systematicHR

So how does someone actually decide to work for you?  What is that process and how can knowing about it be leveraged to your advantage?  Knowing the step can help you tailor your recruiting process and capitalize on your strengths.

Job Dissatisfaction or Need Recognition
Unfortunately most job seekers are out there because there are somehow dissatisfied with their current job (or lack of a current job).  However, all recruiters know that the best applicants are often the ones who have a job and have no plans on leaving.  This is because a currently satisfied employee has shown a propensity for longevity and engagement.  Job seekers who are currently looking for a job for more pay, dissatisfaction with coworkers, or a lack of engagement are reason for obvious concern, even though that concern may never prove out.

I used to tell my significant other that if I ever wanted to leave my last job, she could slap me around a few times.  I loved it there, the work was great and the people excellent… and the compensation was fair enough.  I had no intention of leaving until an acquaintance asked me out to lunch and started telling me all the things I could be doing and basically got me thinking about alternatives.

Good recruiters have good contact management skills – the ability to create a network of high quality talent for future hire.  Even through these people don’t want a job now, that recruiter is the first person they will think of when they are ready.  It took 11 months.

Information Gathering and Job Evaluation
If you’re lucky, you’re not going to be competing.  However, with more jobs than employees out there, chances are you’ll have offers competing against your own.  There’s not a lot you can do to control the information your applicant is getting.  With internet sources everywhere, even chat rooms can be a source of a decision these days.

You can control the process and environment your applicant goes through when you meet with him/er.  Making sure that the process and people are in line with the image you want to convey is all important.  You may have some external (non-HR) decisions that are impacting your recruiting process, and making sure your interview process can successfully address some of the external chatter is your mission in life.  For example, if you just did a layoff, you can be sure that these ex-employees are slamming your company on the yahoo finance discussion boards.

Your employer brand should be apparent not just in the brochures, but in the way your interviewers interact with the interviewee.  Culture, work, people should reflect all the most positive aspects of your offering.

Hire Decision
Let’s face it.  People buy cars on either perceived psychological factors, or low price.  If you can get both, you will.  These psychological factors might include quality, service, image, etc.  In a hire decision, the applicant may be looking for all the features in your employer brand, or they might just want the best price (highest offer).  If you’ve given everything you can in the job evaluation (interview) phase, be content with the applicant’s decision.

Post-hire Evaluation
So was it a good hire?  Does the new employee think so too?  Your ability to quickly engage the employee is a leading indicator of job satisfaction, longevity, employer branding and many other things.  You can be sure that all of the new employees friends and relatives are asking him/er how s/he likes the new job.  The quick engagement of any new employee is indicative of the overall momentum your organization can enjoy for internal recruiting referrals.  Do a good job here and your life will be that much easier.