Building a Successful Firm One Employee at a Time: Attracting Quality Candidates

Guest post by: John M. Beane
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Reinventing Yourself as a Manager - By John M. Beane

The first step to finding the right people for your firm is to get quality candidates through your front door. This may sound simple but is harder than most people think. There are different recruiting methods to do this including search firms or temp agencies, employee referrals, internet job boards, and classified ads. All of these are effective methods and only you can determine which is best for your firm.

In fact, what is effective for one company may not be successful for another. Even a change in the times can affect which is the most effective. Revenues from the help wanted category of classified ads plummeted $5.7 billion in 2001 with the online recruiting market continually increasing. And, of course, certain methods work best for different jobs. There are pros and cons of all the methods and key points to remember when using any of them.

Search firms are utilized most often when recruiting higher-level management or people with certain skills. Search firms have resources that enable them to target the largest field of specialized candidates. This is an advantage but they can be very expensive and it is imperative that you find one that is in tune with the direction and needs of your firm.

When using a search firm a contract should be negotiated that enables you to retrieve at least partial reimbursement if the recommended candidate does not work out. I have worked with firms that have paid up to $30,000 to find an employee, the employee doesn’t work out and is gone in six months with no reimbursement to the firm at all.

Use of a temp agency is definitely an easy way to find employees. A phone call and you have someone at the desk. This may sound as if it is also an inexpensive way to find new employees. But consider this. A temp agency charges you $17 or more an hour for a lower level employee and usually charges a fee if you hire the person.

Employee referral programs (ERP’s) are one of the most cost-effective methods available to find qualified candidates. Existing employees have a vested interest in attracting the best and brightest candidates. They are rewarded by knowing they have made a significant contribution and by receiving some kind of financial bonus. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved. According to a 1999 survey by the Society of Human Resource Management employee referrals resulted in the most hires for all staffing categories except managers and semi-skilled workers.

However, all of you know that someone who seems to be an ideal candidate does not always have the right character tendencies needed to match the demands of the job. Example: Mary has a good friend who everyone adores. She is conscientious and has a strong work ethic. Mary recommends her friend for a position that has come open in the firm for which she works.

The friend gets the job and everyone immediately likes this outgoing and hard working person who is willing to help anybody at anytime. But soon it is discovered that she does not possess the level of detail orientation that a candidate must have and she fails to succeed in this position. This scenario now becomes a losing situation for everyone involved — Mary, her friend and the firm. Just because an employee recommends someone does not mean that the organization can get by without thoroughly scrutinizing the candidate.

As stated earlier internet job boards are becoming one of the most popular recruiting methods.

Classified ads can be a relatively inexpensive way to recruit. As a general rule the more targeted and exclusive the publication, the higher the cost for placement of an ad. The ad must be designed to catch the reader’s eye and communicate the right kind of information to sell the reader on either applying for the job or seeking further information. If either one of these things is not achieved the ad is worthless.

There is one thing that is very important but often overlooked when using the job board internet, classified ads or a search firm. The geographical area from which candidates will be considered must be identified. This is especially true when trying to fill lower level positions and you do not want to reimburse moving expenses.

Finding the right people is getting harder but it has not yet become impossible. But it does take more effort than it used to.

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Reinventing Yourself as a Manager - By John M. Beane

About the Author: John M. Beane

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John's interest in human character and behavior started while working for a state agency and continued during the time he operated his own retail business for ten years. As he created and presented training on various topics, as an independent consultant, all over the United States, Canada and Europe and later helped many companies “streamline” processes to achieve maximal productivity his main interest continued to be human character. For the past 20+ years he has studied, researched, and taught emotional intelligence and character development and their impact on hiring and productivity. He has helped numerous clients take the guesswork out of finding the right people to staff their companies while improving their bottom line by decreasing employee turnover and creating a more productive staff. John combines his background in management and interaction with a variety of people in a multitude of jobs with his study and research of human character. He is able to help existing employees achieve their maximum potential.
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More from John M. Beane
Reinventing Yourself as a Manager
Understanding and Calculating the Cost of Turnover
Conducting an Exit Interview
Working Smarter Not Harder
Reasons for Turnover

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