What a waste of freaking money.
If you’re a business leader, I’m sure that’s exactly what you’ve thought about recruiting at some point!
It’s tough not to view recruiting as an expense – especially when so many of the people you hire leave just a few months later.
If you’re leading a business, you’re focused on profits, performance, and results…and it often feels like recruiting is a necessary evil to fill open seats.
Forward-thinking leaders know that if you put people at the center of your business, only then will profits follow.
That’s why recruiting isn’t just an expense – it’s an INVESTMENT.
In my opinion, it’s one of the most critical investments you should be doubling down on!
Every Person You Recruit is an Opportunity
Think about it. 95% of your success starts with recruiting the right person. All the amazing results your company delivers – it comes from someone who either founded the organization or was recruited.
Every time you recruit someone, it’s your opportunity to find your next rockstar sales rep, find the person who will be your next best leader, or otherwise bolster your team.
You just have to be smart about how you recruit! The problem is, most organizations don’t take the necessary steps to increase their odds of successful hiring.
They assume that experience equals skills – ignoring the fact that some people spend years or decades in a role without ever delivering results.
They hold recruiters accountable for time-to-fill and cost per hire, but not quality of hire – and then wonder why none of their hires seem to work out.
Looking at cost without regard to quality is insanity!
Recruiting Sucks…But it Doesn’t Have To
There’s a reason why I wrote a book called Recruiting Sucks. It does – and that’s part of why so many business leaders view it only as a cost center. But if you take steps to address many of the problems, mistakes and challenges in recruiting, you can dramatically improve the value you add with every hire.
Adding real data like behavioral assessments and other pre-hire tools can help you understand not just someone’s skills, but how they’re wired – and whether they’re going to mesh well with your team.
With structured interviews focusing on qualifiable RESULTS, you can drill down into whether someone really has what it takes to make an impact with our organization.
And with tools to dig deeper than LinkedIn and job boards, you can make sure you’re accessing the ENTIRE talent pool – not just the candidates that anyone can find on Google!
However, you can’t just stop with recruiting…
People Aren’t Your Greatest Asset…They’re Your Greatest Investment
Everyone loves to say that people are your greatest asset. But that’s not true.
You own an asset. Assets also depreciate over time. If you think you own your people and they are delivering LESS value the longer they’re on your team, you’re in a very bad position!
Now let’s think about investments. Sure, they cost money and resources upfront. But they pay dividends over time – if you continue to care for them and support them.
Recruiting someone is like making an initial investment – and supporting them once they’re on your team is a recurring contribution. If you support your people and encourage their growth, they are only going to add more value over time. In fact, the best leaders know that they can get an EXPONENTIAL ROI on the right people!
But the key is that you must understand your people, invest in strong leadership, and foster their growth at your company.
Make Recruiting Work for YOU
The way you recruit people can be one of your greatest advantages as a company. But you have to take the first step of thinking of it as an INVESTMENT…not an expense. Once you start thinking about it as an investment, you can make wise investments and support their growth over the long term.
It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
If you view recruiting as a necessary evil and a waste of money, that’s exactly what it will be!
If you view recruiting as the foundation of your organization’s success and growth and invest in it wisely, it will return measurable results!
Your mindset is everything!
To get started with investing in your recruiting, consider educating your recruiting team with complimentary courses from the Recruitment Education Institute. We also offer virtual and live trainings to help your team ensure every hire makes a greater impact. Your recruiters can’t make amazing hires unless they have the tools and education to do so!