When it comes to fashion, I am an understated
woman. Give me your "basic black" dress (or
pants)
that I can don in the morning and wear straight into
the evening and I am happy. (It must have been all
that exposure to the nuns that wore off!)
However, when it comes to telling a candidate who is
about to interview with one of our clients about the
company and the opportunity, I am a
bright red polka dot dress with not a hint of
subtlety!
You see, when it comes to hiring, "basic
black understated" can be a problem. While being
realistic and cautious not to oversell the position, I
will paint a vivid picture for the candidate of our client
and their opportunity. I want to excite the
candidate
and make him or her eager to meet with our client. I
consider myself a company's #1 proponent when I'm
helping them hire — as it should be.
Many times, however, I see companies who lose
good candidates because they can't effectively
get a candidate excited about their job. I see
companies who think it's incumbent on the
candidate to excite the hiring manager and not
the other way around. (That's a deadly mistake in this
candidate-constrained market and the subject of
another newsletter someday!)
So, in order to be sure you don't sell your company
short, here are three things you can do in your next
interview to ensure that your candidate is excited
about your company
and takes your job.
Give Them the
Buzz
Remember the song from Jesus Christ,
Superstar, "What's the buzz? Tell me what's
a'happenin'." That's what you have to do. Give them
the "buzz." Focus specifically on these two areas:
- Your Company
— Don't assume that your candidate has read
the local business news or is even tapped into the
people who would know the exciting things going on
in your company. Tell them the story yourself. If you
need help from your marketing or PR professionals to
put a "spin" on it, get it. Have recent press
releases ready to show the candidate, or even a
short PowerPoint might do the trick. Give full
weight to the company's successes and show
how you plan on leveraging those successes into the
future.
- Your Industry
— Whether you're in a fast growing
industry, or an industry that's reinventing itself, give
the larger picture of what's happening and how
your company fits in. If you plan on
being an industry leader soon, or are giving the
acknowledged industry leader a run for its money,
share that information too.
Tell Them How
Important the Job Is
People always want to know how they fit in.
Here's your opportunity to show the candidate
how their new job fits into the future success of
the company. Show them where the job fits in the
strategy. Show them an organizational chart if
you have to. Get them excited about the
contribution the job makes to the success of the
organization.
Tell Them the
Future
Here is where you "paint the picture."
Give your candidate a clear and enthusiastic view of
where the company is headed. Emphasize
very strongly the opportunity that lies ahead for the
company. Tell them about the talented senior
management team and why they are there. Show
them they will be joining an exciting company and a
team that has a clear vision of where they are going
(something everybody wants!).
Make sure you tell them these three important things
before you get into the heart of your
interview.
You'll have an excited candidate (and potential
employee) who can share with you how their skills
can fit into the picture and get you the results you
need!
