Hirebox News
Talent Acquisition:
The 10 Lessons I learned from evaluating, testing and selecting over 56,000 applicants in the last 10 years.
Lesson 2
INTRODUCTION
Through the evaluation and selection of almost 60,000 candidates in the last 10 years, we at Hirebox learned many hard lessons. These became practical tips that we would use on a daily basis to separate the real performers from the talkers, and the honest applicants from the liars, the pretenders, the unscrupulous and the criminals.
As a professional recruiter, I keep reminding myself that over 30% of all bankruptcies in America are due to employee dishonesty. Don't believe me, check the FBI statistics. It has always been for me a moral duty to ensure or at least to make everything possible so that my clients would avoid being part of that sad statistic.
Here you go!
1. Hiring is Marketing
2. PR deadly power of social media
3. The biggest mistake in hiring
4. The second biggest mistake in hiring
5. Dealing with candidate ghosting
6. Why business owners must be great head hunters
7. Never trust what they tell you – and always verify
8. Never offer the job before doing these 3 things
9. 51% of hiring failures occur… AFTER the hire
10. Hire for happiness: THE key to success.
2. THE DEADLY POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA
The second lesson we learned in the last few years is that if you do not make an active use of all available social media, you will be considered by many candidates as old fashioned, and not worth to be contacted.
Millennials specifically, who by the way make up over 70% of the workforce today, tend to systematically investigate a potential future employer by checking you up on social media. We are not talking about just checking about your company but also checking you out as the business owner or executive in the organization.
When it comes to improve your attractiveness on the employment market, you must realize that visibility and presence on those various social media Is a must for you to be competitive.
Example:
A few months ago we helped a customer improve his personal profile on LinkedIn as he was desperately looking to hire a physical therapist. His practice had been looking for a PT for over six months and had barely interviewed three or four candidates who did not even qualify as they were not graduates yet.
LinkedIn is a great tool to organically promote an open position, especially in the healthcare industry. When eight to ten PT positions are open with only one available candidate on the employment market, you can imagine that the challenge to attract that candidate is huge.
That client originally had less than 300 connections. Within three months of profile optimization work, that number grew up to over 2000 connections - most of them being associate PT’s working in the State. We then informally communicated on a regular basis with those and eventually, our client invited 5-6 physical therapists in his practice for an informal meeting. And the end of following three months he had hired 2 PT’s.
Even if you do not plan to use social media to actively recruit new staff or executives, you need to show presence on those channels such as Facebook, Instagram, etc. The golden rules when it comes to presence on social media is: No presence equals no candidates.
Social life at work
The new buzz in the employment market is social life at work. Potential employees want to know if you are offering social activities while at work. And the way they will judge is by looking you up as well as your organization on social media.
Here are a few things you want to make sure are regularly updated on the main social media platforms regarding your organization:
• Celebrating with your employees – birthdays, special events, etc.
• Validating some employee’s amazing performance
• Testimonies from happy customers or patients
• Anniversaries
• Any opportunity to offer social life at work.
Increase your social media network
The good thing about social media is that your message can spread very rapidly and broadly. For examples, if you have 4-5 execs or employees who have some presence on social media, you should invite them to share your messages, good news or promotions to fill an open position.
Many employers tend to be shy when invited to spread their messages with their peers on social media. It is unfortunate because those channels can offer an exponentially growing presence in the social universe.
Many young candidates will judge your organization’s Attractiveness by how much presence you offer on social networks. There are many young people who are very familiar with social media you can use a few hours per week to maintain your profile on those channels. Very often, you can find those inside your own organization.
Fun at work
One major criterion of selection used by potential employees is “fun at work.” More than ever before people want to have fun at work. It is part of the lifestyle and if you do not offer fun at work or if they cannot see that you do, they will not respond to your invitation. Social media present a great opportunity to demonstrate that you also live with the idea that we should have fun at work. Posting pictures of office parties, birthday celebrations, end-of-the-week pizza parties, etc. All those activities witness the fact that work does not have to be serious. As a reminder, “fun at work” is a key word that should be used in your postings.
Conclusion
Keep your presence updated on the main social media even if you are not currently hiring. A great social visibility means a lot to potential employees - It indicates mostly that your organization is modern, upbeat, and it shows to the world that you can work hard and celebrate.
At Hirebox we always conduct an analysis of our clients’ presence on social media, prior to starting a recruitment campaign. We provide suggestions and recommendations to optimize any channel that could be used effectively to attract more qualified applicants.
If you need help to increase your competitiveness in the employment market, do not hesitate to contact us. Remember lesson #1: hiring is marketing. Using social media to promote an open position is today a Must. It does not have to cost you much. We can help.
Best success,
Patrick Valtin,
CEO Hirebox
In the ever-evolving landscape of small businesses, where technology, economic conditions, and workforce expectations shift rapidly, one management function remains perennially critical: talent acquisition. As we look towards 2025 and beyond, the strategic importance of acquiring the right talent for small businesses cannot be overstated. This is not merely a task for HR departments but a core competency that business owners, especially in small enterprises, must master.
In the ever-evolving landscape of small businesses, where technology, economic conditions, and workforce expectations shift rapidly, one management function remains perennially critical: talent acquisition. As we look towards 2025 and beyond, the strategic importance of acquiring the right talent for small businesses cannot be overstated. This is not merely a task for HR departments but a core competency that business owners, especially in small enterprises, must master.
As we reach the midpoint of 2024, the landscape of talent acquisition for small businesses has undergone significant transformations, driven by technological advancements, shifting workforce expectations, and the lingering effects of the global pandemic. Understanding these changes is crucial for small business owners who aim to stay competitive in the dynamic labor market. In this essay, we explore the current state of talent acquisition and offer predictions for 2025, providing actionable insights for small business owners.
In today's dynamic job market, your small businesses is facing an array of challenges when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent. From fierce competition to changing expectations, you must be able to navigate a complex landscape to find and keep the best employees. Understanding the selection criteria that job hunters prioritize and adapting recruitment strategies accordingly is crucial if you aim to thrive in this environment.
HireBox • 1988 Freedom Dr. Clearwater FL, 33755
Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri: 9am-6pm, Sat - Sun: Closed.
© 2022-23 HireBox All Rights Reserved