Looking to hire? Luring candidates not what it used to be

Employers have learned they must get creative when competing for top talent. No longer will the promise of a basic health plan be enough. Now, traditional enticements are just the beginning, and organizations are going to new heights to attract the best and the brightest.

Often, incentives center around health and wellness perks, but employers also are touting their social responsibility and environmental efforts as they try to set themselves apart from competitors. Some recruiters even hope wild horses will drag in eager jobseekers.

Nontraditional enticements

In April, The New York Times reported on an office park in Nevada that boasts wild mustangs galloping about on undeveloped land in the park, contributing to an atmosphere recruiters hope jobseekers will find appealing.

Elon Musk, whose Tesla "Gigafactory" is in the office park, referenced the mustangs in a Twitter post aimed at potential employees: "Come work at the biggest & most advanced factory on Earth! Located by a river near the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains with wild horses roaming free."

Touting the horses in company marketing doesn't sit well with at least some wildlife advocates, the Times reported, since the effort to create an exhilarating image invites development that can end up crowding into space the mustangs need to thrive. But the tactic shows how recruiters are engaging in out-of-the-box thinking.