Recruiting With Passion
Posted on Fri, Feb 17, 2012
By: Koleen Singerline
Surefire Ways to Sabotage Your Recruiting Efforts
It’s 4:45 am Monday morning and Tommy is on the way to his new job. He looks at the address he’s written down, 1205 Somewhere Street (based on actual events that took place, names and company were changed to protect their identity). He drives down the street looking for the building, but there’s no 1205. He looks for some sign of life on the street; maybe he can ask someone where the company is. Maybe he can make a call and get some better direction. He’s unsuccessful. It’s too early and he can’t find someone to help. After wasting half a tank of gas, he returns home.
Later in the day, we call the company, explain the mistake and they agree that Tommy can return the next morning. Tommy has learned from his mistake and he takes a drive out to Somewhere Street to find his new employer. Tuesday morning Tommy is up bright and early. He has it right this time, 1250 Somewhere Street. He arrives 15 minutes early and finds the manager. The manager tells him that he doesn’t need anybody and when he explains to the manager what happened the day before, the manager says, “that’s not my problem.” We call HR as soon as they get in and they tell us to send Tommy in on Wednesday. We contact Tommy. Tommy isn’t interested in this company anymore. He tells us he’ll wait for another spot to open up. Meanwhile, he’s telling anyone that will listen – at the gym, the grocery store, and all his friends – about the company and how he was treated. They feel his pain. They tell their friends too, and soon everyone is talking about the company and the terrible way they treat new employees.
Becoming an employer of choice starts with the little things you do every day that demonstrate your company culture. Make sure you are not sabotaging your recruiting efforts in the way you treat visitor to your company. Take the time to see your company through the eyes of the people that interact with you on a daily basis. A consistent message of respect and inclusion, will spread to the business community and applicant pool around you and make recruiting much easier.
In addition to the outside people that deal with your company, your employees can serve as “recruiting ambassadors”. Sandy Asch, author of Excellence at Work--The Six Keys to Inspire Passion in the Workplace, offers six "principles for excellence" that employers can adopt to become an employer of choice.
- Use your words wisely. It is important to communicate with employees with honesty, openness and respect. Communications should focus on what is possible.
- Be accountable. Employers should act proactively and be committed to truth telling, focusing on the question behind the question rather than offering excuses or explanations.
- Focus. By focusing on independent goals, employers can extract the greatest value from the efforts of employees.
- Mine the gold. Employees and managers should strive to bring out the best in their employees, and be committed to collaboration and cooperation.
- Strive for balance. Employees will be vital and energetic at work as a result of a balanced life. Employers should therefore give their employees the opportunity to refresh and renew.
- Lighten up. Perhaps the most difficult of the six principles, employees should not take themselves so seriously. Employers and their employees should seek to bring laughter and joy to the workplace and look for opportunities to make other people's day.
You may not be on the Top Employer list, but you can use the resources you do have to support your recruiting efforts and brand your company as a great place to work.