How to WOW Candidates…

Wow! Where Do I Sign? …Impressing potential employees.

 

It’s nothing new to hear that competition for talent is tough. Attracting the right people is undeniably important. So how do you get it right just out of the gates? Wowing and wooing potential employees doesn’t have to involve a lot of splashy gimmicks, but rather a lot of listening, thoughtful planning, and salesmanship.

 

The thoughtful planning should happen both before and after the interview. Thinking of the interview as an invitation helps color the entire process with courtesy. Besides reviewing in advance what you want to learn from candidates as well as what they will need to learn from you, take steps to make candidates feel as welcome and comfortable as possible. Arrange for any reasonable accommodations that they request, and reimburse all travel and meal costs. For out of town candidates, small details such as timing a break between flight arrival and the interview to allow the candidate to refresh or eat a meal are generally appreciated.

 

If the candidate arrives the evening before the interview, arrange to have a company welcome pack at the front desk upon check in. Besides company propaganda, this could include information on your community that is available from your local Chamber of Commerce or Visitors’ Center. If the spouse is traveling with the candidate, include his or her name on the packet and include information on local attractions, housing and job information, a list of recruiters in the area, as well as a list of Web sites that can direct the candidate and his or her family to even more information about the area.

 

Enough time should be scheduled with each candidate to allow for a relaxed, unhurried interview. The first impression of the office environment is as important as the initial impression you make on the candidate as the potential employer. When the candidate arrives, take him or her to a comfortable room where he or she can sit and read prior to the meeting. And make sure you’re on time. Being late is impolite and reflects poorly on the company.

 

The interview should, ideally, be a structured but relaxed conversation, not an overly formal review of the candidate’s resume or an intimidating question-and-answer session. Try to be mindful of talking too much. Let the candidate do most of the talking and pay attention. Preparing professionally and having a conversation with the candidate establishes rapport and increases the chances that he or she will respond honestly. The importance of this cannot be over-emphasized because at this point you need to discover what really matters to the candidate. This means including the candidate’s personal life (read: family and lifestyle) in the hiring process.

 

Being familiar with the candidate’s background, experience, and career aspirations all help you understand his or her vision so you can “show and sell” how your opportunity can help achieve those goals. Likewise, uncover the candidate’s motivations – is it mostly money, or what about quality of life? Do you offer childcare on site? Gym corporate discounts? Pension? Flexible scheduling? Do you live in an area with great beaches, hiking trails or other enticing natural features? Play up every attraction – every angle – you have, and let the candidate know that you recognize that there’s life away from work. This could tip very even scales your direction when a hot prospect is comparing your offer versus another.

 

Close the interview by explaining what happens next in the hiring process and thank the candidate for his or her time. Timeliness is especially critical now as delaying offers generally costs employers the most in-demand candidates. The top 10% will be gone after the first week, so minimize inefficiencies and approval delays. If there is an unavoidable delay, however, have the hiring manager call the candidates to let them know where things are in the process, and provide a date when they can expect to know an outcome.

Reviewing your Recruiting Process

Have you ever wondered about your candidates’ experiences when applying for a position with your company? Even if your business is in the minority of organizations that isn’t strongly affected by the tight labor market, gauging the effectiveness of your recruitment process is a smart business practice that affects your employer brand for better or worse.

 

One of the first steps in reviewing your recruiting process is to consider your job descriptions. Are they accurate? Compelling? Lacking in detail? It’s in everyone’s best interest for the applicants to be fully aware about the specifics of the job, including the physical requirements, type of workplace, relocation considerations, opportunities for advancement, and salary range so that applicants can self-screen and make decisions on that basis. The beauty of using the web to recruit is that you are not limited by space to describe your opening.

 

Job descriptions are also valuable tools to get your candidates excited about your opportunity. Include any information on benefits, stock options, or other unique perks your company may offer. Creatively re-thinking the job title can also be beneficial in terms of sparking a job seeker’s interest.  Think: Super Star Branch Manager Needed or Project Manager with Sign-on Bonus.

 

Next, consider your job posting. Where and when did you post? If you’re doing it right, you should expect 10-15 qualified candidates. If you do a lot of online postings, Friday afternoons is not an optimal time as job hunting is no longer tied to the Sunday paper. Instead, Monday through Thursday is usually the busiest time for job boards because people look while they’re at work.

 

One very effective way to test your process is to utilize “mystery shoppers.” Commission people to be phantom candidates who will apply for positions, submit “perfect resumes,” and even interview with your company to let you know what was frustrating, where they wanted to quit, what was helpful, and in general, how they found the experiment. This will indeed deliver the moment of truth about your recruiting process.

 

Other considerations include the time it takes to get through the entire recruiting process (at a minimum, you should average one step per week as the all-star candidates won’t be available for long) and a review of your compensation. Salary.com offers an easy way to check if your offerings are competitive.

 

Finally, do you sell yourself? Similar to creating compelling job titles and descriptions, making your voice heard amid the cacophony of employers vying for job seekers’ attention means you need to convince candidates why they should work for your company. Taking this to the next level, sit down with your leaders and figure out a way to do this in a way that attracts the kinds of candidates you most want to hire. None of these ideas take a tremendous amount of time or money to implement, but putting them into practice can pay big dividends in terms of beefing up your recruitment machine for the long haul.

Retaining employees in today’s market

By Erin Mayer, January 2009

One of the philosophies of companies which attract, retain and motivate high performing employees is a positive attitude toward individuals and a belief that valuing them is key. In this era of acquisitions, increased change, and lay-offs, it is quite easy for top management to see employees as expendable resources to be hired and fired at will according to the current short-term business plan. Employees get scared and cynical and keep their eyes open for new, more secure opportunities.  They also report ‘the ship is sinking’ to friends, relatives, and random strangers!

Many companies scream, “People are our most important asset.” But talk is cheap. Similarly, many companies post mission/vision statements that must be backed up in practice to be believed.

Small and large companies are equally affected by the changing market- The loyalty that some employers and employees proudly proclaim is dependent. When the labor market is tight, people and companies seem to look out for number one.

Some companies forget that the ‘entry level’ positions are often filled by individuals that are coming directly into contact with customers- Yet companies often overlook these new people or simply forget to communicate with them. This happens in so many industries; banking (tellers), hotel/motel (housekeeping), building materials (stockers/counter workers/etc…) retail… the list goes on and on.

There is a clear caste system in most companies- and most fail to understand or calculate the cost of this turnover. (in addition to the cost of lost customers- disgruntled employees tell others and can alter the buying habits of many).

What are the basic principles of a positive ‘company attitude’?

1. First, employees need to feel they are appreciated, valued and trusted.  This isn’t touchy-feely- It is about respecting people and their contributions to the company effort. This principle implies competence.

2. Development.  Each person in an organization needs to be good at what they do, and you know what… few people start out that way. Employees who participate in their own growth and development plans are going to stick around because they know their company wants more for them.  Managers are often overworked and busy- so training and developing new employees often goes to the wayside.

3. Increased responsibility. As people learn and grow, they should be given additional responsibility.  This will help them to feel a sense of ownership and a feeling that they are contributing and are a valuable asset.

4. Good relationship with immediate manager.  All research shows this to be critical.  Every day one is working under someone who either helps them to feel better or to feel worse. Granted, not all relationships are going to be wonderful (or should be wonderful, for that matter… ) but attention to this area is crucial.

These are not new concepts- sometimes we just forget how important they are… they apply to companies of all sizes.  Whether small or large… Foundation is the key!