You know who you want but before you think about approaching them do you really understand why they want to move, have you looked at all the possible candidates and have you thought about the impact internally and externally.
So you have found the candidate you want and you are about to contact them and tell them about the great opportunity you have for them. We have found in this situation the discussion moves very quickly to money and you may end up paying more than you planned for and in fact money may not have been the most important factor for the candidate to move.
A good recruiter can approach the candidate without disclosing who they are working for and in most cases a good recruiter should be doing this naturally, that is, talking to their pool of candidates in a relaxed way, really understanding the things they are looking for in the their next position. We find that money is only part of the discussion. Often, it can be flexibility, opportunity for growth, exposure to new markets and products, profit sharing or equity.
Sometimes employers may have a couple of people in mind when looking to fill a position. The important point here is, do you have enough people to choose from and more importantly, do you have the right candidates. It really helps to have a list of not only the candidates that are looking for work but a list of the right people for your role. Often these candidates aren’t actively looking for work, they are busy being very good at what they do, that’s why you want them.
The minute you decide to start talking directly with a potential candidate you lose confidentiality in more ways than one. Firstly, the candidate is now aware that you are looking to fill a role and what happens if the candidate is working for your competitor. What impact does this have on your customers and suppliers. Secondly, your staff will be aware of this, maybe not officially but certainly through the grapevine. What does this do to stability and morale.
You may have just wanted to sound someone out as you start to think about succession planning but now you are dealing with spot fires, staff begin to worry about perceived changes. It is right about now you are saying to yourself how great it would have been to have had this discussion with confidentiality for everyone.
Sometimes it is tempting to jump right in and contact a potential candidate. If this happens, just ask yourself, what does this do to stability and morale.
If you would like to know more about this topic or you would like to suggest a topic for me to write about then please contact me paul@paulgreening.com
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