HOW TO LOSE GREAT CANDIDATES WITHOUT EVEN TRYING

I hear many reasons why a candidate chooses one company over another. Usually, it's as simple as a better offer, a preferred location, having a personal or family issue, or another job was just a better fit. Sometimes though, the "feeling" a candidate gets about a company early in the interview process is enough to make them lose interest. Here are some simple problems that have happened many times but are easily avoidable.

1. Company had the wrong people conduct the interviews.

Nothing turns off an interested candidate more than meeting with the wrong people. When I speak to candidates after the interview and hear they were disappointed with the people they met, what they really are saying, and some do, is that it was a waste of time. When peripheral people are called upon to fill in as interviewers at the last moment, it gives the candidate the wrong impression that their time was of little concern. Delaying the interview for the right team of people will make great sense to a sharp candidate.

2. Interviewers were unprepared

Too often, an interviewer looks at the clock, realizes that the candidate is due to show up in seven minutes or less, scrambles to pull up or find the resume, quickly glances at the positions, titles, and education, and then attempts to give the impression of being prepared. A strong candidate knows in an instant how important his or her visit is…or is not.

3. Candidate had breakfast, lunch, or dinner alone or with whomever did not already have plans.

Don't send the candidate off to a meal with someone who is unable to communicate at their level and is not observant enough to pick up on things like style, manners, class, conversation, poise, demeanor, and the like. I can't tell you how many times companies have missed a golden opportunity to assess an individuals personal side by ignoring the down time during the interview schedule. Candidates greatly value meeting casually with key people.

4. Multiple schedule changes and delays

Most reasonable candidates understand that a company will, on occasion, have to change things around to accommodate schedules and deal with the demands of the business. Problems arise when the schedule is changed four and five times. The appearance of disorganization and lack of concern for the candidate's schedule is enough to spook most sharp people, especially if they had to go to great lengths to arrange a meeting.

5. Candidate sent to an average hotel.

If you have a candidate who has taken the time to come see you, missed work, left family responsibilities, traveled long distances, risked being exposed, and probably used some vacation time, they should be housed in an impressive hotel. It is comforting to hear a candidate say that the accommodations were great because I know they got the impression that their visit was important. Never underestimate image. Save the cheaper hotels for distant relatives…you can be sure they will come back.

6. Not enough effort given to educate candidates on life style issues

Make sure you are selling a candidate on the city just as much as the job and company. There are plenty of great places to live, so showcase your community. If you do not intrigue a candidate with life in your town, you will lose them. Miami, for example, can be exotic, entertaining, broadening, and intriguing or it can be intimidating, complicated, foreign, and confusing. Don't leave it up to the candidates to figure things out for themselves. If candidates cannot picture themselves or their family "fitting in" and being as happy as they are now, they are not coming to your town...ever.

7. The position is not well defined.

The job description is as important to a candidate as the resume is to an employer. If it is poorly written, too long, and hard to understand, the smart candidates will wonder if the company knows what they are looking for in the first place. Also, it wouldn't hurt to make the job description read like a great, intriguing opportunity instead of detailed marching orders. When someone is considering changing his or her life around, it helps to package the position as interesting to the candidate and vital to the company…unless of course it's not which is another problem entirely.

8. Shopping without your wallet.

It has been my experience that salary guidelines can be extremely helpful in landing average people. Often, companies would rather keep looking for someone to fit their salary range than hire a slightly more expensive, ideal candidate that fits the job. The best candidates are almost always earning or expecting more than a company has in mind. If you know you cannot provide some flexibility or a fair incentive to uproot the best candidates, don't expect the aura of your company to overpower their sense of reason.

9. Unable to move quickly and decisively

After preliminary interviews, talented, sought after people interested in your company are not going to be available very long. If you attempt to hold on to someone too long, they will invariably pull themselves out of consideration at the absolute worst moment. If you can't move as quickly as you would like, buy some time by being a great communicator. If you shoot straight and let the candidate know the issues you are dealing with, most smart people will hang in there, if they can.

10. Giving the Wrong Impression

Too often companies give the impression that they are doing candidates a favor by having them interview for a position. In reality, the BEST candidates are very busy, well paid, and frequently look at the whole interview process as an intrusion on their schedule. Strong candidates, especially those who were not looking to leave their company, must be courted extensively. It is a much more delicate and fragile situation on the front end than most people realize. If a candidate's early impressions raise questions as to how they are being handled, they will vanish quickly.

John Watters has been an executive recruiter in Tampa since 1991. He has recruited senior level talent for many large multi-national organizations and a wide variety of emerging companies. jwatters@wattersgroup.com (813-348-0931)