After many years of training, the Olympians spent more than two weeks pushing themselves to the limit to win gold. From determination to effort to proper planning, this season is one of inspiration. Although the games are over, we all have something to learn from these world-class athletes -- and the huge takeaway for companies lies in the quality of the talent they attract.

Competition for top talent is fierce, and only the best employers can hope to attract the gold standard in new employees.

Implement these changes to beat out the competition and bring home the gold for your company:

1. Emulate the Champions
Find out what top companies are doing to bring in the best talent. For instance, Medline is one of the most sought after employers for medical sales reps. Why? Among other reasons, sales reps overwhelmingly feel Medline’s culture is supportive and appreciate their practice of hiring from within.

You should look for changes you can make within your company to integrate these popular practices. Your reputation as a company who cares enough about your employees will go far in attracting great new talent!

2. Never Limit Yourself
A true champion knows all limits are self-created. Take a look at how you approach the candidate search. Do you stick to one industry? Post jobs in one or two locations? These are two great examples of limits you set. Broaden your scope by looking at superstar talent from other industries and post the job on other industry specific websites to ensure your talent pool is diverse and interesting.

For instance, perhaps you are looking for medical device sales reps. Overlooking opportunities to attract reps from other industries is a mistake, as they might bring valuable qualities and experience with them. Although other business to business sales reps may have a bit of a learning curve to overcome, they likely have a similar core skill set to what you’ll find in reps with industry experience.

3. Compete with Compensation
Markets are constantly changing, and with them, so are compensation standards. Just as top employers have their finger on the pulse of the industry to keep their product line current, so should they be constantly aware of competitive compensation structures for their employees, from the sales reps to the front desk.

Short on cash? There are other ways to compensate employees for their hard work. Some companies offer more paid days off. Some take advantage of the tax break for employers who reimburse employees for continuing education. Others support VTO, or Volunteer Time Off, in which employees can take one day off per calendar year to volunteer for their favorite charitable organization.

4. Share Your Vision
People like being a part of an organization that makes a difference. Do not make the mistake of keeping your company vision to yourself. When you post job openings or interview candidates, make sure you include the vision statement. Give prospective employees a chance to see the contributions they can make to the industry by working with you.

Not only will this build excitement and create a unique impression on top talent, but it will create a positive atmosphere right from the start. A sales reps’ “first day jitters” can be replaced with eagerness to get up to speed and perform to the peak of their ability.

5. Offer Challenges
Boredom is one of the first reasons many excellent employees leave for other opportunities. Keep your top minds and best sales reps engaged by presenting them with challenges, and give them a level of autonomy to rise to these challenges. Not only will this keep boredom at bay, but will also bolster their sense of importance to the company.

There is killer talent out there currently dissatisfied or chafing under the weight of stagnation in their current job. They will flock to you if you become known as a company who offers a healthy challenge.

If you want to find yourself on the winners’ podium with industry giants, you need to be willing to institute a few changes. These healthy shifts will allow you to both attract and keep top talent, allowing you to crush the competition and elevate your company to the level of champions.

What do you think? What does your company do to attract top talent?

Robyn Melhuish is the Communications Manager at MedReps.com, a job board which gives members access to the most sought after medical sales jobs and pharmaceutical sales jobs on the Web. Connect with Robyn and MedReps.com on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.