Recruiting high-potential employees is not just about filling positions; it's about investing in the future of your company. High-potential employees (HiPo) bring much more than their skills to the table; they bring a capacity for growth that can lead to substantial long-term benefits for your organization. The distinction between a successful company and a stagnant one often boils down to the ability to identify and attract these exceptional talents.

Learn how to recruit high-potential employees

• High-potential employees are individuals with the ability and aspiration to be successful leaders.
• Recruiting high-potential employees can enhance organizational performance and succession planning.
• Strategies to recruit high-potential employees include defining criteria, creating profiles, and implementing specific recruiting processes.

What are high-potential employees?

High-potential employees are more than just top performers. They are individuals who possess the aptitude, motivation, and drive to climb the ranks and successfully take on leadership roles within your organization. They are not merely employees; they are future leaders.

Deeper Signals helps their clients recognize that HiPo employees display a mix of great performance and great potential. They consistently exceed performance expectations and exhibit behaviors that align with the core leadership competencies of the organization. They are typically adaptable, team-oriented, and always eager to learn and take on new challenges.

Insider Tip: Don't confuse high performance with high potential. A top salesperson might hit their numbers but lack the capacity or desire to lead a team. Both traits are crucial for a true HiPo employee.

Why recruit high-potential employees?

The strategic recruitment of HiPo employees is critical for several reasons. Firstly, they significantly contribute to the innovation and operational success of the company. Their drive for personal achievement translates into organizational achievements, pushing the business towards its goals.

Secondly, HiPo employees help build a robust leadership pipeline. As businesses face rapid changes and retirement of current leaders, having a reservoir of talent ready to step up is invaluable. According to Strategy Business, top performing organizations had planned successions 79% of the time. 

Moreover, HiPo employees can enhance team dynamics. They often set high standards for themselves and by extension, for their peers, fostering a high-performance culture within the team. 

How to recruit high-potential employees

1. Define high-potential 

Before you can recruit HiPo employees, you need a clear definition of what "high potential" means within the context of your organization. This definition should align with your company’s strategic vision and the specific qualities and competencies that predict success in leadership roles within your company. In-depth job analyses are conducted to reveal the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that are most crucial in key roles. Further, a HiPo must show the ability to grow into positions of increased responsibility and complexity, and can do so effectively within a specific timeframe. 

2. Create a high-potential employee profile

Once you have your definition, the next step is to create a detailed profile of the ideal HiPo candidate. This profile should include required experiences, skills, and behavioral competencies. For instance, it can be a candidate who demonstrates resilience, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence others.

Creating this profile involves analyzing the careers of past and current successful employees. What pathways did they take? What skills did they have in common? Answering these questions can provide a blueprint for what potential future leaders might look like.

3. Use a high-potential employee recruiting strategy

Your recruiting strategy for HiPo employees should be proactive and targeted. Instead of waiting for candidates to come to you, seek them out. Utilize platforms like LinkedIn to search for candidates who match your HiPo profile and engage with them directly.

Insider Tip: Tailor your outreach messages to recognize the candidate's achievements and potential fit with your company’s vision. Personalized communication significantly increases engagement rates.

4. Use a high-potential employee recruiting process

The recruiting process for HiPo candidates should be rigorous and reflective of the roles they are expected to grow into. This might include multiple rounds of interviews, personality assessments, and realistic job previews.

For example, you can incorporate case studies and situational judgment tests that are designed to gauge strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and leadership potential. This not only helps you understand the candidates better but also gives them a taste of the real challenges they might face in the role. 

You can also use personality assessments, which provide insights into a candidate’s core traits, motivations, and behaviors, which are essential for predicting their future performance and potential for growth. Utilizing tools like The Core Drivers assessment can significantly enhance the recruiting process by offering scientifically validated and actionable insights into candidates' personalities. 

How to identify high-potential employees

Identifying HiPo employees within the recruitment process involves a combination of behavioral interviews, assessments, and reference checks. Behavioral interviews are particularly effective as they help reveal how the candidate has handled various situations in the past, which is a good indicator of how they might perform in the future.

Furthermore, psychometric assessments can provide insights into the candidate’s personality traits and cognitive abilities, which are critical factors in determining their potential for future leadership roles. With tools like the Core Drivers assessment organizations can make more informed hiring decisions, ensuring that they select individuals who are not only capable but also a good fit for the company's culture and future leadership roles. 

How to develop high-potential employees

Once HiPo employees are on board, the focus shifts to their development. It is crucial to continually engage and challenge these employees to retain their talents and prepare them for future leadership roles. This can be achieved through targeted development programs, mentorship, and rotational assignments across different areas of the organization. A one-size fits all approach doesn’t account for the different needs of these individuals, it’s important to offer customized training and resources.

For instance, Deeper Signals DynaMo tool offers a personalized development approach. It provides HiPo employees with tailored development plans based on their unique personality assessments from the Core Drivers Diagnostic. DynaMo supports continuous growth by delivering micro-actions and interactive learning journeys that align with individual strengths and areas for improvement. 

‍Insider Tip: Ensure that your HiPo development programs are flexible enough to adapt to individual learning styles and career aspirations. One size does not fit all in talent development.

Recruiting and developing high-potential employees is a critical strategy for sustaining long-term organizational success. By clearly defining what high potential means for your organization, actively seeking out these candidates, and rigorously assessing their fit for leadership roles, you can build a powerful leadership pipeline that will drive your company forward in an ever-evolving business landscape. Remember, investing in high-potential employees is investing in the future of your company.

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