re looking for:

1. Pay that reflects their effort and worth
2. Flexibility
3. Accountability, trust, and development

Seems pretty straightforward, but forewarning, these aren’t corporate perks you can easily stamp on a job listing. High-potential candidates are looking for high-potential opportunities, not empty promises.

Attracting high-potentials throughout job listings

Job listings aren’t for overselling, only to under-deliver when candidates are actually hired. With the Great Resignation continuing to cause a stir, and a Great Resurgence bringing talented and experienced prospects to the surface, it makes sense that even the beginning stages of the hiring process are now under the microscope. 

For instance, not everyone on their job hunt is simply looking for high-paying jobs. You can offer a seductive salary but will surely fall flat with high-potential candidates wanting a company culture they can really thrive in.

Win over high-potential job seekers without running the risk of turnover later on by crafting job listings that tackle both sides. Of course, you want to prepare candidates with the responsibilities of the role they’re applying for, but highlighting why this position is more than a pit-stop on someone’s career path could be the difference between a short-term and long-term hire.

Whether you’re trying to attract top talent that’s actively on their job search or lure the wandering eyes of your competitor’s high-potential employees, your job listing will reach your targeted audience by answering this simple question: What’s in it for them? 

Express to job seekers that their high potential can be matched by the position you need to be filled, your team, and your organization.

How to identify high-potential employees

Before moving forward, ask yourself what “high potential” really means to your organization. 

Here are just a few popular characteristics of high-potential employees:

• They’re interested in where the company is going
• They’re eager to develop new skills
• They want to be engaged

Not to confuse high potential employees with high performers, though both are incredibly valuable, a strategic approach may be in your best interest to find the ideal fit for your company’s needs.

Working with a recruiter to help market your open positions could be the additional resource needed to cater to the talent you’re specifically trying to reach. gpac executive search consultants are constantly searching for a-list players—candidates with the background, skillset, and potential to be a game-changer in their field. And who knows, a gpac recruiter may already be talking with the high-potential candidate you are looking for!