The Recruiting Blog | People First Recruiting

The season might be over but we are still just as in love with our Winnipeg Jets team as we were when it was first announced they were coming back.  A new team into our well established city had no problem finding a warm welcome.

So it got me thinking, we as recruiters know first-hand that organizations often face the challenge of introducing new employees in to a well established team which led me to thinking about the Winnipeg Jets jersey.  So how is this connected?  Well let me talk about my own team.  We’re connected by a strong culture, there is great camaraderie and support.  We celebrate the wins and we mourn the losses together.  With our jersey, you can’t touch it or see it, but you know it’s there – that’s our unifying factor.  It’s our uni-form.

What I have learned from working with so many clients over the years, is the best way of introducing a new employee to an existing culture is to be certain that during your recruitment process you are patient and thorough with your candidates. Ask yourself this question, “could this individual wear our team jersey”?  You can be assured that many candidates will be asking the same question of themselves.  The candidates need information, the good, the bad, the ugly and you have to be willing to give it.  Those candidates need to interview you as much as you need to interview them so if you can, be sure to offer that to them.  Our success has come from recognizing that the candidate fit is as important, if not more important, than the list of qualifications set out for the role.  This is mission critical to retention.

If you are involved in the recruitment of staff for you organization, then the scenario below should be familiar to you.

• The need for a new recruitment is identified in your organization.
• You assemble the stakeholders, have several meetings and discussions concerning the ideal candidate’s qualifications and experience.
• You develop the job profile, bring together the recruitment and selection team and begin preparing your search strategy.

Then, the search begins

• You look under every stone to find people who have the skills you and your stakeholders desire.
• Several promising individuals get pre-screened, interviewed and qualified.
• The qualified individuals have now been narrowed down to a short list of 1, 2, 3 or more.
• Stage two interviews start and a finalist begins to emerge!

You have found your Purple Squirrel, you are sure of it.

But you’re not quite done.

Now the “courting” phase begins – a time of getting to know each other, of not wanting to look too eager but also not playing hard to get. A time of uncertainty and excitement as you imagine how well this candidate will fit into your organization. Yes, it might sound like dating but in the world of recruitment the courting phase is the moment of truth, the point where the rubber meets the road. You might want 'The Candidate', but will they want you?

So you meet again to discuss the position, you answer questions, you talk about career and advancement opportunities, training plans and on-boarding plans and compensation. Corporate information is given, company tours occur, more meetings with supervisors and colleagues, and finally a lunch or a dinner meeting. You are convinced this candidate is the one.

After a de-brief with the stakeholders, it’s unanimous, they agree with you and an offer is drafted. You are thrilled to extend an offer to the candidate and so you wait with bated breath for them to accept and a day or so later the candidate calls you and…

respectfully declines.

Never mind the disappointment that sweeps over you because right now you have to deal with the panic that’s setting in when you realize you have no one else.

And why is there no one else? Because you stopped looking as soon as you thought you had found 'the one'.

This scenario happens more often than many of us would like to admit. It is what we like to call the euphoric stage of the recruitment, where everything is sunshine and lollipops and the possibility of a no doesn’t exist so we aren’t prepared when it happens. It’s what leads us to stop the recruitment when we shouldn’t have. Now you have to start all over again.

However, it doesn’t have to be this painful. Sometimes these simple reminders can help you avoid intense frustration, disappointment, time and money.

• It ain’t over ‘til it’s over - even if an offer is extended.
• Dedicate time everyday to focus on the search. Even if you have a shortlist of great candidates.
• Be creative and willing to ask for help.  Involve everyone in your organization – creating awareness ensures a solid candidate flow.
• Don’t rely solely on job postings yet don’t remove any until the position is filled – potential candidates should always be encouraged to apply.
• Keep your stakeholders advised along the way – help them with these reminders as well. They too can get caught up in that euphoric stage.
• And the last reminder?

Happy Hunting!

Does your organization work with a recruiter?  Have you always wanted to?  To learn more about getting the most out of the recruitment process download our whitepaper: