100% of Lisk Associates’ clients believe the majority of their results relies on other people. They intentionally “Select The Best”. Selecting The Best has always been a top priority, concern, and strength of our clients. Over the past 30 years we have seen many different hiring cycles. Today’s hiring cycle is unique (sort of). It’s unique in that people are making more money staying home on unemployment than many businesses can pay. I don’t blame people for not applying (especially now that school is out for the summer), it’s the way the system is currently set up. What’s not unique is the fact that we’re short on candidates. Remember not long ago when unemployment went below 4%?
Our clients see hiring as a competitive advantage and this cycle has them frustrated. One of my clients said to me, “Ryan, no offense, but your assessments for hiring don’t mean sh*t if we can’t get any applicants.”
Another client said, “If we get a candidate come in to interview, our goal is to not let them leave without making an offer.”
Another has said, “We now have to compete with our usual competitors plus Chick-Fil-A, Costco, and the U.S. Government for talent.”
Those of you that know me know my usual response. “I hear you. I agree with you. Now, what are you going to do about it?”
To get unstuck, here are five thought-starters to consider.
#1. Get your head right. Start with yourself (put your oxygen mask on first before helping others) and work your way through the five levels of change (see blog link below). You need to let go of the way things were, navigate disorientation, and get back to re-appraisal and re-commitment as soon as possible. Three years ago, we didn’t have any candidates. We have navigated change before and the process is no different. How to flatten your curve during major change.
It also helps to think about the future of your company, team, or department. What could your A-team look like 6 months from now? Unemployment won’t last forever (I don’t think), kids will go back to school in the fall and at least some people will want to be a part of something bigger than they’ve got going on now.
#2. Re-appraisal & re-commitment: Work will never go back to being what it once was. It’s time to re-appraise what your organization is offering besides a salary. Why would someone want to work there? Why would someone stay there? Remember why you got started there (and stayed). People will be able to look for something they feel connected to.
#3. Everybody wants something. People will stay at organizations where they feel like they are a part of something, they felt known, cared about on a professional level, and what they’re doing matters/making a difference (Patrick Lencioni’s 3 Signs of a Miserable Job). Become intentional about uncovering what the person really wants.
#4. Develop the person from day 1. If you are going to “settle” on your selections, then invest in more development. This is where the Job Benchmarks and Key Results Sheet work in conjunction with the Personal Talent Report or the Talent Insights Report or The Engagement Report or even the Style Insights Report to point you in the right direction from day 1 for on-boarding and development.
#5. Quarterly reviews. If you are doing annual reviews…STOP. If your company is doing annual reviews, you need to START doing your own quarterly reviews. If you are doing quarterly reviews…CONTINUE doing them. In today’s world of instant results and gratification, the annual review makes no sense. Candidates are being coached to ask interviewers, “What is your typical job or employee appraisal process?” If you answer with either, “Uh…we don’t have one” or “Annual appraisal” they are more likely to view your organization as one with antiquated management methods vs. what they are looking for which is RealTime Coaching and feedback.
If you’re reading this article, your organization has more to offer than a competitive salary. The one thing you can’t afford to do is recruit, interview, and hire the way you have always done. It’s time to let go of the old, re-appraise, re-commit, and level up Selecting The Best.