Those "stand-out" candidates are becoming harder and harder to find. What you can do to find them and then make sure they say "yes"..By Darren Saul.

Interviews: not suitable. More interviews: they don't accept. Even more interviews: counter-offers..why is this taking so long?

Yes it is very frustrating. Time wasted, energy wasted, money wasted. You have better things to do - like maybe have lunch!

Here are some simple insights to help you find what you need faster and then conduct a recruitment process that optimises your chances of the candidate saying "yes I do!".

• Build a relationship with a recruitment specialist! One cannot be all things to all people. Find an agency that lives and breathes the area you are recruiting in. They understand exactly what you need and better still they are constantly meeting with (and may have already met with) the candidates you need.

• Spend the time to brief your recruiter properly. Before, during and after the process. Details make all the difference. Recruitment is all about the subtleties.

• Conduct at least 2 interviews as part of your recruitment process. 1 meeting is not enough to generate the emotional buy-in you need on the part of the candidate. How they feel is the single most important ingredient to ensure they accept the role. Everything else is secondary!

• Let them meet with a couple of the other team members. The more the better. They need to know who they will be working with and feel that the "fit" is right.

• Give candidates as much insight into the role and your expectations as possible. Give them feedback. Again, details make all the difference.

• Sell the role, team, management style, culture, career progression and the company! The tables have turned -"stand-out" candidates are very much in demand and if you don't make the effort someone else will and you will be back to square one before you know it.

• Keep the momentum flowing! One of the most common reasons for losing great people is a lack of momentum. I see it every day. Interviews weeks apart, taking too long to make decisions, thinking that great candidates grow on trees. They will either lose interest (emotional buy-in) or simply secure another job.

• If you find that star - hire them! Sure take the time to conduct your due diligence process but don't wait to have a few to compare. You will lose them all. Sometimes it's all about timing and you only get one shot.

• Start building a strong relationship based on honesty, trust and integrity during the process - not just at the end. This will go a long long way! You may need to leverage this relationship at the latter stages of the process.

• Go the extra mile to add that special touch. Make them feel needed and wanted. Give them a call to let them know that you want them to accept the offer. If they have accepted, do the same and let them know how excited you are for them to start.

The world of the transactional and sterile recruitment process is over! To recruit in the new world you need to build strong relationships, trust and go that extra mile!