Kids that are great at getting the best candies at Halloween often get out immediately after dinner, start at the houses that give the best goodies and move with speed to maximize the number of door-bells they ring. The late-starting, slow-moving and unfocused kids have to accept whatever was left over. Now and later candies are for losers whilst Milky Ways, Snickers, cans of Coke and even dollar bills go for those with a plan and sense of urgency.
The hunt for talent is just about the same as the Halloween days and horror movies: the firms that land down-to-earth executives commit to a process, have sense of urgency and move fast and decisively will be hunter winner over those that don’t. Those without such qualities will have to be satisfied with whoever is left over.
Take note of those key lessons in staff recruitment if you want to draw the best possible employees in the candidate-driven market:
1. Time is essential
In many horror films, the slow guy at the back gets violently injured first. When it comes to horror, there is no room for messing: lingering with a decision induces a quick death.
There is much that you can learn from this. You mayn’t get mauled if you don’t keep a fast pace, but you will be likely to lose suitable candidates. Like horror movie heroes, you need be quick, dynamic and decisive to succeed in staff recruitment.
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2. Survival is another word for teamwork
If you have seen any horror movie, you will know the terrible consequences of splitting up the group. A strong group breaking into individuals almost always ends up being dead. Ignoring the safety of numbers results in higher vulnerability and probably one or two monster attacks.
Staff recruitment is the same as this in that it needs excellent teamwork. Working as strong team means that individual goals merge together into the corporate goals. It means that there is coordination and qualified practices. In the long run, just as in horror movies, survival is another word for teamwork.
3. Define the recruitment team and assign specific responsibilities
Determine the up-front with a voice in the recruitment process and make sure that each person will scrutinize the candidate for a specific reason. For instance, the CEO for leadership, head of HR department for cultural influence, etc. Too many interviewers or obscure interview questions will negatively impact the process.
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4. Clarify the role’s requirements and goals
The key members of the recruitment team must agree on the role’s scope and performance expectations before the process starts.
5. Make interviewing a priority
Be clear on interview schedule and prioritization so the interview will go as planned and seamlessly.
6. Be decisive
Once you make a careful plan, be decisive to follow it. If you don’t get 90% + of what you are looking for, just move on. Note that your expectation for the ideal candidate must be aligned with the objective view of your company’s value proposition, competitive position as well as financial footing.
7. Keep pushing forwards
You must know what happens to those in horror films who don’t keep moving forward. It often involves lots of screaming and blood.
In staff recruitment, it is those who keep their foot on the pedal that gain success. In such a fast-paced industry, you have no alternative but to keep making progress and pushing forwards.
8. Always have options
If horror films teach us anything, it is that bad things happen to those who don’t have backups. You will need an alternate plan, an extra weapon, a last-minute life saver. Hoping blindly that your first option can’t go wrong will almost certainly make you painful and/ or bloody loser.
Recruiters know how unexpectedly the most promising candidates can drop out. Having backups in staff recruitment doesn’t decide life or death, but it often decides success or failure.
9. Don’t use shortcuts
Use ‘safe’ shortcut to get through the woods? It may lead you directly to the haunts of a murder/ monster/maniac. Or less violently, you will probably have your shortcut leaving you stranded and alone to die a slow and painful death.
Using shortcuts in staff recruitment can also be quite dangerous. It will make you look lazy and incompetent.
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