Pareto’s Principal or what’s commonly known as the 80/20 Rule states that it is the important few that are most vital to an endeavor while the “many” are trivial.  In the world of recruiting, 20 percent of the talent produces the most results, is the most effective and the most productive, while the rest are only responsible for a much smaller portion of productivity. So how do recruiters identify and recruit from the vital top20 percent of talent?  Let’s take a look at a few tips.  The top 20 percent of talent usually display the following attributes:

• The top 20 percent of talent usually have a track record of consistently meeting or exceeding objectives.
• Even if a job candidate who is part of the top 20 percent is unemployed, they often use that time to develop their skills and experience.
• The top 20 percent of talent are generally self-motivated and need little direction. They find problems within the organization they work and implement solutions without much prodding.
• The top 20 percent of talent usually have expertise in more than one area with an eye towards the future.  Top talent is rarely caught by surprise when change visits their industry because they make sure they stay abreast of trends in their industry.
• Job candidates who are part of the top 20 percent of talent, have a history of working well with all types of people inside and outside of their company.  They also have conflict resolution skills and the ability to lead.

Recruiters looking to source the top 20 percent of talent need to keep the following in mind:

• Top job candidates are sought after by many companies even during a recession.
• To job candidates are often not actively looking for work and are difficult to find for this reason.
• To job candidates do not need to take lower paying work because smart employers are willing to pay them a premium in salary.
• To job candidates are looking for work which is challenging and employs their most valuable skills.