By Jill Frank
http://www.leverageyourtalent.com
© 2007
In order for your career to grow, you must demonstrate
effective leadership skills. Organizations are finally beginning
to realize that soft skills are just as important as technical
skills and therefore, are placing more emphasis on developing
and rewarding effective leaders. One important skill for leaders
to master is the ability to recruit high-potential talent into
the organization.
The responsibility of recruiting these candidates
doesn’t fall solely on the shoulders of your recruiter. There
are many ways that you can enhance their efforts to attract the
most sought after candidates. Recruiting shouldn’t be reactive
– performed only when you have an opening on your team. It should
be an ongoing activity so that your pipeline of candidates is
full and you can start interviewing shortly after a need has been
established. Follow these tips to make the most of your efforts:
- Look to your existing employees for a promotional opportunity,
first. You should always look within the organization before
you consider external candidates. Reward employees who are actively
developing their skills and are loyal to the company. Is there
someone who is ready to take on new responsibilities?
- If you are an active member of your professional community,
start building a rapport with prospective candidates. Recruiting
is a lot like marketing – the more positive contact you have
with prospects, the more receptive they will be to talking to
you about making a move to your organization. Keep in contact
with those you would like to have on your team one day.
- Build a reputation as a strong leader. This is one of those
times when you want your reputation to precede you. If you are
known for being a great leader, candidates will want to work
for you. Year after year, “lack of opportunity” is cited as
one of the main reasons for employee turnover. Judicious candidates
know that their manager can make or break that opportunity and
they make their decisions accordingly.
- Don’t be intimidated by dynamic, high-potential candidates.
I’ve seen many hiring managers pass over candidates because
they were intimidated by their ambition. Instead of worrying
about someone taking over your job (if this is an issue, you’ve
got bigger problems to worry about), think about who could potentially
replace you when you move on to a bigger role.
- Avoid the temptation of hiring someone just like you. It’s
great when you have a connection with a candidate, but try to
remember that you aren’t hiring someone to be your friend. Instead,
look for someone who will complement your team’s strengths and
weaknesses.
- Select candidates who are passionate about their work. Passion
is difficult to ascertain during an interview. However, there
are signs you can look for and questions you can ask to better
determine if this is someone who is passionate about their work.
— Does their education and work history consist of positions
that build on each other, demonstrating knowledge in their field
and a desire for growth? Or, have they bounced around with little
direction?
— Are they actively involved in their professional community?
Do they take advantage of opportunities to develop new skills?
— Find out why they chose to get into this particular line
of work.
— Make a note of their specific professional goals. “To
be working in a position that utilizes my skills or to be a
manager” doesn’t cut it. Is it just about the money or are they
looking for growth or meaning in their work?
— Find out what aspect of their job they enjoy most.
- Stop settling for mediocrity. Don’t be afraid to hold off
on making a selection decision until you have the right candidate.
Get creative in the way you manage your employee shortage. Consider
redistributing the duties on your team and hiring a temporary
administrative employee to take up the slack. This is a great
time for your employees gain additional experience.
Credit:
About The Author:
Jill Frank is "The Promotion Coach." Get her FREE report, "7 Unintentional
Actions That Will Slow Your Climb Up the Corporate Ladder" and
FREE advice on corporate advancement at http://www.leverageyourtalent.com
Related
Information:
NBA
Benefit Provider - Nightingale-Conant
NBA
Resource Article - The
Ten Pillars of Leadership and Business Development
NBA
Resource Article - Top
20 Leadership Tools You Can Use
Reprint
of this article does not constitute an endorsement by the National
Business Association; the article is for informational purposes
for our members and viewers of our Web site.
|
| |
