by Colm Allen
With talent scarcity remaining, how do you get THE best candidates from your competitors to WANT to join your team? The days where people just show up and “buy” what you have to offer are gone. You need to engage and encourage candidates to want to come to your place of business. Think back to the days when retail stores had product behind the counter and you needed a sales associate to assist you. That Retail Industry was disrupted by Department stores who let you browse, touch and try before you would buy. There is a similar trend within the world of hiring. In the past it was typically the hiring manager or client who held all the cards. Today, candidates are as much a part of the decision making process as the hiring authority – they want the full picture before they will consider making a move. Your job is to connect each candidate to your company’s unique value proposition in every interview so, regardless of who you end up hiring, you have options. Hiring authorities should be 100% clear on what they have to offer potential candidates.
Here are some areas to consider before your next interview:
10,000 ft view: Outline the reasons someone would want to join your company. This should take no more than 5 minutes and should happen regardless of the role a candidate is interviewing for.
- Outline how long you have been in business, size of your company, and any awards.
- Provide an overview of the short and long term company goals.
- Lay out how the candidate can grow their career with you – provide examples of different positions in the company.
- What are the employment benefits/perks to joining your company? Do you offer “free food Fridays”, matching 401K?
Be clear on who you are.
- Candidates want more than just money; they fundamentally want to work in a place that supports their personal goals. Your job is to find out what motivates them.
- Share the company vision and goals. Do you have a philanthropic component, do you support a flat management structure, are you investing in technology etc?
- Highlight employees that have risen through the ranks so that candidates can understand what’s possible with their professional development.
Focus on people, not just the perks.
- Passive candidates are employed and don’t need to make the move unless you have something they really want to join.
- Speak to your company culture and the specific team environment they will be joining.
- Who else works within your company and why? What is the average tenure?
- When possible, have happy employees meet with potential candidates to express why the move was positive for them. Let candidates ask them questions about their experience while you are not in the room.
Don’t sugar coat. Transparency is key to making great hires.
- Good candidates will research your company before an interview. Shady dealings can be found with a click of a mouse. Be pro-active in addressing any concerns a top candidate may have.
- No HR mumbo jumbo when it comes to their employment package, “competitive salaries”. What does that mean, competitive to who?
- Be clear about the role and any difficulties associated with the position. Will they be working for a micro-managing superior? Let them know upfront. This way the candidate is informed before they start.
A day in the life.
- Provide an overview of day-to-day expectations.
- Will they work offsite or in the office?
- Does anyone work remotely? If so, what roles have this flexibility and why?
- How do remote employees manage workflow and communications? LogMeIn, Google docs, project management tools, Basecamp etc?
- If working from home is not feasible, do you see this becoming an option moving forward?
Most of all, be human.
- Not all potential candidates will want to work for you, now. Maybe your projects are too small or they heard the boss is crazy. You still want to make an impression that lasts, as you never know what the future holds!
- Ultimately the best practice is to be realistic and honest with potential hires about what you are looking for and why.
- As recruiters, some of the greatest complaints candidates have regarding their current situations are around communication issues. Being clear on expectations and goals upfront can save you time and money in the long run.
Good luck with your next recruit and Happy Hiring!
Colm Allen is President at Construction Recruiters, Inc. in Milton, Mass.
