The market is constantly changing, so it's important to keep up
with market trends. Although new data suggests mixed economic
signals, the need to find skilled candidates still exists. There are
available people, but are they who you want? And when you find them,
are you attracting that top talent to your company? As a hiring
organization, you should not assume that you're the only employer
your candidate is considering or that the person
you're interviewing is interested in your job or
that their current employer will let them walk out the door easily
if they give notice.
With many companies looking for top talent, counter-offers
running wild, and fewer marketable candidates on the radar, you
should be doing everything in your power to attract that top talent.
The following steps can be helpful.
1 - Market your company
Companies are
interviewing every day for potential candidates. The candidate comes
in, you describe the position, you ask a few questions, maybe they
ask questions, and then you send them on their way. Why should
someone work at your company? Are you educating top talent about why
you're a great place to work?
Whenever possible, take good candidate prospects
on a tour of the facilities, show them where new business or
technologies are coming in, discuss how your organization insists on
regular training, promote your low turnover rate, and explain your
diverse business mix. Whatever the reason, promote why they should
work there. You can't assume just because someone shows up for an
interview that they're ultimately interested in your open position.
Find out what is motivating the candidate's search and market to it!
If you don't tell candidates why they should work there, no one
will.
2 - Build rapport
Recently, one of my
associates was recruiting for a manager in a technical department.
The company interviewed the candidate, gave him a facility tour, and
sent him on his way. The candidate was three hours away and was
brought back a second time for a 40-minute interview. The candidate
was made an offer and declined due to a lack of comfort. Even though
the client had met with him twice and took him on a tour, the
candidate felt that he never connected with the client.
Build rapport!
For good prospects, take the extra time to take the interviewee
to lunch. This is a great opportunity to find out more about this
candidate and how your candidate communicates in a more laid-back
environment. If this candidate is a relocation prospect, take the
person on a tour of the area or invite their family to come see the
facility and community. In addition, allow candidates to job shadow
a key performer in your company. Candidates aren't only selecting a
company; they're selecting the people who interview them and the
area around them. Get them to buy in.
3 - Keep your process timely
It's been easier
in the past to stretch out the hiring process. Previously, there
were multiple candidates and fewer job opportunities, and it was
okay to take your time. But now, it's time to pick
up the pace. The market has changed, and those who act quickly get
the best hire.
Marketable candidates are receiving multiple offers. Once they
decide to start looking, there are many opportunities. Candidates
get turned off by long hiring processes. When you take too long to
decide on a candidate, the candidate starts to believe that you may
have questions about their abilities. As a result, they become less
confident in their interest for your organization. Moving quickly
through the process sends a clear message about your organization:
“We can make decisions quickly; this is how we do business -
fast . . . we want you!”
4 - Don't just make an offer; make the best
offer
What is your offer process? Do you send it via
email or overnight it? Do you tie a time frame to your offer? Again,
build rapport with your prospect and the offer that you're making.
If the candidate is local, you may consider bringing them in to make
the offer face-to-face. If not, make an appointment to discuss the
offer during the evening hours so they can be at home without
work-related distractions. This creates a great opportunity to work
through any issues that come up immediately.
Whenever possible, have the hiring manager follow up with a phone
call after the offer has been presented. Tie timelines to your
offers. Depending on the job, having an offer valid longer than 48
hours can result in counter-offers, resulting in your back-up
candidates losing interest and allowing time for another potential
employer to make an offer to your prospective new employee. So be
sure to set a deadline with every offer you
extend.
The market is tight, and good talent is
difficult to find. If you haven't reviewed your process recently, it
might be a good time to evaluate it. Making a timely hire can only
help your bottom line. If you would like a review of your current
hiring process on a consultative basis, contact us for more
information.
(As always, we value your input regarding the content for our
newsletter. If you have any ideas or suggestions for future topics,
be sure to contact us at dan@consearch.com . We look
forward to hearing from you.)
