At RecruitCon Road Trip East in Boston, keynote speaker Kurt Anderson, director of human resources for Definitive Healthcare, a provider of data for the healthcare industry, began his presentation by showing two images, one that looked like a magnet and another that looked like a black lump.
Source: MaksimYremenko / iStock / Getty
You can probably guess the answer. “What looks like a magnet may not be a magnet,” said Anderson, a self-professed science geek, as he identified the lump as a magnet.
The lesson is that even though a company may appear bright and shiny, it may not be a talent magnet; meanwhile, a seemingly unpolished company may be very good at attracting the candidates it seeks.
Alignment Essential
In order for a company to become a talent magnet, there must be alignment among a company’s values, attributes, and needs, Anderson explained.
And this must be actual alignment, based on reality, not a wish list.
When striving for alignment, a company must avoid the usual traps. These include:
- the “we just need a body” trap;
- the “I’m too busy” trap; and
- the “that’s a waste of my time” trap.
It takes being organized, Anderson said. He also cited the importance of communication. Effective candidate communication is critical, but so too is communication with hiring managers.
Applying the Lesson
How do you know if your company is a talent magnet? The simplest way is to look at the candidates you’re attracting. If you’re not attracting candidates who become hires, well, there’s your answer.
But what if you’re attracting some candidates who are right for your organization and others who are obviously wrong? Chances are there is an alignment issue—and getting to the bottom of it may require some digging.
And yes, it may take time … which you think you don’t have. Remember the traps, “I’m too busy” and “that’s a waste of my time”? Think of these traps as landmines, because if you fall into them, you risk blowing up your entire recruiting operation.
It’s that serious. The objective of all your recruiting efforts is to attract the candidates you seek. Everything else is secondary. Therefore, it’s critical that you focus on fixing what’s broken.
For Any Hiring Company
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a small, midsize or large employer. These tenets of recruiting apply … if you want the right candidates to apply.
 |
Paula Santonocito, Contributing Editor for Recruiting Daily Advisor, is a business journalist specializing in employment issues. She is the author of more than 1,000 articles on a wide range of human resource and career topics, with an emphasis on recruiting and hiring. Her articles have been featured in many global and domestic publications and information outlets, referenced in academic and legal publications as well as books, and translated into several languages. |