Monthly: October 2014

It just makes sense that the best talent in the marketplace want to work with the best companies… and they are never short on offers. This is, of course, because top performing groups of talent are really what drive positive business growth, and continue the cycle of attracting the best people, which leads to ongoing success in business.
As a company in a competitive market you want to make sure top candidates are drawn to you as a destination employer. How?

With so many search firms of all shapes and sizes out there (global or independent; retained or contingent) selecting a partner to help fill a critical vacancy can be challenging. However, there are simple questions you can ask a potential recruitment partner to help ensure a successful search.

Presenting a low ball offer to a candidate to save a few dollars on their salary is just bad business.
If you want a good employee who will spring out of bed in the morning to come and work for you, and stay for the long run, then pay them what they’re worth. A rookie mistake is to assume the salary you gave the last person in the role is good enough for a future employee. Salaries are dependent on the candidate and the market; how much could they get elsewhere? Remember that last year’s market prices or what you feel the market prices should be are irrelevant. Do some research to ensure the salary you offer is competitive.

Most often a meaningful job with a lower salary will be chosen over a less meaningful job with a higher salary.
But what makes a job meaningful? Opportunities for advancement, feeling challenged, and making a real impact are some of the common factors. Outline how the candidate can progress through the company and how they will be challenged. How does the company as a whole, and that role in particular, make a difference in the world?

As a headhunter, I screen and interview candidates regularly, so I know first-hand about putting candidates on the spot with difficult questions… and how stressful it can be! The only way to handle tough questions is to be as prepared as possible. In this post I’ve outlined the 13 toughest questions interviewers almost always ask, and provided guidance on how to answer them.