great skills to find - and keep - great people a presentation for bay area star by laurie kahn media...

Great Skills to Find - and Keep - Great People

A presentation forBay Area STAR

byLaurie Kahn

Media Staffing Network

What we will cover:

• Why hiring is difficult today• Recruitment strategies• Improving the odds in the interviewing

process• Being Prepared• Courting the candidates• Retention tricks• Q & A

©Media Staffing Network 2008

Why is Hiring different today from yesterday?

• Fewer Bodies• Less Loyalty• More Needs• More competition• Higher Pay• Poor economy• High costs of transportation• Need creative work solutions

Hiring today must have a strategy, a commitment and a budget!


Why turnover:

Inside factors:Lack of –

-Training-Encouragement-Recognition-Flexibility -Change-Support


Outside Factors:• Competition• Money/Economy• Family• Commute• Boredom• Fear

The Strategy:• Preparing the team to

create a cohesive hiring plan

• Job Profiles• Recruitment• Resumes• Interviewing• Selling your opportunity• Courting• Retaining


An effective together team:• Get all parties

involved in total process

• Plan your attack• Design & Assign

questions• Compare notes• Keep a log• Don’t let candidates

get lost


Why Job Profiles?Would you go on a trip without a map?

• Focus on needs• Aids recruitment• Addresses

expectations• Helps eliminate

miss-hiring• Quicker ramp-up• Professional• Legal• Image


Average cost of replacement is 150% of compensation!

• Cost of empty desk/equipment

• Unhappy clients• Loss of New Business

Development• Training• Reputation• Morale

Get the money on your budget!


Developing a Recruitment plan, should be NO different than setting a strategy for

acquiring new business!

Must have a budget, a commitment and constant attention!

Recruitment Budget:

• Marketing/advertising/branding• Training for managers and new hires• Travel• Relocation packages• Internship packages• Associate programs• Tools – brochures, updated websites, awards,

bounties, profiles, background checks, signing bonus

• Recruitment specialist to find, screen, pre-sell and follow up


Develop a recruitment message:

Create a brochure; include a video with real employees on your website telling why they joined your company!

Be known as A GREAT place to work!


Recruitment POA: • Everyone – pay

referral fees!• Promote Always!• Think out of the box• Higher skilled – wider

the net• Colleges (students &

professors!)• Clubs/Associations• Alumnae• Other industries• Other markets


Courting Candidates:• Work your targeted people• Take them to lunch, coffee or

dinner 3+x a year• Take them to events such as a

sporting event or to concerts• In building a relationship, probe

what makes them happy• Be aware of what is going on in

their life

Be patient!


Selling your opportunity:

Tell them why they should work for you!

Know your:• Products• Team• Competition• Clients• Benefits• Growth potential• Uniqueness


How can you be more attractive?

• Be flexible• Do they REALLY need to be in the

office every day?• Job shares aren’t only for moms• Listen to their issues – likes &

dislikes at current job


Interview Smarter

• Read resume 3x+ prior • Turn off cell phone• Listen more than talk• Ask situational questions• Ask open ended, legal

questions• Don’t ask them to jump

through hoops• Have them come try the

job out for a day


STOP!STOP!Don’t ask that!

Questions must pertain to the job!

STAY AWAY from:• Creed, religion or race• Age• Sex or marital status• Credit info• Military service discharges• Physical/Mental disabilities

Probe deeper in reference checks!

• Probe realistic situational questions• Profile• Get real, relative references and

check them – contact minimum 3 for entry level

• Check credit or background• Ask for a recent W2 to prove

income


Retention• Cost of Employment

Rule of Thumb is 150% of

salary

• Cost of Turnover –

Rule of Thumb is 2.5 times annual

earnings

It is crucial to keep what you have invested in….

A revolving door is not only costly, but bad for recruiting!


Retaining tricks to be competitive:

New Hire Ramp up:• Orientation• Mentor• Booked• Train• Talk• Confirm• Commit


Seasoned Staff:• Review• Listen• Action• Objectives• Retrain• Challenge• Award• Be open to flexibility• Have fun

“Employees who are enthusiastic and know their contributions are valued are more likely

to be self-motivated and to propose innovative ideas. A high energy workplace can mean

better financial results”

Business Week SmallBiz Aug/Sept 2008

Beyond the cash…….what you can do to

Questions & Answers

Thank You!

For more information or assistance, please visit www.mediastaffingnetwork.com!

great skills to find - and keep - great people a presentation for bay area star by laurie kahn media...

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