Recruiting is more than filling vacancies or, pardon the expression, putting butts in seats. I have found it to be both an art and a science. Finding the right fit for each role and your organization’s culture is paramount to your success. The best recruiters know that when laying out a recruiting strategy, you should begin with the end in mind.
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Most hiring managers focus on the basics, such as the type of experience and skills needed to perform the job duties. A strategic manager thinks on a deeper level and asks, “What type of personality traits and behaviors attribute to success on the job and success in my company culture?”
How does one go about finding the answers to these questions? It is not an easy task. That is why recruiting firms charge the fees they do because the process can be daunting and difficult.
I have always loved recruiting, probably because I relate recruiting to sales. The process is somewhat similar. Sales is about first listening to customers and determining their needs, then marketing the service or product to the customer who best fits those needs. It’s problem solving 101, and I love to solve problems.
When conversing with the hiring manager, I first find out about the needs of the company by asking a series of questions: What is the single most important attribute to success on the job? Or in some cases, what failures have they encountered during the selection process? Or, what challenges have people faced in this position?
Answering those questions is where the work begins. You also have to determine the needs of the candidates. Why is the candidate looking for a new position? What is important to him or her in the next job? Is it pay, job security, or the work environment? There is always some dominant factor driving the candidate to change jobs or factors that influence his or her decision to accept a new position.
I sometimes ask candidates, “What would cause you to leave this position later if you are selected to work at this company?” When trying to determine which candidate is the best fit, I collect this information from both parties and then base my selection accordingly. In other words, how does the manager envision success in the role? And if selected, what will it take for the candidate to be happy in that role?
Is Recruiting an Art or a Science?
Some people consider recruiting an art, and others perceive it as more of a science. I believe recruiting is both of those things. Some people seem to have a gift for selecting great people. I think that comes from being greatly attuned to everything one observes during the process and absorbing the information needed to identify the top talent.
This process involves looking at what is behind the résumé. Like an artist who embraces the beauty of nature and transfers that beauty onto the canvas, this is a gift for seeing talent. A highly exceptional recruiter has the same type of talent—the ability to select and pair top talent, as well as the ability to eliminate those who are not so good.
On the other hand, there is a science to the recruiting process as well. The science of recruiting requires using technology, systems, and instruments to discover attributes, personality traits, experiences, and skills that do the best job of predicting a good hire.
These processes can be helpful in collecting information that improves the selection process. It includes analyzing hiring trends based on your recruitment as well as benchmarking talent. There are sophisticated technology systems and analytic tools you can use to accomplish this, but for smaller companies simply collecting information from a variety of sources can provide much insight.
You can collect this information by conducting exit interviews, which can help you evaluate your company culture and understand employee lifestyle preferences. You should also consider how effective you and your managers are in communicating with and engaging employees.
Also, reviewing employee information such as the types of companies (size and culture) and educational background (large or small university and types of degrees) can often indicate trends leading to better selection.
At one of my former companies, a small professional services firm, we avoided recruiting from large universities because most of the students were from larger urban areas and were seeking employment in larger cities and with larger firms. Our firm was small and consisted of several small branch locations in small towns.
Therefore, our ideal candidate was someone who preferred to work for a smaller organization and was often someone from a smaller community who would thrive in a small-town, close-knit environment.
Your supervisors can also provide valuable information related to successful hiring practices. Begin by asking them to describe their top talent and why they believe they are a good fit for the position. Ask if there are specific personality traits or skills that are essential for success on the job. Be careful to evaluate the relevance and legality of this information.
Bottom line: Use all of the tools and information at your disposal and then use your good sense. The right people are out there. Find them, and your organization’s success will follow.
 Scholley Bubenik is principal/owner of Premier HR Solutions, a company that serves other growing companies and advises the m on all aspects of human capital.Her most recent book, People Power: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Managing Human Capital was published in October. |