As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in any number of different ways (whether you are Irish or not), it’s fun to imagine life with endless luck. With the luck of the Irish on your side, winning $100 from $1 scratch-offs and scoring free concert tickets off the radio would be typical for you. Your collections of four-leaf clovers, horseshoes, and rabbit’s feet would be endless, and all your friends would constantly pose the question, “how do you always get so lucky?” But even if you had a boundless expanse of great luck, it can only go so far. As an employer in the midst of searching for new employees, you can’t rely on luck to find your next rock star hire.
Every solid candidate knows to go into an interview prepared to handle whatever comes his or her way. Luck is dismissed — no one that’s serious about landing a job thinks winging the interview is ever a reasonable plan. If a candidate is coming in with a plan, the interviewer should be equally on point, if not more. Landing a great candidate is all about preparation and execution. In addition to a well-executed game plan, you need to be prepared to sell certain perks that pique the interest of the candidates you want to call your own.
Hype is Transparent – They Won’t Believe It!
There are plenty of standard hype words and phrases employers often use to entice the candidate pool, but when every other employer is using these same phrases, it’s hard to distinguish the pecking order. Luck only comes in handy in the case that a great candidate walks in your door after sifting through these words; at this point, it takes much more than luck to ensure you hold the candidate’s attention. From start to finish, try to remain transparent and not lead the candidate down a rabbit hole. Being upfront from the beginning ensures that the candidate will have all expectations out on the table.
When interviewing, it’s important to supply a clear understanding of the role and avoid games. The more upfront you can be with the candidate, the better you’ll encourage a genuine interest. This is how good companies find great future employees — these companies don’t tiptoe around semantics and are straightforward about what’s expected and what can be offered. Don’t boast your organization’s “leading benefits package and competitive salaries,” if your benefits are standard and your salary offer is based solely on what the candidate made at his or her last job.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T Your Candidates!
Your candidates will be evaluating you just as much as you are evaluating them. If you keep a candidate waiting or miss a phone appointment, that can reflect poorly on you as a potential manager or employer. When a candidate is late for an interview, they are often labeled as disrespectful. But it goes both ways. The last thing you want to do is send an incredible candidate home with a bad impression of your organization because you were late.
If the interview is particularly long, offer your candidate a restroom break or a cup of water. These small gestures can say a lot about the way your organization treats its employees—remember that candidates are, first and foremost, people.
When it comes to finding a great candidate, you’ll need more than just luck as an employer. Even on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s best to not depend on your four-leaf clover to fill job roles. Be transparent, be upfront, be respectful, and be enticing —as long as you can back it up— to ensure that solid candidates come through your door.
