Talent is slipping away from you? 10 reasons why they don't choose you

As a CEO, you know that the war for talent is your daily battleground. It's not HR talk, it's the pillar that supports your business. Attracting and retaining the brightest professionals defines whether your company takes off or stagnates, whether it will compete or not. And yet, you often feel that something doesn't fit. You see how the candidates you really want don't arrive, or worse, how your best stars fade and leave. Have you ever stopped to think, in all honesty, what could be going wrong in your own house?

In this new job market, the rules of the game have changed. They are no longer the ones many of us have known and prepared for as managers. The power is now in the hands of talent, and complacency is the biggest risk you can take. High-impact professionals are no longer just looking for a good salary; they are looking for a fulfilling project with which they feel emotionally connected, a place where they can grow, feel valued and feel that their work has a real purpose.

From Servitalent, we talk every day with many companies and managers like you. We see up close those small (and not so small) cracks that prevent the best talent to connect with the companies that need it most. That's why we share with you, because experience is good for this, the 10 possible reasons why you may be struggling more than usual to attract talent your dream team. We invite you to read them unfiltered and think about which ones resonate with you.

The 10 brakes that keep talent away from your door

1. Your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) doesn't make you fall in love.

You have an incredible value proposition for your customers, right, and for your employees? Your EVP is simply the answer to the question,"Why should I work here and not at a competitor?". If your answer is vague, or limited to "we pay at the end of the month" or something a little more elaborate, don't expect the best talent to be lining up to come in.

Think about it: Beyond salary, what are you really offering? A brutal development? A culture that's a pleasure? A project that changes you from the inside out? If even you don't know, how will your team "sell" it?

2. Your compensation package is out of touch with market reality.

Let's be clear: while money isn't everything, it's still a key factor. Offering a below-market salary is the quickest way for a candidate to discard you. Today, transparency is more valued than ever, and a good benefits package (health insurance, flexibility, training) can tip the balance as much as salary.

Reflect: When was the last time you did a serious compensation study to find out if you pay competitively for your key positions? Are you investing in benefits that your people actually want and use?

3. You have a toxic corporate culture (or simply no culture).

The work environment is everything. A corporate culture where distrust, excessive control, constant criticism or "every man for himself" reigns is a poison that the best talent can smell for miles. And don't be fooled, news travels fast. A bad review on Glassdoor or a comment in a WhatsApp group can do more damage than a bad marketing campaign.

Reflect: Do you promote a culture where people feel safe to voice their opinion? Do you recognize good work? Do your leaders mirror the values you want for your company?

4. No clear path to growth

The best talent are not looking for a job, they are looking for a career. They want to climb, to learn, to become better professionals. If a candidate perceives your company as a dead end, a place to stagnate, be sure he/she will look for another place where he/she can spread his/her wings. Talent management involves offering a development plan.

Think about it: Do you really invest in the training and development of your team? Are there internal promotion plans that people know about and trust?

5. Your leaders do not lead, they only command

The phrase "people don't leave companies, they leave bad bosses" is as true as a temple. A leader who does not inspire, who does not communicate a vision, who does not trust his team or who is incapable of managing people, is the main cause of talent drain. Leadership is key to retaining professionals.

Think about it: Are you concerned about training your middle managers in real leadership? Are they magnets that attract and retain talent, or are they a repellent that drives it away?

6. Your selection processes are torture

We live in the age of immediacy. A selection process that drags on for weeks, with no sign of life, repetitive interviews and no feedback... is an attack on talent. The candidate you are interested in is probably in 3 or 4 other processes. If you make it difficult for him/her, he/she will go with the one who makes it easy for him/her. The candidate's experience is vital.

Think about it: Do you know how long it takes you on average to hire talent? Do you treat your candidates with the same respect and agility as you do your clients? Their experience gives you a clue as to what it will be like to work with you.

7. No one knows your "employer brand".

Your employer brand is what is said about you when you're not in front of it. It's the reputation you have in the job market. If you don't take care of it and build it yourself, others will do it for you. And the story they tell may not be the one you want to hear. Employer branding is essential.

Think about it: What story does your company tell the world? Are your employees your best fans? Do you use your networks to show how amazing it is to work on your team, beyond product announcements?

8. You're clinging to 20th century flexibility.

The pandemic has only accelerated the inevitable: people want and need to balance their lives. Companies that are still anchored in the presentism, time control and rigidity of the office are losing the game. Talent today values autonomy, trust and working towards objectives. Work flexibility is a must.

Think about it: Is your culture based on chair warming or on trust and results? Do you offer hybrid or flexible work models that truly adapt to people?

9. Your mission is a picture on the wall, not a reality.

People, and especially the younger generation, need to feel that their efforts serve more than just increasing profit. They want a purpose. If your mission and values are just nice words on the web, but are not breathed in the day to day, you will generate indifference and disconnection. Emotional bonding is a differential.

Reflect: Do you communicate clearly and passionately the impact that your company has on the world? Are your day-to-day decisions consistent with those values that you proclaim so much?

10. Your job offers are boring and generic.

The job offer is your first hook. If it's a generic task list, full of sound bites and doesn't convey the passion, challenge and real opportunity of the position, it simply won't work. You won't capture the attention of that bright person who isn't looking for a job, but would be moved by a project that blows their mind.

Reflect: Do you read your key job postings before they are posted? Do they convey the energy and ambition of what it means to join your team?

Attracting talent, you see, is no longer a simple numbers game; it's the art of building a company where people really want to be. And that, as CEO, starts with you. It starts with honest reflection and the courage to change what's not working.

We at Servitalent will certainly not be able to change your company at the first conversation, but we will certainly help you reflect. Exceptional talent will always knock on the door of exceptional companies. Are you ready for yours to be one of them?

Do you need help transforming your talent attraction and retention strategy?