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Hiring Whys You Need to Be Able to Answer
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Note: As you begin your week, here are some tips from the Humetrics blog to help you recruit and hire more effectively, and some questions to ask yourself so when you hear them from a strong prospect you’ll be ready with solid answers.
Why should they consider working for you?
If your website careers page isn’t delivering quality applicants, perhaps it’s time to revisit the message there. Too many careers pages are little more than boasts about the company’s history of successes and platitudes like “our people are our greatest assets.” Because all of the really great people who want to work are already working and/or could work anywhere they want, it’s imperative to give these folks concrete, compelling reasons to apply.
A couple of corporations that do a good job of this are Costco and McDonalds. Costco tells potential applicants the reasons to apply are:
- Career growth
- Friendly and supportive work environment
- Stability
- A workplace focused on ethics and obeying the law
- Great benefits
McDonald’s touts:
- Flexible schedules
- Benefits
- Career opportunities
How does your careers page measure up?
Why did you take the job?
These are 5 possible reasons an hourly employee accepted your job offer:
- Yours was the first company to make an offer and/or the first job they applied for
- Your company was recommended to them
- You offer a good work environment and benefits
- Your company has a good reputation
- The schedule you offer meets their needs
While reasons #2 – 5 are logical, solid reasons to sign on, the #1, most compelling reason doesn’t bode well for the employer because the new hire just needs a job, any job, and isn’t invested in the decision. So, the next time an hourly applicant accepts your job offer, you may save yourself some headaches down the road by saying: “That’s great. Please tell me why you decided to join us.”
What will you say when they ask?
Even though a job applicant may not ask these questions, you’ll find it much easier to attract, select, and retain top talent when you know the answers:
- With all the other opportunities out there, why should I come to work for your organization?
- Why would I want to work for that particular manager?
- Why should I want to be on that team?
- What could I do to exceed expectations?
- What will happen when I consistently surpass expectations?
- Who is the worst employee on your payroll and what is it they do or don’t do that makes them the worst?
- Why is that person still on the payroll?