Hiring Manager Corner - Know the “WHY”
One of the key responsibilities of a business leader is to help sustain and drive profitable business and growth to their bottom line. Any leader knows that recruiting top talent is a big part of the strategy towards that end.
I was recently on a phone call with a prospective client who was interested in our services. I asked what they would say to a candidate they wanted to hire. ?The question was simple, “Why should a candidate consider a move to your company”.? The hiring manager told me “Well, we are growing”.? I asked again and was told “we have room for growth”. I asked a third time a little differently.? I asked, “What is different, unique or special about this role at your company”?? He couldn’t answer the question.? I politely removed myself from the conversation.
?
Today, in the highly competitive niche industries we serve, it is more critical than ever to be able to confidently discuss the “WHY”. I am talking with more hiring managers than ever but many have one thing in common- when asked why should someone go to work for their company, I often hear the same thing, “We are growing”, “There’s lots of opportunity”.? That very well may be true but consider, who in the market isn’t trying to grow? Would an employer tell a prospective candidate that they are not trying to grow. That they just want to stay the same size and not make more profit as an organization? Of course not.?
As part of my role to help current and prospective clients, I am always asking why someone who is gainfully employed should consider making a change to their organization, particularly for a similar role that they currently occupy.? This is where a hiring manager needs to really think about what sets their team, division or organization apart from the market. Hiring managers need to think about all aspects of working at their organization including, salary, bonus, benefits, culture, embedded incentives, average employee tenure, unique product or service or a combination of some or all of the aforementioned. ?If the answer is something intangible, like culture, it’s important to be able to provide a tangible example of what that translates to in someone’s day to day job. If the underlying answer to why someone should join the team is that the company is growing, then the hiring manager should be able to explain what that looks like in 12, 24, 36 months. They need to paint a picture and highlight examples of others in the organization that have been on the same path and benefited because of the growth.? That leader needs to be able to explain the future tangible effects of joining the team.
I recently completed an engaged search for a long-time client company. The hiring manager had a Coordinator role on her team that was not particularly unique but when I asked the question, “Why should someone consider a move if they are in a current position?”, I was blown away with her passion and forward-looking response.? She said that this was a stepping stone role. Someone who is successful should be moved into a project manager or client service role within 18 months. She told me that the last three people she hired over the past several years had been moved up in position and associated earnings. She painted a picture for me and got me excited. We were able to take that picture, convey it to our candidate pool and they hired the ideal person within 30 days.?
For the foreseeable future, identifying top niche industry talent will remain challenging so one of the best ways to ensure attracting that talent is to be able to clearly and confidently explain the WHY.? Good luck and happy hiring!
?