How You Can Attract High-Quality People (Even If You’re Not a Big Brand)
Over the years, we’ve worked with plenty of great businesses that aren’t household names.
And yet, they’ve still managed to hire top-tier people.
So how do they do it?
Here’s what we’ve seen work, time and time again.
Be Realistic About Who You Are (And Who You’re Not)
If someone wants to work for a global bank and earn mega money, and that’s not what you offer, don’t chase them.
They’re probably not the right fit for your business.
But not everyone wants that.
People look for new roles for all sorts of reasons, and most of the time, it’s not just about the money.
What you can offer might be exactly what they’re looking for.
Flexibility Is a Superpower
We ran a poll recently asking:
What’s most important in a new role (outside of salary)?
Over 80% said:
“Flexibility around hours and remote working.”
So, if you’re a smaller business, and you offer real flexibility, not just the token “work from home on a Friday”, that’s a huge plus.
The big players can afford to say “back to the office.”
Most smaller businesses can’t.
That’s your opportunity.
Give people the freedom to work in a way that suits their life, and you’ve got a massive head start.
And by the way, that kind of flexibility doesn’t just help you hire better.
It helps create real workplace equality, too.
Make Your Hiring Process Candidate-Focused
You can still run a proper process, thorough, structured, and professional.
But don’t make it painful.
Respect people’s time.
Be clear. Move quickly.
A strong, respectful process builds trust.
And when you pair that with flexibility and meaningful work, you massively increase the chance of someone saying yes.
Real Example: A 100-Person Tech Business That Got It Right
We helped a growing global tech business hire a new HR leader.
Roughly 100 people. Ambitious growth plans.
No giant budget. But plenty of character.
They respected their people.
They valued their culture.
And they communicated all of that clearly to every candidate.
They asked us to run inclusive and fair first-stage interviews.
Then the CEO got involved directly, showing it was a key hire.
Final interviews were run in a focused, streamlined session.
No unnecessary steps. No messing about.
And they made an offer after 3 proper stages.
Thorough, but respectful of people’s time.
They ended up hiring a brilliant Chief People Officer, someone who could have earned more elsewhere, but who was won over by the mission, the culture, and the balance the business offered.
And we’re not just saying that, even the candidates who didn’t get the job said how positive the process felt.
What’s the Takeaway?
You don’t need to be a big brand to attract high-quality people.
But you do need to:
- Know your strengths
- Lead with what you offer (not what you can’t)
- Create a hiring process that treats people well
If you do that, and back it up with real flexibility and purpose, the right people will come.
And they’ll stick around too.
Thank You
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