Mission-Driven Hiring in 2024: Finding Purpose-Driven Talent

Mission-driven hiring isn’t about filling a position. It’s about building a team of individuals who are passionate about the company’s mission and purpose. The quest for mission-driven talent is not just exciting, it’s a game-changer. Attracting the right talent can set a company apart, providing a sustainable source of competitive advantage. Let’s dive in and explore how you can recruit ideal candidates who align with your cause and contribute to your company’s success.

Mission-driven hiring isn’t just about filling a position. It’s about building a team of passionate individuals who share the company’s mission and purpose. The quest for mission-driven talent is not just exciting but, potentially, a game-changer. Attracting the right talent can set a company apart, providing a sustainable source of competitive advantage. Let’s dive in and explore how you can recruit ideal candidates who align with your cause and contribute to your company’s success.

Mission-Driven Hiring Guide

 

Step 1: Start with a Clear and Focused Mission Statement

People want to work with companies with whom they connect emotionally and intellectually (Blout & Leinwand, 2019). Connection begins with a crystal clear mission statement. This is your compass, guiding you in the direction of attracting the right talent who resonate with your company’s mission and purpose.

There’s a lot of great research on this subject that can help you get started (Amabile & Kramer, 2012). But, to summarize, a good mission statement should be:

• engaging, believable;
• authentically reflect the company’s core values, and
• capture the impact your company hopes to make over the long term.

The point is to attract mission-driven candidates while inspiring them to contribute to your cause. If workers don’t know what you stand for, they can feel lost and lack a sense of direction, which really hampers motivation and commitment.

An example of a company that’s got it right is Lego.

LEGO’s mission is to strive for “the development of children’s creativity through play and learning.” Sure, LEGO does that by designing fun blocks, but play is embedded in its approach to work.

Rather than following a rule-book method for training and operation, LEGO, as Jamie Baird, Director of the Creator Team, shares, operates on a level of employee autonomy that most corporations would shun. Ultimately, their approach fosters creativity and engagement that helps LEGO be LEGO .

Mission-driven hiring is inspired by its purpose and embedded in its ways of operation.

Step 2: Leverage Purpose-Driven Platforms

Other than having a specific purpose, avoid relying on traditional job boards when seeking out candidates. To reach mission-driven candidates, use platforms designed for purpose-driven recruitment like MissionHires. We offer a platform to reach candidates who have like-minded values and aspire to achieve similar goals.

Here’s a helpful tip: Make sure your posts highlight your mission and how candidates may contribute to it. Tailor the language to highlight the role’s impact rather than focus on the duties that may come with the job. By using purpose-driven platforms, you can directly reach candidates who are already aligned with your mission, saving time and resources in the recruitment process and increasing the likelihood of finding the right fit for your team.

Step 3: The Proof is in the Pudding

Candidates today are discerning. They don’t just want to know what you’re doing. They want to understand the difference your company is making. Showcasing your mission and success through various communication channels, whether the company website or social media, can make them feel proud and inspired. This could be done through testimonials or stories that highlight the impact of your work.

Remember: Generally, visuals and real-life examples are more tangible, meaning people can relate to them. Think about showing employee testimonials or success stories that relate to how working at the company has allowed them to contribute to something meaningful.

A great example of a company that is doing it right is Nike. Nike has a video on its website of employees sharing how they joined the company while giving a behind-the-scenes look at how working there fits Nike’s purpose of living up to your potential.

Step 4: Engage with the Community

Get involved in the community. Participate in a community event or conference related to the company’s mission. Being active in communal spaces will help you connect with individuals who already have a passion for your cause. This will make them feel connected and involved in the larger mission of the company.

Here’s a helpful tip: Create a space by hosting a webinar, a panel discussion, or another community program. For example, if your company’s mission is to promote education, you could host a webinar on the future of education or a panel discussion on the role of technology in learning. This will increase your organization’s visibility and position you as a leader in your mission-driven space.

Step 5: Ensure Culture-Organization, Culture-Person Fit

Skills are essential, but cultural fit and shared values are more critical. Look for people who resonate with the organizational culture and share a genuine passion for its mission. This is not just important, but it’s what will truly drive your company’s success.

Here’s a helpful tip: Ensure that you use culture-fit assessments and interviews that hone in on the candidate’s values, motivations, and previous experiences to see if they relate to your mission. Check to see if their commitment and enthusiasm are the same as yours.

Need an example? Check out Trader Joe’s. This down-to-earth grocer attributes their success to its friendly atmosphere and love of people rather than its merchandise. To keep that going, they put candidates on the “love for people” test to see if candidates inherently enjoy human interactions and genuinely enjoy connecting with others.

Step 6: Make Use of Employee Referrals

Your current team members can help you find others who are like-minded. Encourage employees to refer candidates who are passionate about the company’s mission.

To make it happen, implement a referral program and reward employees for bringing on board mission-aligned candidates. And it doesn’t have to be boring.

Example: Take Salesforce beer parties as an example. They host Recruitment Happy Hours, where team members invite friends they want to refer.

You might also reward the employee who made the recommendation, like Distillery does, by giving them an iPhone, though that can get expensive. Alternatively, like Hewlett-Packard, you might want to thank employees for their time and effort by recognizing their referrals as “champions” and celebrating their success.

Ultimately, there are many employee referral programs. Determine what works best for you and your employees, and, importantly, choose an approach that aligns with your values.

Hire with Heart: Mission-Driven Hiring in 2024

Use this mission-driven hiring guide to create a team that is as dedicated to fulfilling the mission as you are. Hopefully, with this guide, you’ll be on your way to finding and nurturing talent that will help turn your mission into an everyday reality.

Leverage AI for Mission-Driven Hiring

To maximize your mission-driven hiring efforts, integrating AI into your recruitment process can make a significant difference. AI helps streamline the identification of purpose-driven talent, ensuring your organization meets its goals more efficiently. Learn more about how AI can transform your recruitment strategy in our article on AI in Recruitment: Embracing the Shift Toward Digitization in HR.

Final Thoughts

If you’re ready to revolutionize your hiring process, don’t wait! MissionHires leverages the power of AI to help you discover mission-driven talent that perfectly aligns with your organization’s values and objectives. With our services, you can save time, cut costs, and elevate the quality of your hires. It’s time to elevate your recruitment strategy. Sign up today and discover how our innovative services can connect you with the talent that will drive your success!

References

Amabile, T., & Kramer, S. (2012). To Give your employees meaning, start with mission. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved source.

Bailey, Tilley, C., & Sandoghdar, A. What Makes a great corporate purpose statement. Harvard Business Review.

Blout, S., & Leinwand, P. (2019). Why are we here. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved source.