When it comes to hiring top management talent in the I.T. industry, the concepts are very simple to understand. It's just a matter of doing those things that win the most desirable candidates to your team. "It really is that simple," says Rick Bartlett, a veteran of the recruiting industry. Bartlett says, "The problem is that most people never take the time to find out what really motivates the candidate."
Bartlett says that there are four critical steps to make your company more appealing to the talent that everyone else is chasing after. In an increasingly competitive market, you need to think out of the box and focus on how you can serve the prospective candidate pool.
1. Get clear on the uniqueness of your organization and the opportunities within it. Bartlett states that most companies miss the mark when it comes to this because they've never taken time to look at their hiring process from a marketing perspective. "Marketing is all about differentiation, so you need to find out what is different about your firm and what is different about the experience that a recent graduate or seasoned manager will feel when working there." Bartlett recommends talking to existing managers and employees and getting their feedback through confidential surveys. Ask them why they joined, why they stay, and if there was one bit of information that they could pass on to a prospective candidate, what would it be?
2. Find out from the candidate what motivates him or her beyond compensation and show how your company can deliver on those desires. Find out what the top three things are that they would need to see in an opportunity (outside of compensation) and present your prospective position in those terms. Bartlett sums it up by saying, "Don't sell your company based on why you joined it or why you find it appealing. Instead, find out why someone else would join it, and show them that your opportunity will help them achieve what they really want. Remember, it's not about you. It's about them."
3. When the candidate transitions, stay with them. At the time they turn their notice in, they are susceptible to changing their minds and taking a counteroffer to. "That's the most critical time of the whole deal and the time that they need to build positive relationships with as many future colleagues as possible." Bartlett says that the mistake most employers make is to assume that the deal is closed when the candidate accepts the offer. "It's not closed until they show up, and even then sometimes it's not really closed."
4. Bartlett says to tell stories of how a future colleague is experiencing what that prospect wants to experience. Tell success stories which validate that the motivations of the candidate can be realized within your company. "Credibility is built on specificity. If you back it up with factual evidence, such as stories, then it's not your opinion but an irrefutable fact. If you tell them your opinion, then it loses credibility. But if you say, 'Let me tell you about one of our senior level executives and how he is doing what you are telling me is important to you,' then you win them over completely."
Bartlett writes nationally and conducts senior-level searches within the technology industry. He also speaks professionally at corporate and association meetings on technical marketing, leadership and creating team motivation. He can be reached at rickbartlett@consultant.com
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