Panic Hiring Will Cost You Your Business
Most Business owners intuitively understand that their people are their biggest asset. Why is it then that nobody seems to take recruitment at all seriously? I won’t embarrass the particular CEO in question by naming them but here’s how our last business coaching session went…
CEO: We’ve had to let go of another salesperson. She wasn’t making any sales
ME: Sorry to hear that
CEO: …and I’m still not sure about our new Head of Operations. I just don’t think he’s the right guy for the job. Why do all the people we hire end up being disasters?
ME: Hmmm. Can I be honest with you and just deliver some harsh reality?
CEO: Sure, go ahead
ME: You left recruitment to the last minute and did it on the cheap. What were you expecting?
Always Be Recruiting
Unfortunately this isn’t an unusual conversation for me to be having with a client. Entrepreneurs are, by necessity, great at taking action and making seemingly impossible things happen to tight deadlines. It’s investing in the slow-burning long term wins that they find hard.
Deciding on a whim that you need someone to head up your newest department, shoving a couple of job ads online then squeezing in a few interviews the following week doesn’t cut it. Yet leaders of otherwise commercially successful businesses often find themselves so strapped for time that they convince themselves that panic hiring will do.
The Solution
A business owner who truly understands good recruitment philosophy knows that attracting a superstar team is the single biggest contribution they can make to the business. They know months or even years ahead what each new role they will recruit will be. They have their org chart planned out for the next 3 years. They know exactly the kind of person they need for each position. They have a clear vision for their company culture and how each new hire will contribute towards that. They build professional repeatable recruitment systems. They understand how they need to keep their eyes open and hire slowly. They tap both public and personal networks for the very best candidates.
Having great people is the single biggest differentiator between mediocre businesses and outstanding businesses. Shouldn’t outstanding recruitment processes be at the centre of your business strategy?
