I recently spoke at a PRESNET meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska (PRESNET, formed in the late 1980’s, is made up of local CEO’s who have created a forum related to exchange of topical business information). My presentation revolved around 10 Recruiting Insights that will help CEO’s increase their chances to close the deal with top talent they are recruiting.
In abbreviated form, here are the 10 insights:
1) “Set the Table”-when you and the candidate have the interview discussion, define the areas you will talk about in the first moments of the discussion. An example may be, “today let’s walk through your resume, then discuss your motivation and operating style and last, let’s discuss the job opportunity.” This sets the expectation and also gives the candidate a clear sense of direction.
2) Pay Attention to Position Transitions-ask the candidate why they made changes during their career. I am a firm believer that history does repeat itself and the best indication of what the future will hold has been already played out in the past. Of course, there are exceptions to this.
3) Pay Attention to Motivation-always ask the candidate why they want to make the move to your company. Use this information when offering the job down the road to the candidate. It links up their needs to your organization and the new job.
4) Ask About Operating Style in a Different Way-instead of asking, “what is your operating style,” ask the candidate what is unique about their operating style and what has made them successful with their style? This will force the candidate to think about the answer and not give you a “canned” response.
5) Describe the Uniqueness of Your Company Culture-this can be a huge selling point. Use your unique culture as a selling point as you will be competing for top talent with other companies. What makes your company culture unique and favorable?
6) You Can Ask About Relocation Issues-sometimes clients shy away from this question but there is a proper way to ask about this. You can say, “you don’t make a decision like this to move to (location) in isolation; who else will be affected by this move?” You must understand the dynamics of a candidate move.
7) Always Tell the Candidate About the Next Steps-candidates are interviewing with other opportunities so giving them a sense of when to expect an answer and the staffing process is important in keeping them “warm” on your opportunity.
8) Use Texting for Real-Time Feedback-texting candidates makes them feel valued and that you have a true interest in giving them real time feedback. It is a personal way of keeping a top candidate up to date on developments. It will help build the relationship.
9) The Hiring Manager Should Make the Offer-once most issues are hammered out, the hiring manager should make the offer. The hiring manager can decide on the spot what deal needs to be made and has a better and quicker chance of getting an acceptance with their future employee.
10) Develop a 90 Day Road Map for Your New Hire-outlining what the first 90 days will look like truly helps the new hire transition to the position. Scheduling lunch with the new hire a couple of times during the first 90 days is also a great way to insure that the new hire will be off to a great start.
Adding these 10 Recruiting Insights to your executive staffing process will greatly increase your chances of landing the most talented executive for your organization.
