First Impression Or Bad Perception

By Paul Bertrand

January 7, 2015

 

 

So many companies recruit and select individuals with the goal of adding new employees who hold basic traits, ethics or values that are important to the successful hire.  I’m referring to honesty, open communication and trustworthy.  

Yet, why is it that so many recruiting and selection processes leave applicants doubting if the company is honest, leaving them with withheld communication, and leaving potential applicants not taking the steps to apply.  Would you agree that if you want individuals with specific basic competencies to join your company, the environment you are portraying, especially the selection process, needs to match those values. 

Too many recruiters today never start with an inviting, honest and respectful relationship.  They portray themselves in the driver’s seat and demonstrate a dominant role in the selection process. Things as simple as choosing to not thank people in applying, a basic task, especially with merge functions, leaves a bad perception.  An attitude that they don’t really care other than who meets the requirements or at least the ones that the recruiter believes meets the requirements.   Let’s face it, in today’s competitive and difficult search for top performers, you need to ensure that you are inviting top candidates and not leaving them with any doubt of your company values.  

The old saying that you only get one chance for that first impression is no different on getting interest to your job postings.  When someone gets the first impression from looking at a posting and is left with missing info like compensation details, no idea on who the company is, especially when a 3^rd party recruiter is involved, lack of details on the position responsibilities and all too often the statement that only qualified candidates will be communicated, leaves some to pursue their search for a better employer.

Too often the efforts are limited in ensuring that postings will attract and communicate to the audience you are looking for.  Maybe the entry admin position is not the best individual to be left with this key public relations and communication task of developing and anchoring an interest. 

Companies will ensure that their values and core principles are communicated for all to see.  Websites, Press Releases, Shareholder Updates and Newsletters, but yet their recruiting efforts leave potential and applying candidates with such a bad depiction of the company.  They too often believe this process only connects with one of the two, non-worthy or successful candidates.  Not understanding that many did not bother applying based on what they first where introduced to. 

If you are looking to add top performers from job postings, recruiting activities and selections processes, make sure they reflect your key core principles or values, especially those that are important to your culture.  Also, don’t be scared to put yourself in other people shoes and determine if your processes are more deterring or attracting.   Sometimes the easy and simple way, is not the best way.

Paul Bertrand is founder of Canadian People Management Inc. which is based out of Pickering, Ontario. His company specializes in organizational effectiveness development through solutions tailored to strengthen his client’s cultures, leadership and teams.

www.cpeoplemi.com