3 Lessons From the 2014 NFL Draft
While you may not be interviewing high-profile athletes, you may have something to learn from the NFL’s Draft. Don’t let your number rule your pick with these pro recruiting tips.
Have a Great Offer
When a team has a lackluster year, they are granted a first-round pick. In other words, the draft gives them the opportunity to pick up a person who has a quality to augment their team. Unlike real-life recruiting, the worst teams get the best players.
You probably won’t be given such a nice gesture by some amazing recruiter higher up, but you can find a way to set yourself above the rest. Positions like talented tech workers seem to be first round picks, and unfortunately, there aren’t enough to go around. Companies are scrambling to fill the void—being competitive is the answer. That and recognizing that fame and fortune don’t equal best places to work. What is your differentiator?
Be honest and transparent. Don’t let uncomfortable conversations about salary and incentives hold you back in the hiring process; your applicant wants to know. You’ll have to share the information anyway. Remember, candidate experience can be all it takes to make you stand out. If an interviewee feels welcome in the interview, he or she will be visualizing his or her place on the team from day one.
A Flashy History Might Not Translate
This draft season, the big hoopla surrounded Texas A & M’s quarterback, Johnny Manziel. His college career was outstanding and his nickname, Johnny Football, screams “pick me!”
When coaches and owners scout for a new addition to their team, they do their research. They make no secret about their goals when they sit down with a promising individual. Additionally, they don’t want secrets from their prospect. Things like background and personality will affect their place on the team and the team’s brand and reputation. Similarly, recruiters need to research their applicants thoroughly to avoid nasty surprises later in the season.
Unfortunately, a great resume and great track record doesn’t mean you have the next best hire. Attitude, work ethic and personality separate the potential for high performers from the apathetic. Although you won’t have injury-prone players in the office, you will have to manage unmotivated employees. Be sure to remember that 78 percent of resumes are misleading in some way, too, and you don’t have the luxury of media scoping out the truth. Don’t let one individual drag your team away from success!
Consider What Your Team Can Already Do
A great team is made of talented individuals who do their job well. Usually, these people surround themselves with other high performers. Did you know, on average, employee referrals are the highest quality hires? Employees usually refer the most diverse candidates and employees who are referred have a 40 percent better chance of being hired than other applicants.
This goes to show that if you can encourage your team players to bring in their skilled friends, you have a higher chance of a successful hire. Develop an amazing referral program. Finding incentives like bonuses, drawings and prizes (that can feature company logos) are all great ways to kick that new referral program into gear. Socialize the incentives and program on your media channels for promotion as well.
The NFL Draft could quite possibly be the most well-known and most publicized interview. The players’ resumes are blasted on news channels and blogs while the hiring managers are open with who they’re looking at. Even more, all fans know what a team needs in order to have a successful season. HR professionals will not have such a spelled out system, but a developed recruiting process with full proof practices can lead to that next best hire.