Are You Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places?

Are You Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places?

By

Eric Twiggs

"Leaders don't flock. You have to find them one at a time." Ross Perot

"Steve"was in big trouble.  His best technician just told him he was leaving to work for the competitor.   Steve never embraced my idea of "always be looking", so he began his talent search without any leads.  He started by posting ads on the typical internet job boards, which resulted in him being flooded with resumes from experienced fork lift drivers!

Out of desperation, Steve ran ads with the local unemployment office with hopes of filling the void.  To his surprise, he got an immediate response from a master certified technician named "Joe", with over twenty five years of experience. 

Steve called Joe in for an interview.  Everything was going as planned until he asked him why he left his most recent job.  Joe's response was classic: "We had a difference of opinion.  The owner was of the opinion that I shouldn’t smoke marijuana in the bays!"  Based on the job board and unemployment office results, it's clear that Steve was looking for love in all the wrong places!

If you limit your search to only the "active" job seekers, you may end up like Steve.   According to a recent Linked IN study, candidates who are actively searching for a new position make up 25% of the job market. 

In other words, 75% of the people you want to hire aren't looking!  So how do you stop looking for love in all the wrong places? You may not be a country singer, but the following  three ideas will change your tune:

•  Enhance the Referral bonus -- What's in it for your current "A" players, vendors, and BNI members to refer you to the good people they know?   I recommend you offer an "up to $1,000 referral bonus" to anyone that refers you a candidate.  You can pay out $250 per quarter for up to four quarters.  The referred employee has to be employed and meeting expectations for the referring individual to be eligible for the payout.  

•  Go Fishing -- "Fishing" is when you ask the applicant you're interviewing about the good people they have worked with.  Once you hire the candidate, you can offer the referral bonus to get that service writer to recruit the great tech she mentioned in the interview.   If you decide not to hire her, you still have the name and shop information of the good person she spoke of. 

• Use Facebook -- According to a recent online survey, 73% of millennial’s reported finding their last job through social media.  Facebook ads are very effective because they allow you to target your ideal candidate based on work history, education, interests, and other relevant criteria.  They also expose your openings to the "passive" job seeker who’s not posting her resume on the job boards.

It‘s possible find a great person on sites like CareerBuilder, Craigslist, and Indeed.  I get it.  Having this as a PART of your hiring strategy isn't a bad thing.   Just keep in mind that only 25% of your candidate pool is posting resume's on job boards.  

Enhancing the referral bonus, going fishing, and using Facebook, will give you access to the passive job market, and keep you from looking for love in all the wrong places!   

Sincerely,

Eric Twiggs

www.autotraining.net

PS.  I have a step by step hiring process outline to help you find that "A" player.  Email etwiggs@autotraining.net if you would like a copy.