Misfiring when hiring

Companies say—and do—the darnedest things when recruiting top talent

By: Ellen Zettel
In the relatively small talent pool of scientific professionals, geologists are hard to come by.

So, it would seem quite obvious that, with undergraduate and master's degrees in geology, Mark Ciardelli is a unique find-a guy easily capable of attracting the eye of companies seeking his distinctive expertise.

Yet, when Ciardelli launched his job search earlier this year, some of those firms in hot pursuit of his services really botched their chances of landing this top candidate.

Now an environmental technician with Foth Companies of Green Bay, Ciardelli vividly recalls recruiters with several other firms had called to schedule interviews with him but gave him no options in scheduling the visits. "They told me, 'This is the day, and this is the time,'" he says. "It was like telling me, 'This is your only chance.'"

Ciardelli was turned off by their dictatorial approach. At the time, "I was still in school, and I couldn't just up and leave,'" he explains.

Those were not the only signs of disrespect that Ciardelli was shown during his search. Sometimes, post-interview follow-up with Ciardelli lagged; other times, he had unanswered questions after being given vague job descriptions.

Even at the outset, Ciardelli developed a strong sense of what prospective employers were apt not to value in him or his potential contributions. Their job-posting advertisements would typically advise candidates to apply online but not to call them. "Basically, they were telling us, 'We're not going to waste time on you. You're not that important to us,'" he says.

Ciardelli accepted Foth's offer because, among other reasons, its representatives had shown genuine interest in his capabilities, accommodated his schedule during the interview visit, welcomed his questions about the job and kept in touch with him throughout the process.

Lisa Monahan, lead corporate recruiter for Foth, says job candidates are paying attention to how prospective employers treat them in the recruitment effort. Failure to keep scheduled appointments, follow through on commitments or extend proper courtesies can send candidates-particularly those in high-demand professions-into the waiting arms of a competitor.

For that reason, Foth keeps in close contact with desired candidates at all recruitment stages, she says. Out of respect for their time, Foth-with rare exceptions-schedules the candidates to have discussions with hiring managers, peers and others during a single half-day interview visit, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions.

Monahan says Foth wants candidates, through the recruitment experience, to discover for themselves that "we allow people to make a difference here."

That is part of what Foth considers as its "employee value proposition," or EVP for short. According to Monahan, the opportunity to have an impact is a differentiator that appeals to highly sought engineers and scientists, whom Foth regularly recruits. Many of those professionals consider it a "turnoff" to be at "larger firms where they are just a number," she says.

"In an increasingly tight candidate market, the concept of an EVP can make a difference," says Cliff Bowers, vice president, Management Recruiters of Green Bay.

"We work with a client when necessary to develop an EVP that states all the reasons a top candidate would want to work for (the company)," he explains. "The EVP statement might include culture, benefits, location, reporting structure, compensation, work flexibility, environment, promotion opportunities, company growth prospects and much more."

Bowers agreed with Monahan that employers need to show candidates proper respect during the hiring effort. But, they also need to remember to sell the job and the company. Too often, they expect the candidates to do the selling without reciprocating in kind.

In fact, Bowers recalls that one of his firm's clients recently lost its top candidate by failing, after two rounds of interviews, to promote what the company had to offer.

At The Manitowoc Company, Inc., Jill Hennessey, manager of talent acquisition, says recruitment is a process during which both parties-company and candidate-must sell to each other.

"We need them as much as they need us," she says, adding that the EVP helps companies to identify "what we bring to the table," so they can entice choice talent.

In addition to developing a compelling EVP, Hennessey suggests that companies dedicated to making the right impression on job candidates should:

• Clearly define the role and responsibilities for which they are recruiting. Too often, companies provide an unclear or incomplete job description. "Quite often, the companies don't know what they're recruiting for," she says.

• Sell the total compensation package. While base salary is an important consideration, candidates may also be equally attracted to other compensation components, such as the bonus plan, benefits, stock options and other perks, including an emphasis on work/life balance.

• Depict the opportunity in terms of its current and long-range value. Hennessey says companies often describe the job in terms of current needs and give short shrift to potential advancement.

• Show courtesy and respect. Too often, company officials fail to be prompt and timely in making appointments and following up with candidates.

• Keep realistic expectations. Hennessey says recruiters often have a lengthy laundry list of qualifications, but "rarely does a candidate meet all of the desired criteria."