The recruitment process needs significant change. The old days of posting positions based on a rigid set of requirements are gone. One time a saw a position posting that required the person to be a senior project manager, senior coder in C+, and an experienced database administrator. I figured there were about six people in the whole country that met that requirement. They just don’t exist!
In technology and similar industries, the available pool of talent has virtually dried up. Other than poaching employees from another company, the same group of companies rinse and repeat their methods over and over again. They looking in a 15-mile radius of the office and find it difficult to find good employees. If the applications go to HR first, good potential employees get kicked to the curb when they don’t meet the requirements exactly. HR is famous for deleting applications because the college major does not fit the requirements perfectly.
Break the Requirements Mold
Instead of competing with each other looking in the same place, how about expanding the search for people way beyond the reach of the office? What if every city in the country became a recruiting ground for new talent? What if you expanded your people options by a thousand fold? What if you change requirements and hundreds of thousands of people became eligible for employment in your company?
Change Locations
I am amazed when job postings include a statement that the position requires a move to San Jose, California or Boston. That immediately eliminates thousands of potential employees as those who don’t want to move to or afford to live in those cities will not even apply for the position.
Find a way to tap those talented people without forcing them to move and you have hit a gold mine of talent! Oberlin, Ohio, home to a private college, provide an amazing lifestyle of this small town is over 6% compared to 3.7% in San Jose. Pop quiz: which city will have most eager employees? While the talent pool is smaller in Oberlin, you can obtain an employee for less cost. The only concession you have to make is to allow them to work remotely.
One feature of small towns is the loyalty to the lifestyle many residents feel. If they wanted to live in a big city, they would have left years ago. Small town life has so many benefits, it is hard to pry someone out of that environment. Give them the option to work from their small town and you could have a loyal employee for life!
The benefits of working remote are so great, it is hard to imagine why anyone would not want that option. Some management are hung up on the idea that their employees must be in visual range at all times. How quaint! Some employees need to be in an office to complete work on some projects or services. However, many employees don’t need to be in an office. Working remote actually, results in higher productivity and loyalty (see my earlier post on remote work productivity).
Change the Qualifications Requirements
In addition to looking for talent in rural areas, a change in the qualifications for a position can have a huge impact. Looking for a specific college degree overlooks a huge number of people that could be a talent windfall. It is important to look at personal characteristics in addition to formal education. For example, a mother who has raised 4 children to adulthood and is used to managing a home could be a great candidate for a management position. Customer service team comes to mind. Who knows better what customers want in a friendly voice on the phone than a mother used to working with all types of companies!
A young programmer that is planning to get a college degree in psychology may be a great talent for user interface projects.
The son of a farmer who is used to working hard on a farm may be a great inventory specialist.
The possibilities are endless.
Breaking Rules
Changing your outlook on the talent you want can have this huge impact on the success of your company.
People who suffer from ADD (like me!) can also do hyperfocus. Hyperfocus extreme concentration on a problem or project. They person can lose track of what is going on around them. Think of hiring these types of people to handle very difficult problems. Put them in a location where they are not bothered by other people and you will get amazing results.
Breaking the recruiting rules means dropping the one size fits all and put in different search criteria based on a personality rather than some rigid activity.
Go get the top people by looking where no other companies are looking!