Focus on Connection When Hiring to Win the "Talent War" and Build Healthy Relationships

the following is an excerpt from the second course of our new Hire the Best training, coming soon

You may have heard the term, “Talent Acquisition is War,” or seen a headline with the words “The War for Talent.” That kind of rhetoric sounds like hiring managers are setting up bunkers at job fairs, dressed in full camouflage, ready to fight for resumes with company branded t-shirt launchers and notepad covers.

It’s silly. Hiring isn’t a war. Sure, it’s a competition, but it shouldn’t be treated like combat.

Instead, hiring is more like a matchmaking exercise. You should approach hiring the way you would develop a close friendship. Focus on connecting the dots of similarity, interests, and purpose. Focus on bringing people together in a mutually fulfilling, meaningful, long-term relationship. When it’s a match, wonderful! When it’s not, you look elsewhere.

Your goal should be to help each person find the best career choice. If it’s with your company you will see the connection between their skills and the needs of your organization. Don’t worry if they are interviewing with other companies. The right person will join your team because there is genuine compatibility.

Turn your back on the “talent war”. Instead, focus on building a relationship with the right person who will integrate with and bolster your efforts.

Focus on Finding the Right Match

Luis and Ronni Alvarez of Alvarez Technology Group in Salinas, California are successful entrepreneurs. Since they live close to a lot of California farms they are one of the few IT experts serving the California agricultural sector.

In August 2013 their company had doubled in size twice and was continuing to grow rapidly. More importantly, their growth did not include much of the drama and turnover many companies experience.

How did they do this?

They have a strong company culture, and at times they wisely work with outside consultants to bolster their strengths and shore up their weaknesses.

In August 2013 we had the pleasure of working with Alvarez Technology Group to maximize their Systematic Power: the systems and processes they use to hire, manage, develop, and retain great employees. We worked together for six months and they were a model client, applying just about everything we teach. The results included improved communication with employees, better defined roles, clear productivity metrics, and a more structured hiring process (much of which was already in place).

One aspect of the Alvarez Hiring Plan was an option to have us interview any candidates they were struggling to evaluate.

One time we interviewed a candidate who was talented, but his job history and personal life had some serious mistakes. Let's call him Peter. Many companies would not have considered Peter, but Luis and Ronni felt he had turned the corner toward a better life and deserved an opportunity. They have always done a good job of connecting with people in their company and their community. Part of the reason for their openness was the fact that Peter had spent a year working for a friend of Luis and had proven his worth as a solid team player.

Luis and Ronni were leaning towards hiring Peter but wanted a second opinion, so they called us. We recommended Peter take one of our Talent Assessments and then we interviewed him by phone.

It turned out we agreed with the choice to hire him. Despite his past, Peter was a great fit culturally, and he had learned from his worst mistakes. He was clearly on a new, healthier path.

Six years later and Peter continues to be a wonderful addition to their team.

An Emphasis on Relationships

It is Luis and Ronni’s focus on relationships that makes their company such a great place to work. Nowhere is this more evident than in their hiring practices where they focus on connecting with the right people. In turn, those people have a strong desire to contribute to Alvarez Technology Group’s mission. The positive effects spill over into their client relationships and produce strong business results.

Every job candidate you turn down and employee who leaves your company becomes a reference for your organization. There are exceptions, but for the most part, you control whether that job candidate or employee becomes a good or bad reference.

Hiring with the right priorities in mind reflects positively on you and your organization, and sets the stage for productive, long-term relationships.

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Need help with your hiring process? Contact us today to schedule a conversation.