How To Beat The Recruitment Hit and Miss Hiring

How To Beat The Recruitment Problems That Cause Hit And Miss Hiring: What are you looking for?

You’ve hired some absolute superstars in the past…some pretty good salespeople…and a few that didn’t cut it.

As an internal recruiter who’s seen it all, you sometimes feel this is the price of hiring something as frail and unpredictable as human beings.

And that this human factor will inevitably bring some degree of inconsistency and uncertainty to the hiring process – no matter how hard you qualify the incoming talent.

Not so. Your hiring may be hit and miss because you failed to ask each candidate one crucial question at the outset…“What are you looking for?”

It’s about making sure you can meet their needs.

It’s Time For An Uncomfortable Truth…

You may think it’s all about you…and your amazing company, with its stunning potential, its great position in the Gartner quadrant…and the fabulous career opportunity that you’re offering.

But the reality is that it’s the candidate who gets to pull the trigger.

They’re the one that says ‘yes’ or ‘no’. They’re the one who ultimately decides whether or not to quit their great current role for a perceived better one.

Not you.

Don’t Undermine Your Offer With These Impediments

There are lots of hurdles that your offer has to negotiate before your wonderful deal gets over the line and Mr/Ms Perfect decides to sign up for your corporate vision.

Here are just a few…

• Other more interesting roles – your company is great, but it’s not the only kid on the block.

• Counter offers – a candidate would be insane to accept a counteroffer (because it almost always ends in tears), but that doesn’t stop them from sometimes doing so.

• The promise of promotion – some people are prepared to accept the ‘jam tomorrow’ scenario. Sometimes the jam is real, and the promotion materialises.

• Better sales territory or accounts – when you’re hiring salespeople, you’re hiring hunters. And hunters go where the prey goes. That’s the reality.

• Team management/great mentor – What if there’s a rival offer from a leader that the candidate finds more inspiring? Your company’s culture is crucial to attracting and retaining talent.

• Office location/commute – nobody wants to spend any more time in traffic jams or on public transport than is absolutely necessary.

• Travel – jetting abroad is a little like garlic: interesting in small doses…not so fun if it’s overdone. Familiarity breeds ennui.

• Funding – they need to know the backing is there. Why should they commit if investors won’t?

• Team size – they’ll find it harder to hit their target if the support is not there if no one has their back.

And that’s not all…

Factors Beyond Your Control

Illness and accidents can curtail what would have been the perfect hire. It happens. There’s little you can do about it other than be flexible about timing if possible.

Even the most selfless and industrious candidate will also have commitments that don’t involve your sales target. Many will revolve around family issues.

Marriage, pregnancy, their spouse getting promoted or relocated – all these will have a direct bearing on whether or not the candidate accepts your offer.

Solution? Build Trust Right From The Start

If you don’t, the candidate will never tell you the full story.

Lack of trust leads to poor communication – which leads to a lack of knowledge and, ultimately, failure to secure the hire.

Building this vital trust requires determination, effort, care, skill, focus and attention to all the details that matter most to the candidate.

Get all this right with a well-structured process, and you will get your recruitment right.

Get your recruitment right, and you’re giving your business the firm foundation it needs to succeed.