Most of my recruiting clients, at some point during our relationship, will say the following: “I want to hire people who really want to work for us.”  From my many years in the recruiting business, I can tell you that this is a good plan.  Here’s the problem most clients fail to address . . . how do you get them to fall in love with you?

In a previous issue of this newsletter, I wrote about comparing the offer of employment to proposing marriage.  This time, I’m going to compare recruiting a star candidate to getting a date (and ultimately a long-term relationship) with the Prom Queen or the Captain of the Football Team.  This analogy makes sense since you’re trying to hire achievers with leadership skills and excellent people skills.

Assume you have identified (or a recruiter has presented) a stellar candidate.  Much like the Captain of the Football Team, they know they are or will be sought after.  But you just know that if he really knew you, I mean really knew you, he’d want to be with you rather than the other suitors.  What should you do?  You should use the “WIIFM” method of attraction.  What is WIIFM?  WIIFM is what everyone really wants to know.  What’s in it for ME?

Step One – ASAP, share an overview of your business, presenting the following:

• Brief history of the company (What’s your pedigree and are you old enough to be stable?)
• Your values, mission statement, and corporate vision (Do I want to go where you’re headed?)
• Biographies of your leaders (Are your friends good enough for me to hang out with?)
• Information on your region (Do I want to live in your neighborhood?)
• Recent press releases (What have you done lately?)

The Captain of the Football Team will only be interested in you if he knows you exist and how great you are.

Step Two – During the interview

• Discuss the career path for this position.  Where can they be in three years?  Five years?  Ten years?
• Meet the team (introduce the person to the people they will work with regularly).  People ultimately relate to people, and if they feel they’ll fit in, then they’ll want to join your team.
• Discuss the plan for your team’s success and this person’s unique role in the plan.  (You’re not going to hire the Prom Queen if there’s no glory in the job, nor recruit an athlete without an interesting challenge!)
• Have an overview of the benefits package ready to hand to them on the way out the door.  (Don’t let them go home and wonder if you can take care of them.)

The Prom Queen is only going to go out with you if you have cool friends and will take her nice places.

Step Three – The 4 C’s of the process: comfortable, comprehensive, covenient, and conclusive

• Comfortable – Tour the facility, go to lunch, be relaxed.
• Comprehensive – Ask in-depth questions to see who they really are.
• Convenient – Be on time and make it easy to manage, and have all interviews on the same day.
• Conclusive – Come to a decision quickly.  If they’re right, you’ll know it, so make the offer.  When in doubt, quantify your concerns.  If you can’t quantify them, make certain it’s not just cold feet!  If you’re still in doubt, forget about it.  Some candidates, even though they may be top performers, aren’t worth the trouble.

Have you ever known a Prom Queen who had time to waste?

Step Four – Show the love, or better stated . . . ‘Show me the money!’

If they’re not worth spending on, then pass.  If they’re really that good, spend!  Candidates will tell you all through the interview process, “It’s not about the money, it’s not about the money.”  Here’s a secret . . . candidates lie!  It’s about the money.  It’s not all about the money, but it’s about the money.  If you doubt this, keep track of the candidates you lose this year due to counter-offers.  It’s very often about the money.

Let’s review and prepare action steps

1. Create the introductory package and benefits overview and have it easily available to hiring managers, human resources, and key recruiters with whom you regularly work.  Consider putting some of this material on your website.  It’s best to have this in both hard copy and PDF file format.

2. Review your interview process.  Is it comfortable, comprehensive, convenient, and conclusive?

3. Prepare your interview process with one thing in mind: What’s in it for them?  If you want them to want to work for your company . . . show them “WIIFM.”

(While keeping “WIIFM” in mind is extremely crucial during the recruiting process, there are other factors to consider when building your dream team staff.  One of them is how Baby Boomer workers fit into the equation.  This is important to consider on a number of different levels and for various reasons.  The fact of the matter is that older workers are staying in the game longer and continuing to make vital contributions to the health and well being of companies.  In our next issue, we’ll explore the current state of the Baby Boomer generation and how your attention to these workers can have a profound impact on your company’s overall productivity.)