Does your Company Value Candidates?

As a kid I always looked forward to buying fireworks around the Fourth of July. Back in those days, sometimes the fuse would light right away and provide an instant boom. Other times, the fuse would sputter before really igniting into the big flash...much like our economy these days. We know it is getting ready to sizzle, but we must endure the sputtering sparks before full ignition.

Recently, I was conducting a search for a client and for a variety of reasons the client took some time to get back with the candidate at a critical stage in the process. The amount of time without feedback, updates or a brief email or courtesy call had this candidate asking questions:”Do I really want to work for this company? Is this how they treat the people who are working for them now?” and "Will it be like this when I need information from my boss?” Professional treatment is a two-way street. Even if a company does not choose a candidate it is in their best interest to leave them with a good feeling about the process. All companies should certainly leave all their applicants with the sense that they value them for wanting to interview and join their team. Not only will this leave the applicant with a good feeling towards the company, but also imagine what this does for the organizations branding image.

One of the hiring authorities who I have worked with on several occasions summed it up well. ”David, if we do not select a particular candidate to join the team I want them to at least go away from the process knowing we are a decent caring company, especially if they work in our industry. We know that they will likely share their experience with friends, family, colleagues and others, particularly, if we aren't respectful and professional in the hiring process."

Quality recruiters shy away from working with a company when they have a bad reputation in the market for how they treat their people, candidates and customers. The hiring process is certainly challenging, it will have delays, and that’s part of the process. However, your communication (or lack there of) during that process that can certainly affect the outcome.

A good thought for the hiring authority is to treat the candidate with the same care they use with the organizations external customers. It's a simple way to turn a potential negative for the candidate who is not chosen into a positive and defines your company as a great place to work at the same time!

Employers Need to Brace for Change

Last week The Conference Board released its most recent survey (www.conference-board.org) regarding U.S. employee satisfaction levels. The results are alarming. At a time when you might think that most people would be happy just to have a job, a clear majority (54%) are unhappy with their current job. If this wasn't disturbing enough, two more statistics add to the alarming news. The first, dissatisfaction is not isolated to one age group or income level but can be found across a variety of age groups and income levels. Secondly, nearly 25% of those polled expect to be in a different job next year.

Employers need to act simultaneously and rapidly in two key areas. First, employers need to improve the work place experience beginning with the onboarding or orientation process. From the very first day on the job, the overall impression an employer gives, as well as the tools and information provided to an employee can help determine the overall experience a new employee will have. Onboarding programs are not only vital to the efficiency with which employees will perform, they also improve retention rates.

Secondly, employers must be proactive with their hiring process in case the statistics above prove true. With an improving economy and increasing confidence, employees may begin to switch jobs before you are ready for them to. You don’t want your company stuck picking from the players nobody else wanted. Identify your organizations needs now and start brining those people on to your team now.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

David Lammert

Be your own best friend, not your own worst enemy

It's safe to say that everyone looks for a fresh start around New Year’s. It’s a time to take the lessons learned from a challenging 2009 and move forward with a renewed mental vigor. It’s a time to show our resilience and use our individual gifts to make valuable contributions for the world around us.

It’s a time to reflect and whether you are an employer, a candidate (or both!) you should take a moment to look back at 2009 before moving ahead in 2010.

Employers - it's important to realize that while we have a high level of unemployment, top notch talent is still hard to find. Even in today’s market, it’s as difficult as ever to find those employees who turn out to be gems. Don't fall prey to the idea that it is a buyer’s market when hiring. Yes, you will have more overall candidates to choose from, but many may fall short of the "A" player level you expect.

Candidates, in the current economic climate many employers have the mindset that top level talent is easily had when they are ready to hire. Because the bar is set higher than usual in the employers mind, you had better be prepared to exceed these incredibly high expectations at every phase of the hiring process. From properly formatted, error free resumes to applications filled out neatly and completely along with finely tuned interviews skills. These are just the very basics. Much more goes into what can make or break you as a candidate.

I look forward to working with you all in 2010 and to continue providing organizations the top level candidates they need in order to achieve and surpass their business goals.