Are you thinking of getting yourself a new job next year? Perhaps getting back to the gym and in shape again? Quit smoking? A visit to Bhutan? Proposing to your girlfriend? Oh yes, it’s that time of the year where many start making lists of must-dos in 2015.
I saw a report from researcher Richard Wiseman, a Professor in Psychology, who estimates that 88% of all those setting resolutions will fail. Whatever your dreams and plans may be, I wish you good luck in your endeavours; you may need it. Nevertheless, here’s my take on what hiring managers and HR managers should definitely include on their New Year resolution’s list.
- I realise that great candidates are not low hanging fruits anymore. It has become a seller’s market out there. Talented people choose their employers, not the other way around. Arrogant behaviour from anyone in our company cannot be tolerated.
- I will remember to always tell our receptionist when I’m interviewing a candidate. I will tell her to smile, be polite and be helpful when the candidate checks in. I will tell the receptionist to make sure that the meeting room is clean and tidy, doesn’t have any used cups with old coffee in them, chairs are lowered and put back in place, and the white board is clear.
- I will not let candidates wait but I will turn up at the meeting room just in time as per the appointment. I will say thank you for taking some time off from your current job, to come and talk to me today.
- I should stop using my gut feeling when it comes to assessing candidate’s qualification but instead prepare a thorough analysis of the competencies required to be successful on the job. Then I should develop questions that will have the candidate tell their story. Spending less than an hour with a candidate is superficial, pointless, unprofessional, and disrespectful.
- I understand that hiring people is also a selling activity. I will present our company and our employee value proposition to convince the good candidate to resign from their current company and then join us.
- I am done meeting candidates at Starbucks or in a hotel lobby. These places are meant for coffee and drinks; definitely not for a personal confidential discussion about a job opportunity. I will make sure my recruitment company or search firm will do likewise – of I’ll find someone else with proper office facilities.
- I’m aware that candidates are perishable commodities. Talented candidates will assess a potential employer on a variety of points. I have seen how candidates are lost due to untimeliness or a lack of responsiveness. I will have our HR Manager, or our executive search firm, keep candidates I have met updated every week about the process.
- I know that calling candidates for several rounds of interviews may not be my biggest problem when such candidates are not working right now. But with an unemployment rate of less than 1%, it seems all candidates I meet are working elsewhere. Asking them to take a half or full day off three to five times just to come and meet with us, will no doubt cool the interest for some.
- I must give the candidates the impression that we are taking their interest in our organisation seriously and with importance. Each resume is a real person that has been cultivated, screened, and convinced to meet with us. I know these candidates are coming to assess our company and me as much as I am assessing them.
