Mike, when I write this, I have a candidate accepting a job. They signed the paperwork, but they will not start for eight weeks based on a bonus they are due. How do I make sure they show up?
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Candidate Engagement Challenges
Well, there is nothing you can do to make sure they show up. There are things you can do to increase the likelihood. I hated these. Eight weeks. Like sometimes, in Europe, based on contracts, there are four or eight weeks, sometimes even a three-month lag.
Leveraging Personal Experiences in Recruitment
Anyway, it is a great question. There are things you can do. I’ll start with my own experience as a candidate. I wasn’t a delayed start, but I had taken an offer to leave my first job out of college, and I really liked the founder. He was very, very good to me. But it was not the role I wanted to play. I left for a different role with much more upside, which got me into sales.
The Emotional Journey of a Resigning Employee
When I resigned, he was shocked. It was almost like a nephew telling him he was leaving the family. I remember sitting there emotionally doubting my decision. It was a relatively small company, probably 30 or 40 employees. You knew everybody. Walking around, like, oh, we are going to miss you, we are going to miss you, we are going to miss you. I’m wondering, did I do the right thing?
The Turning Point: New Employer’s Proactive Approach
The day I resigned, I was really feeling guilty. I was just going to call. I did not know anything about counteroffers. But my new boss called me and said:
Oh, Joe told me you signed the offer letter and that you are starting in three weeks. (I lived in Rhode Island at the time). I just booked your trip to Schaumburg, Illinois, to our corporate headquarters. You are going to go through two weeks of training. I am going through the files. Before you go through the training, I will drive you around. I am going to introduce you to some of the accounts.
There was this particular agenda, all of these things that sounded fun and challenging. That took me across the bridge. I just remember when I got off that call, I was reignited about the opportunity.
Strategies for Managing Long-Term Delayed Starts
How does that relate to a long-term, like a two or three-month delayed start? That is what you need the hiring manager to do every week.
Engaging Candidates in Their Future Role
In whatever role they are in, have the hiring manager call, get their opinion on projects they will be working on, get their insights, talk about where they are taking the company, the vision for the role, exciting things coming up in the New Year that they are going be involved in.
Hey, candidate, you are starting after the New Year. This is what we are going to have going on in the department. This is what we are going to have going on in the division. We are setting this up for you. Do you have any opinions?
Keeping the Candidate Informed and Involved: Importance of Regular Check-Ins
Every week, a quick five- or 10-minute check-in allows the candidate to bond with the new employer. It is not you as the recruiter that they need to bond to because they will not work for you. I am not saying you should not talk to them. The emotional impact is going to come from the hiring manager.
Communicating the Importance to Hiring Managers
You need to tell the hiring manager. Bob, here is my recommendation because you do not want to get a call over the holiday break from the candidate telling you she has had second thoughts and she is going to stay with her company.
The Psychological Impact of Waiting
You have two months of guilt and shame that she will have to walk through, depending on the company. She has probably not given notice because of her bonus, but she will re-engage with her job. Remember, one of the number one things people fear is change. She is going to get re-comfortable and slowly, like if you imagine a loaf of bread on a shelf, she will get a little more stale every day. That call every week keeps the candidate fresh.
The Final Push: Ensuring Commitment
Tell that to the hiring manager and just talk to him or her about the consequences of having to start the search all over. You start the beginning of January. Make an offer by the end of January. You give notice – this is like best-case scenario – they are on board the second or third week of February. What is the consequence of that? Can you make an investment of five or 10 minutes? Or set up a standing meeting, a 10-minute Zoom meeting, and have him create a series of invites for it. That is how you ensure somebody shows up for a meeting, by having that constant conversation about their new role and the exciting things they’re experiencing. That’s the easiest way to do it.
P.S. Whenever you’re ready… here are 4 ways I can help you grow your recruitment business:
1. Grab a free copy of my Retainer Blueprint
It’s the exact, step-by-step process of getting clients to give you money upfront. https://get.therecruiteru.com/lm
2. Join the Recruiter Think Tank and connect with firm owners who are scaling, too. It’s our Facebook community where smart recruiters learn to make more money and get more freedom. https://www.facebook.com/groups/there…
3. Join me at our next event
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4. Work with me and my team privately
And if you ever want to get some 1:1 help, we can jump on the phone for a quick call and brainstorm how to get you more leads, more placements, and more time. https://get.therecruiteru.com/scale-now
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