Using Honesty And Humility To Grow Your Revenue
According to Investopedia, product differentiation is “a marketing process that showcases the differences between products. Differentiation looks to make a product more attractive by contrasting its unique qualities with other competing products.” However, according to Taylor Cotterell, EVP at NaviTrust, this definition often eludes companies who are competing for new talent, especially in the tech community.
“Every company seems to have the same three or four differentiators,” Cotterell said during an interview with Revenue Growth University. “Everyone’s talking about how fast they are growing, how great their culture is, and how great of a mission they have. And when every business has the same three or four differentiators, those differentiators, by definition, are not differentiators.”
NaviTrust provides top-notch talent acquisition solutions worldwide and was one of the first companies to set foot in Silicon Slopes 25 years ago. They have brought in countless talented individuals who are invested in seeing Silicon Slopes rise and over the years have helped numerous companies truly learn to distinguish themselves. “We like to play behind the scenes,” said Cotterell. “We don’t like to tout our part, but Navitrust has definitely been a big reason why Silicon Slopes is what it is today.”
So what should a tech company do to differentiate itself and attract talent?
“First, and foremost, look internally,” said Cotterell. “We want to be superheroes. We want to create the impression that our company is the best place to work and that it’s such a privilege to work here. But what we need to do in order to attract the best talent is to become vulnerable.”
So ping-pong tables and free lunches on Friday isn’t enough?
“Those are some fun surface level intrigues,” said Cotterell. “But the way to attract the real talent is to provide problems for them to solve. You do that by exposing your problems. And that’s hard to do because it’s hard for us to do that as individuals. In this generation, especially, the real talent is attracted to a level up from perks or money. You have to attract their imaginations as well.”
What are your tips for candidates in a competitive environment?
“The ideal candidate for any job, especially in the tech industry, is someone who is humble, hungry, and smart with people. It’s that simple. Humble to understand that you’re a part of a team and it’s not all about you. Hungry or driven to know what difference you can make and then go after it. And then having that EQ or emotional intelligence to know who to push, who to pull, who needs your help, and where you can make an impact. Also, companies are intrigued when they hear, ‘I want to contribute and continue your message.’ If you’re onboard with a mission, it’s a green light for any organization.”
When it’s all said and done, it’s problems and the passion for solving them that bring companies and winning employees together. It just takes a little bit of vulnerability and honesty to truly connect the two.
