|
|
 |
 |
 | | | | |
 |
|||
 |
||||||
          |
 |
 |
||||
|
Selling
the Candidate:
Plenty of articles are devoted to tips for finding a job. Even a cursory web search turns up a wealth of information on resume writing, effective interviewing, and how to suck up without slobbering. On the other hand, there is a dearth of information for companies doing the hiring. The game industry is a competitive one, and quality talent is vital to success. How do you get your ideal candidate to work for your company? You have found the perfect person you want to hire. Now, how do you sell that candidate on joining your team? In this article, we will address closing tips for hiring candidates, devising and extending offers, and addressing counter offer risks. Closing Tips for Hiring Candidates Starting Off On the Right Foot: No management function is more critical than hiring. Yet, surprisingly, many companies pay little regard to the importance of an organized and professional hiring process. Selling the candidate on your company begins with the very first interaction. From the first phone screen to the final offer, the persons conducting the hiring process represent the entire company. The way in which these company representatives conduct themselves can make or break a candidate's decision as to whether he (for purposes of this article "he" will represent candidates of all genders) will accept the position. The entire process from beginning to end should be handled in a well-organized and professional manner. Companies should approach each candidate contact with a sense of purpose. Effective Interviewing Overview: Beginning with the phone screen, approach the interviewing process with the same respect you would expect from the candidate. If you think this candidate has got what it takes, don't run him off before you get a chance for a face-to-face. If you scheduled the phone screen for a particular time, be ready. Give yourself enough time for an uninterrupted interview. Don't do anything else during the interview. Nothing is more irritating than the clickety-clack of computer keys while someone is trying to engage in an important conversation. Don't take other calls during the interview. The phone screen should last a mere 20 - 30 minutes. Whatever the other calls are about, they can wait half an hour. Assuming all goes well with the phone screen, the next step is the office interview. Again, approach the interview with the same respect you would expect from the candidate. A disjointed and chaotic interviewing climate translates in the candidate's mind to a disjointed and chaotic working environment. Do not approach the interview as if it were a casual "getting to know each other conversation." This is someone you want to work for your company. Keep in mind that the candidate is also interviewing you and your staff. Be enthusiastic. Be professional. Be organized. The Interviewing Process: Before the interviews begin, the candidate should start the day with a representative from HR. Your HR rep should sit the candidate down and provide him with a brief synopsis of company benefits, stock options, and perks such as health club memberships. The candidate should also be provided an attractive, well-organized packet of information on the company that includes, for example, information on the company's history, recent company news, and company product list. And, ideally, before the candidate ever arrives at your office, you have also provided an interview schedule that looks something like this: Friday,
November 12, 1999
10:00am John Smith 11:00am Mike Jones 12:00pm Leave for Lunch 12:30pm Lunch 2:00pm Kris Johnson 3:00pm Terry Lee Seeing the schedule before the day of the interview alleviates some of the candidate's anxiety as to what will transpire that day. Before the candidate ever sets foot in your building, your company already looks organized and professional. A schedule also helps keep the interviewing process on time and on track, as each of the interviewers should have their own copy of the schedule. They will know when to wrap up the interview and where the candidate should be taken next. After the HR rep has briefed the candidate, HR should take him on an enthusiastic tour of your facility. At the end of the tour, HR should drop the candidate off at the first interview. At this point, you've already made great strides in making the candidate feel welcome and presenting your company in a positive light. Before we take the candidate inside the office for the first interview, we need to discuss one of the most common reasons a candidate turns down a job --- no one took the spouse into consideration. The Candidate's Personal Life: While it can feel like all of your days and nights are spent at the office, and that may be what you expect from your new employee, the fact is that everyone has a personal life. From a hiring perspective, all of the pieces may fit: the hire is in the budget, the candidate has the skill set, the phone interview is a dream, the candidate flies out and meets everyone. You like him and he likes you. You put together a salary and bonus offer he can't refuse and (muffled gasp) he turns you down. What went wrong? Job offers that require relocation to a new town frequently blow up in a company's face at the very last minute and no one seems to know why. Usually, these sorts of fall-outs are directly attributable to a failure to factor in a candidate's spouse or partner. That partner has probably never seen the new town, has no clue about housing, no friends, and no job. No one asked. And she (for purposes of this article "she" will refer to a candidate's spouse or partner of all genders) isn't moving. Period. Recruiter Melanie Cambron recommends that "from the very start, all other factors in the candidate's life should be taken into account and included in the interviewing process. From the initial conversation with HR, that HR rep should be finding out about the candidate's family, why the candidate really wants to leave his current job (if that's the case), and whether the candidate and his partner have talked specifically about moving to a new town." If you want this candidate and the job entails a move to a new town, you need to pony up the money and fly the partner out as well. While the candidate is interviewing, she should be set up with a friendly (but not pushy) real estate agent that is well-informed about the city, its job opportunities, schools, crime rate, etc. The spouse should also have lunch, dinner, or coffee with people at the company at some point. The candidate's better half needs to be acknowledged so they feel a part of the process. And, quite frankly, they ARE a part of the process. ________________________________________________________ |
|
|
Features
Closing
Tips for Hiring Candidates