How do you attract top talent? The secret, according to Joe Reynolds on INC.com, is making people want to work for your company. Reynolds is the founder of Red Frog Events, an event production business that attracts as many as 750 applications for every open position. Red Frog’s 17,000-square-foot office is a selling point to prospective hires: it boasts a tree house, slide, rock climbing wall, and conference table built entirely out of Legos. But even if your space doesn’t offer a theme park appeal, there are plenty of other ways to recruit and hire great employees.

• A positive work environment is crucial. Potential recruits can sense the tone of a company right away. If your office culture is upbeat and fun, people will notice.
• Be proactive about recruitment. “We could simply let the applicants come to us, but we don’t,” says Reynolds. Red Frog makes an effort to show up at job fairs near and far despite receiving a large volume of unsolicited applications.
• Focus on the cover letter, not the resume. Reynolds’ hiring staff reads resumes to ensure that “vitals are in place” but assigns more weight to passionate cover letters.
• When it comes to interviews, think outside the box. Make sure that some of your questions don’t invite prepared answers.

Excellence in hiring practices was one of the reasons that Red Frog Events was named the 2011 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year. The 2012 winner will be announced at America's Small Business Summit, May 21-23, in Washington, D.C. Click here for more information.