Employing top talent can be a big challenge for small businesses. At a certain point in the lifecycle of your business, you simply need to invest in employees so you can take your business to the next phase of growth. But how do you compete for top talent when large corporations are offering perks you can't, such as flex time, stock options and more? And how do you find the time to source top talent when you wear multiple hats as owner, operations and human resources?

Promotional Consultant Today shares these tips from executive search firm, Naviga, for sourcing talent for your small business.

Form relationships with candidates. Small businesses need to be more hands-on than the big guys. They have to be proactive on LinkedIn and create connections for future potential hires. Form relationships with candidates during the recruiting process by giving them updates about what is going on throughout the process and checking in with them even if you don't have any new information. Also, be sure they interview with all executive-level employees at the company. In a small business, they will most likely be working very closely with the executives anyway, but it also shows the candidates they're valued enough for the CEO or VP to take the time to speak with them. Also, use creative approaches to reach out to top talent through networking events, referral programs, social media, job boards, postings, direct solicitation, etc.

Promote company culture and perks. Even though you won't likely be able to offer a fully stocked employee cafeteria or rooms for napping, you can still talk about your own perks. For example, maybe your company actively promotes work-life balance and lets employees work from home twice a week. Or, maybe you have monthly team events where you go to happy hour or volunteer together. Company perks don't have to be big and flashy as long as they are attractive to the type of employees you're trying to recruit.

Offer the opportunity to make a direct impact. A major selling point for joining a small company over a big corporation is that top talent will have a huge impact on a company's bottom line. Top talent is drawn to companies that are innovative and where they can make a real difference. Make sure to use this selling point to your advantage. Talk to candidates about how they will have the opportunity to grow and learn more skills with your company as opposed to working for a large company and being boxed in. The nimble nature of a small business is very attractive for a certain group of top talent. And don't forget that while small businesses can get away with not having the highest salaries, your offer still needs to be competitive if you want the candidate to accept.

In a small business, every single hire is so critical that each new employee added has the potential to affect the bottom line. Make sure you hire the most talented person for your company by promoting the unique benefits of working at a small business.

Source: Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search is a professional and service-oriented provider of executive, sales, and marketing recruiting services to businesses across North America. It provides clients with the highest-quality and most-qualified candidates to fill their available executive, sales and marketing positions.

Compiled by Cassandra Johnson