Intergalactic Recruiting Wars: The Empire and The Rebellion
- “Never tell me the odds!”
To the 33 percent of recruiters who openly admit they don’t respond to candidates letting them know they didn’t get the job, you’re recruiting wrong. Even if they are rejected, candidates want a definite “yes” or “no” answer. With 64 percent of the talent pool posting their negative experience to social media, your employer brand can’t afford to have many unhappy candidates. That simple response can mean the difference between a positive employer brand and one that is beyond repair.
- “Well, you said you wanted to be around when I made a mistake.”
“…I take it back!”
Sometimes, it seems like a candidate will fill the job with all of the skills you ever wanted and the personality the position never had… then they fail to meet your expectations. A surprising 81 percent of new hires fail within the first 18 months. Why? Because company recruiters are often too fast to hire, leaving gaps in cultural fit evaluations. A lack of the proper skill set only accounts for 11 percent of new hire failures… That should give you enough reason to reexamine the corporate recruiting process.
- “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy… We must be cautious.”
Rushing through job descriptions? Simply scanning resumes and applications? These are really easy ways to prolong your hiring process. A good Applicant Tracking System can speed up your method from 10 minutes down to less than two. An ATS removes all of the “scum and villainy” from your potential talent pool, so you don’t have to waste your time dealing those who are unqualified and undertrained.
- “No reward is worth this.”
We spend one-third of our lives in the office, so hiring a candidate who turns out to be a poor cultural fit is a recipe for disaster. According to a study in 1975 by esteemed Organizational Psychologist John Morse, an employee’s personality match to their job description has a great effect on their self-evaluation and competence in their position.
- “Bounty Hunters! We don’t need this scum.”
There’s a fine line for recruiters in developing relationships with candidates. However, there are just some candidates who won’t stop talking. The one candidate mistake 36 percent of recruiters come across during interviews is the chatty interviewee. Yes, sometimes it is nerves, but that doesn’t account for the naturally talkative talent.
- “Aren’t you a little short for a Stormtrooper?”
Every recruiter has come across that candidate that seems to be a dream. However, upon hiring, the new hire is less than perfect. They perform well during the interview, but upon their hire, their bad habits rear their ugly heads in an HR talent acquisition nightmare. Not to say that hiring managers don’t make the wrong decision sometimes, because they do. One in five new hires are so-called “bad hires.”
- “All mentors have a way of seeing more of our faults than we would like. It’s the only way we grow.”
You’re not the only recruiter who has made a mistake in his career. Others have gone before you, and others before them. That’s what mentors are for; and you can pass that gift onto your candidates and new hires by pairing them with another more experienced employee so they can learn how to deal with corporate mistakes before they happen. Don’t feed them to the wolves. If you want your recruits to be successful new hires, assign them a mentor. They will be promoted five times as often than their non-mentored counterparts.
- “I love you.”
“…I know.”
When it’s a match made in recruiting heaven, you know, and your candidate probably feels the same way. Since 80 percent of company turnover is due to poor hiring decisions, it stands to reason that you really can’t find the dream candidate. You can only hope to recruit the candidate that turns out to be the best new hire you’ve seen in years. Hardworking, fits in with the company culture, skilled, and talented… What could be better than the perfect new hire?
May the force be with you on your recruiting journey…