This week I participated on a panel for CEO Trust, whose theme was recruiting, retaining and motivating employees. As some employers are experiencing flickers of an improving economy, I thought it was timely to give some top line tips.

• Hire for attitude, train for skills. You know the drill: when you hire someone who has technical expertise but doesn't have a good attitude, it's only a matter of time before you start thinking of exiting him or her. If someone has a great attitude and could use some skill enhancement, that's something you can provide through training.
• Make sure you update any job descriptions. Things have changed since the recession, including the key accountabilities for key positions.
• Don't be so eager to hire that you forget to follow your protocol. Every company should have a process that they follow for consistent hiring practice. 
• Remember that compensation isn't the primary driver. People want to feel engaged; they want to make a meaningful contribution when they go to work. Keep in mind how you feel every day when you go to work, and apply those factors to your process.

And here's an interesting tidbit that might be the beginning of a trend. One of the panelists, executive recruiter Sean Carroll of Polachi, mentioned that technology candidates are beginning to receive multiple offers. That represents a shift from solo offers. This isn't happening across industries, but certainly worth paying attention.

Happy hunting, and let me know how you're doing on the hiring front.