In today’s competitive job market, sourcing and hiring top candidates can be time-consuming for human resources professionals, managers, as well as the staff working extra hours to complete the work caused by the vacant position. So, when you finally find the “right person,” how do you get the candidate to say “yes?”
Before advertising for an open position, ensure your organization has effective procedures for hiring. Two reasons candidate cite when turning down a position are:
- The process took too long and
- communication with the hiring firm was disjointed or non-existent.
How many times do you hear someone say, “I had a great interview, but I never heard back from the firm.” Time invested on the front-end will allow your organization to react quickly and effectively when a strong candidate is identified.
A second “pre-hiring” task is assessing the competitive landscape for the position(s) the firm needs to fill. This assessment involves studying what competitors are doing in terms of recruitment tactics and compensation packages. Who else is hiring people with the same skills as your position? What are they paying? What other benefits are the offering? Knowing this will ensure you are in the position to offer competitive, market-rate compensation.
Once you’ve laid the foundation, how do you get to the top of a candidate’s list?
First, have the candidate speak to your employees – the ones they will work for, with, and alongside. People rarely leave companies, they leave people, so they’ll be interested to know about your employees on a work and inter-personal level. Make the candidate feel welcome so they can envision themselves working for you.
Second, make sure you listen to your candidate closely. Know what motivates them, what their values are. Is job security a concern? Are certain benefits more important than others? If you know your candidate, you can communicate how your firm can meet their needs.
Lastly, make the right offer. Do it on a timely basis and make it competitive from the get-go. Losing your top candidate can be disastrous both in terms of time delay and “settling” for your second or third choice. Be creative in enticing your candidate by offering signing bonuses, relocation costs, or other perks. When they come aboard and make an impact, you’ll be happy you did!
