A monthly
online publication designed to help employers recruit, recognize,
reward, and retain their workforce.
The ‘WOW! Factor’
(By Mike Zarnek)
Recruiting a top-notch candidate is a lot like dating. You want
to find out all about him/her and you also want to present yourself
in the best light possible. You get excited when you first meet
such a candidate, just like after a great first date. The interview
process is a lot like romance, too. If all is going well, you
want it to go smoothly and at just the right moment you want
to ask for a commitment, hoping for an enthusiastic “Yes!”
We’ve talked before about the importance of keeping the
romance alive—and by that I mean keeping the interview
process moving along. In this issue, I want to talk about the
offer of employment. I’m going to keep using the dating
analogy, so maybe this article will make you smile while also
imparting timely advice.
Recently, I heard a stand-up comic talk about how men often propose.
They get dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant, get a bottle
of wine (or two), and hope that in the dim light of a romantic
setting and after the glow of the wine has kicked in that he
will have the courage to make the big offer. By presenting
her with a shining rock, he also hopes that she will be so
caught up in the moment (and possibly the wine) that she will
immediately and wholeheartedly commit to a lifetime together.
There are many similarities between this scenario and the job
offer. In today’s market, once you get to the point in
the interview process where decisions are made, you need to
act swiftly and boldly.
Going back to the restaurant analogy, does the man who proposed
want to hear, “Well, that’s a very solid offer,
but I’d like a couple weeks to think about it, as I’m
dating other guys,” or does he want her to say, “Wow!
Of course, I’ll spend the rest of my life with you!”?
The same is true in business. You want to hear “Wow!” So
how do you get the “Wow! Factor”? Unlike the proposal,
I don’t encourage two bottles of wine, but I do recommend
making an offer that is so attractive that the person can’t
say no. In our current employment market, when companies are
determined to only hire great talent, great talent has choices,
so you need to make an offer they can’t refuse.
By the way, you might want to remember the shining rock, and
by that I mean a signing bonus. Just like the diamond engagement
ring is meant to dazzle and seek a commitment, a good sign-on
bonus can have the same impact.
Here are some important things to remember about extending an
attractive offer:
- For a great candidate, go to the maximum salary possible.
Quibbling over ten thousand dollars for a great candidate is
peanuts. Do you want your competition to be able to hire this
candidate? Do you want the candidate to think about your offer
or immediately say “YES!”?
- A signing bonus has an immediate, positive effect on the
newly hired, yet only costs once.
- Move quickly once a decision has been made. Just like
in romance, there is a time to propose and a time when it’s
just too late because the other person has moved on emotionally.
- Be decisive. If you want to hire, make the offer. People
respect the ability of others to make a decision and are cautious
about those who can’t. We’ve all heard about commitment-phobia.
- Document your offer in writing so there are no misunderstandings
later.
One last thing—when you “Wow!” a
candidate, they are likely to accept. If the candidate says, “That’s
an attractive offer,” you didn’t “Wow!” them.
If you’d like more information about this topic, feel free
to contact First Search
(When it comes to diamond rings, there are four C’s
that buyers look for: carat, cut, clarity, and color. Who do
you use to help you obtain the best diamonds—or candidates—possible?
The guy selling them out of the trunk of his Cadillac or a highly
trained professional with years of experience? In next month’s
issue, we’ll discuss the four C’s of every good recruiter
and how they can help you obtain the candidates you need to make
your company shine.)
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