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“Game changer” recruitment requires more sophisticated approach

July 14, 2010 at 10:29 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

This article highlights once again the subject of our most recent blog titled When is the right time to start the search for your next role? In my opinion, it summarises very well the changes taking place currently in the job market and the new challenges recruiters and employers in general are facing in 2010.

A top performer can generate substantially more revenue for an organisation than someone who is average, but the approach required to bring one on board differs dramatically from typical recruitment, says HR expert Dr John Sullivan.

In a recent article on ere.net, quoted by Recruiter Daily online, he describes NBA basketball team Miami Heat’s recent signing of star player LeBron James as “the most sophisticated recruiting effort executed in this century”.

Sports teams and corporations alike need all the game-changers, innovators and exceptional performers they can get, Sullivan says, pointing out that Google estimates a top performer generates three hundred times more revenue than an average performer.

Organisations can learn three key lessons from Miami Heat, he says.

Calculate the economic value of a game-changer
Most recruiting managers focus on the cost-per-hire metric, ignoring the potential return or the economic impacts that recruiting a game-changer will have, Sullivan says.

“When doing calculations, remember that the economic impacts of acquiring a game-changer are not limited to their direct contributions, but also include the attraction of investors and other high-calibre recruits that will also impact the performance of the organisation.

“In addition, recruiting a game-changer from a direct competitor may significantly impact their ability to compete. Once your executives understand the startling economic value, they will support the use of a game-changing recruiting approach.”

Realise that game-changers are different
Game-changers, innovators and top performers “truly are different and must be recruited in a unique manner, Sullivan says. Traditional recruiting models won’t work, because they don’t accommodate superstar personalities, unusual expectations and an array of influencers.

He says that while all game-changers are not alike, they have certain characteristics in common, including that they are:

• Not looking for a job – and they are almost certainly treated well where they are;

• Powerful – they understand their value and their importance, and expect to be treated differently;

and

• Difficult to approach – they are busy and in demand. To make contact, recruiters need assistance from someone who influences them.

Game-changers are often cynical of strangers and need a strong relationship built on trust before they will consider an offer, Sullivan adds.

Shift to a game-changing recruiting approach
The main difference between game-changing and traditional recruitment is the level of effort put into truly understanding the candidate and their needs, Sullivan says.

The game-changing approach is market-research and sales driven, resulting in a sophisticated candidate profile, covering the candidate’s job search process, how best to contact them, and their job acceptance decision criteria.

“This in-depth profile takes a significant amount of time and resources but is necessary if you want to have a realistic chance of success,” Sullivan says.

He recommends 10 activities, which include:

• Identify the factors that trigger a job search – a combination of a positive job opportunity and a negative triggering factor in their current situation is needed. “Such events might include a corporate merger, management turnover, corporate scandal, or a significant cut to their budget”;

• Determine who must do the recruiting – game-changers often expect to bypass traditional recruiters and instead be contacted by professionals of a similar stature;

• Identify the factors that will grab their attention initially – make sure that compelling information on those factors is clearly available on the sites they routinely visit;

• Identify the decision criteria they will use to accept an interview – this requires extensive research and benchmarking, and some guesswork;

• Identify who will influence their decision – game-changers are more likely than others to consult with and seek the advice of friends; and

• Develop a counter-offer strategy – the normal reaction of a game-changer is to stay put in a known environment, Sullivan says. You need to research what their counter offer is likely to be, and prepare a compelling strategy to overcome it.

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‘Transactional’ recruitment, although still practiced by recruitment agencies, does not work anymore. Top management talent is by definition passive and waiting to be discovered. Take charge of your recruitment & selection process. Gain exclusive access to top talent and avoid competing against other employers and transactional recruiters on job boards and other traditional media. Call SCI today to discuss your recruitment and staff & succession planning requirements.
www.scirecruitment.co.nz

When is the right time to start the search for your next role?

July 6, 2010 at 6:12 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

I have been researching this topic for the best part of the last year and talked to a large number of active and passive candidates in New Zealand and overseas in the process. The questions I asked during my research were:

When do you start your search for a new role?

and

Would you be interested in exploring alternative career options even if you are entirely happy with your current role?

Although I was expecting that most people would not mind being contacted about a potentially suitable career opportunity I was genuinely surprised that all candidates (just over 150 in total) replied that they would be interested in exploring alternative career options even if they are entirely happy with their current role. Not a single respondent said they would not consider an alternative role because they are happy with their current role. (More than 60% of the respondents were indeed ‘entirely happy’ with their current roles at the time they were asked the above questions.)

I think these results reflect the changes in the job market and particularly the changing attitudes of employees, not only in New Zealand but internationally. The sense of job security has all but disappeared and most professionals feel they need to constantly keep up to date with job opportunities, salary levels and other trends in the market.

While most candidates would not start looking for a new opportunity actively on their first day in a new role the majority of candidates seem to be open to the idea of exploring alternative opportunities that are presented to them, pretty much as soon as they have started their new role.

The nature of today’s job market and the volatility of the Economy have created the necessity for candidates to keep a close eye on alternative job opportunities at all times. The new ‘dynamic’ job market brings enormous challenges for employers as well, especially as we are starting to move back towards a candidate short market. (Most successful CA firms that are in expansion mode in New Zealand are already finding it difficult to source the talent they need to sustain their growth.)

New Zealand, like most developed countries around the world, is expected to experience severe candidate shortages as baby boomers are starting to exit the job market in big numbers. Just like candidates, employers operating in such an environment should have a pro-active approach and hunt for talent constantly.

So when is the right time to start your job search? I believe in today’s market most candidates are passive participants in the job market until they decide to apply for a specific role of interest. Learning how to behave as a passive candidate in the job market is even more important than learning how to be an active candidate.

As one of the respondents in our survey commented ‘great opportunities come knocking on your door when you least expect them’. But you need to be prepared to recognise them when they come your way. Keeping in touch with a small number of carefully selected professional recruiters and search specialists, networking (face-to-face and through social media) and staying up to date with developments in your profession/industry are key requirements to be a successful passive candidate.

Last but not least most forward looking employers in New Zealand have realised the numerous advantages of tapping in to the passive candidate market. They often go to this market (mostly through executive recruitment & search firms) to identify and recruit the managerial professionals their organisations need to be at the forefront of their industry.

As the talent shortages are expected to start biting again soon on a much larger scale than what we were experiencing before the downturn, proactive employers will be leading the upsurge in our economy.
Candidates who anticipate and are prepared for their next career move will be of particular interest to these organisations.

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Take charge of your job search. Gain access to new career opportunities in the New Zealand job market by getting exclusive introductions for roles that are not advertised. Avoid transactional recruiting and make your application stand out. Call SCI on 09 962 5687 for a confidential chat today.

www.scirecruitment.co.nz