Human capital is the lifeblood of every company and over the past few years, talented professionals have fueled strong economic growth in Idaho and Utah.
This growth has been supported by TalentSpark, an award-winning recruiting firm that exclusively services Utah and Idaho companies. Its founder, Stephanie Parker, offers advice to help leaders find talent that can help their small businesses thrive.
What do you want people to know about your small business?
TalentSpark is a women-owned recruiting firm based in Boise, Idaho. We specialize in helping employers recruit professionals for finance, human resources, sales, marketing and administrative roles.
We provide a relationship-based, high-touch approach in helping employers find talent that can accelerate their business. Obtaining a deep understanding of our client’s industries, company culture, and hiring requirements helps our firm act as an extension of their business. Humanizing the recruitment process helps TalentSpark obtain a 93% candidate retention rate after one year of employment.
What best practices can help small businesses attract and retain top talent?
It’s critical for companies to understand the value proposition that sets them apart as a workplace of choice. What can your company offer prospective hires that would convince them to work for you? Communicating this value proposition can sharpen the identity of your company and create a distinctive employer brand.
It’s also important to have an efficient hiring process. Candidates become disengaged if processes are too long or have duplicate steps. For example, some employers have redundant interview questions that may have been covered in the screening process. This makes it important for hiring teams to share information and streamline the interview process as much as possible. Reducing your company’s time to hire can be a competitive advantage.
As employers and job seekers adjust to a cooling economy, what advice would you give them?
For employers, don’t become complacent when it comes to recruiting. While the economy may be cooling, the war for top talent continues. Unemployment rates in Idaho and Utah remain low. Many professions, like accounting, are experiencing a wave of retirements along with a declining number of people pursuing that field of study. Strong market demand coupled with a lower talent supply in many industries make recruiting challenging despite the economy. Working with a recruiting firm like TalentSpark can help employers secure talent that is otherwise difficult to find in the market.
For job seekers, continue to nurture your professional and personal networks. There’s a lot of competition for posted jobs, but many employment opportunities are discovered through networking, volunteering and being active on professional social media platforms. You can also make yourself more employable by developing your skill sets, earning certifications and working on activities that will bolster your resume.
How is TalentSpark navigating change in the labor market and adding value to the recruitment process for small businesses?
Because we have more than 20 years of experience serving Idaho and Utah companies, we have a keen understanding of the local market, workforce and small business landscape.
A changing market is an opportunity to recruit top talent that might be difficult to attract in other circumstances. By helping our clients improve their recruitment process and employment brand, we are positioning them to acquire top talent that can act as rocket fuel for their company.
Why did you choose to work with Zions Bank and how has it helped your small business?
Zions Bank truly cares about its clients and is invested in the success of small businesses. By working with Zions Bank, we receive personalized service and a relationship manager who proactively offers support and tools to help our business run more efficiently.
We never enjoyed this type of relationship with any of our previous financial institutions and we’re very pleased with how Zions Bank supports our small business.
Looking for a bank that’s invested in your future? Zions Bank’s team of relationship managers can provide small business success strategies as well as funding options, including U.S. Small Business Administration loans. Visit a local Zions Bank branch to learn more.
1. Loans subject to credit approval and SBA approval. Terms and conditions apply. See a banker for details.