Starting out a new year — amidst the ever-changing employment scene with technology advancements, interactive on-line processes and the latest employment screening tools designed to tease out the best candidates, here are a couple of good reminders. People are still people and employment is still a two-way street.
Hiring never has been a one-sided process where the hiring manager holds all of the cards. But in today’s environment job candidates are progressively selective and increasingly inquisitive about what it would be like to work with you — in your company.
Top talent is as interested in your business, its culture and their advancement opportunities if they come to work for you as they are about the immediate job. They want to know that you do good work but they also want to know what good work your company does. If they are going to invest their best helping you do what you do, they want it to count and contribute to something meaningful.
And so an employment process based on honest conversation is more important today than ever — with all participants asking questions and both sides really listening to the answers. And let me stress the answers from everyone, on both sides of the desk have got to be real.
In most cases this is the way the employment process works, but it is also a fact that today’s talent is much less willing to play the game of “finding out the truth about the job later.” Plus social media makes it relatively easy to collect more than sufficient insight to your company ahead of time anyway.
Just remember as hiring managaers to do your homework and prepare for the conversations you will most want to have with the super stars you are trying to attract. And then above all, treat them with respect as individuals throughout your process.
Don’t be offended if this sounds too obvious. We wouldn’t be writing about forthrightness and clarity in the employment process if it were not a frequent problem in many businesses. Just take this as a gentle reminder to recheck your own approach to ensure you are getting started on the right foot every time in the hiring you do.
Learning the nature of the work of the open job; finding out how the company is to work for and what can be expected from you in terms of support; understanding what future opportunities may exist and how to take advantage of them; understanding the company’s vision and how the open job relates; and getting a clear picture of how success in the position will be judged — all are questions candidates will have as they consider joining your team. Proactively sharing the answers will help you build trust with them during your interview.
There is nothing quite as powerful as building a team that shares a vision and trusts and respects each other, while acknowledging each person’s unique role and set of responsibilities and expecting the best from each other. Creating work groups and organizations that look like that begins in the employment process.
And so in light of a lot that is new — not all of the rules have changed. Underneath all of the new approaches, processes and tools, when it comes to hiring the right people, getting the best from them and having them want to contribute their best, stay and develop and consistently help you succeed, a key element is required. That is an honest conversation during the hiring process that illuminates each party’s expectations and aspirations.
Hiring managers can do this right the first time by being prepared, or become totally distracted later interviewing and replacing people who didn’t come through the process this way. Less than effective hires are a drain on organizations and are totally dishonest to the people hired who shouldn’t have been.
When it comes to hiring HR talent, if you need assistance queuing up select HR candidates for openings in your organization contact us. HR talent and expertise on demand is our business and we can efficiently get you to the point of having that honest conversation with the top quality HR candidates you need to bring in.
Throughout the greater Bay Area we have been helping businesses and managers find the best HR talent for their needs for 26 years. With our depth of knowledge of the HR function, we can help you be sure of the types of skills and experiences you need to hire, and then help you find the best candidates.
Doing it all on your own can sometimes be a tall order. Selectively using outside support may help you realize your goals more quickly and that is the service we provide our clients.
Not all of the rules have changed. Getting started on the right foot in the employment process and turning to trusted partners for help when you need it should always be the rules.
Best regards,
Rod