U.S. companies currently have more job openings posted than in the past three years. For years I have advised our clients that businesses are always in competition for top talent, regardless of economic conditions. When candidates are considering multiple opportunities, it is more important than ever for employers to recognize the need to sell their organization to potential candidates. In my 19 years of experience in recruiting and hiring top talent for my organization and our clients, candidates often report these negative observations when making a decision on a new employer:
Lack of organization in the hiring process. Make sure that the position is clearly defined, determine the essential requirements, outline a consistent process to use for screening candidates, and agree on a timeline. Regardless of the process your organization chooses to use, it is important to organize the steps before getting started. The hiring process is the organization’s opportunity for a positive first impression on top talent.
Interviews that include inappropriate questions. Often questions about family, plans for children or proprietary information from their current/past employer come up during an interview. These questions create an awkward situation for the candidate—do they refuse to answer or do they share personal or unethical information? Train interviewers in basic interview skills including points to avoid protected classes (age, gender, race, national origin, religion).
Indecisiveness. When a candidate experiences long communication lags between interviews, it can leave the impression that the company is uninterested or indecisive. Whether you choose to hire the candidate or not, top talent knows top talent. Your organization needs to maintain a positive reputation in the market.
“Low ball” offers. Early in the process, it is important to find out the candidate’s current compensation. Only in the rarest of circumstances should a firm offer someone less than their current salary. Yes, benefits and perks factor into the equation; however, most individuals expect to be offered a new position with at least a comparable salary. For those who have been recruited due to their market knowledge, they will expect a 10 to 20 percent increase to consider a move. Once a company makes an unreasonable offer, it is difficult to overcome the feeling of being undervalued even with negotiation that results in a higher offer.
Involving the wrong people in the hiring process. Logically, we might choose to include an incumbent in the interview process due to their knowledge of the position and frankly, their desire to be a part of the decision. Unless the incumbent is being promoted or happily retiring after many loyal years of service, the benefits may not outweigh the cost. I could write a book to share examples including the underperforming incumbent who shares that the company has “impossible expectations” and the short term fi ll in who wants the job and attempts to eliminate the competition with negativity. I once knew a protective office manager who knew that “no one can do as well for my boss as well as I did” and proceeded to convince some excellent candidates of the fact!
With a little preparation, both candidates and employers can put their best foot forward during the interview process. The competitive market for top talent is here to stay.
