Attracting Employees that Fit Your Culture
Electronic Security Expo Tech Talk by Paul Hevesy and Steve Fazio
Do you want your company to stand out? Then treat your employees well. Everyone wants to hire amazing talent, and the best way to reach out to potential employees (especially high-performing talent) is to treat your already-existing employees the best that you can.
The best way to get amazing people working for you is to get referrals from your employees. High-performing employees tend to spend time with other like-minded individuals; therefore their network can be a great asset to you. But you must remember, people do not refer their friends to their places of work unless their employer is great. You would not refer one of your friends to a horrible place to work, would you?
A great way to encourage your employees to start referring their network is to create a referral program that offers money for every referral that becomes an employee.
“Always be recruiting,” as Paul said. HR’s job is to sell the vision of your company to potential employees. But recruiting is also the leader’s responsibility. Paul said it this way, “the recruiting process starts well before you need talent.” So, always be recruiting.
Create a Culture
Before you start recruiting potential employees to your company, you need to create a company culture. According to Investopedia, “corporate culture refers to the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees and management interact and handle outside business transactions.” To start creating the company culture that you have always wanted (whether you knew it, or not) start by designing a vision statement. This statement is a brief explanation of the company’s beliefs.
“The vision statement is lived in the faces of employees,” according to Paul. “Company culture is an anchor during hard times.” Clearly articulate what your company stands for to your employees.
Paul said that many companies are setting the bar too low when it comes to creating a great company culture. This means your company can rise above many other companies simply by creating and living a great company culture. “Live what you stand for, celebrate when it’s lived out, and don’t forget the little things.”
Where to Recruit
Here is a list that was provided in this Tech Talk which teaches of great places to reach out to potential employees:
* Referrals
* Job fairs
* Indeed.com
* Industry sites
* Advertisements
* Colleges
* Trade Schools
Before Posting
What problem are you trying to solve by hiring? Make sure you answer this question before starting the hiring process. The problem your company is facing might be solved by hiring an employee, but make sure this is really the case.
When creating a help-wanted ad, describe the job; is it an existing or a new role? Review this new position with the hiring manager and identify the must haves versus the nice to haves. Will this be a wide-net approach, or a targeted search? Review all the applications submitted based off the must haves list and schedule a brief phone screen (phone meeting) with the applicants. Do not forget to mention the salary before going too far down the hiring process and address all the applicant’s questions.
If you want to know your employees’ opinions of a certain potential employee, do not begin the conversation like this, “this person is amazing. What do you all think?” Your employees will simply agree that the applicant was truly amazing. If you want their true opinions, ask for their opinions first.
One last thing, here’s a pro tip: read résumés ahead of time.
