It’s now common, and rather inevitable, to poach from your direct competition. However, there are a few don’ts, and surprisingly, these don’ts will lead to Leadership by the day… and WOW the prospective employee.....
1. Never start with 'your company is in dumps...'. The candidate is willing to look at you precisely because of some perception close to that or any issue which may not be in the open… Re-iterate as to how life can be better in your place, rather than speaking the load of negatives about competition.... throwing negatives reflects badly on the quality of your HR function...!
2. Engage only in a relevant conversation, from the specific prospective employee point of view. Statements like 'xyzee from your place came at our terms etc' would only get you desperadoes' and not the real stars... Remember, you are not a savior, and you want them for a business objective too.
3. Listen to the prospective employee point of view, instead of mouthing platitudes on how your company got people cheap... What if the prospective employee retorts 'you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.. uh...'?!
4. Showcase as to why you are good, and not as to why the other company is bad. The employee comes from there, and has no need to hear his present company information from you.
5. Clarify roles and responsibilities, instead of only sounding like buying 'human vegetables'. That is HR at its pits, and is a bad reflection of how you value people.
6. By taking names, of whom you got for how much, you drive the prospective employee to more comparison which could lead to inequity thoughts, and that would only harm your company interests... plus now those who have come in are 'your employees', and whatever you did and do, directly speaks volumes about your quality of hiring.
7. A simple "this is the best we can pay in your case" is good for everyone. Don't throw open a Pandora’s box by mentioning all irrelevant data.
8. Remember, you hire people for your company growth. If that is not the pivot, then you are harming careers, and also you company.
9. Good prospective employees are smart candidates... think otherwise, the cream will never fall for you verbal innuendo. And no book in HR advises innuendo as a prudent hiring practice.
10. Allow the prospective employee to speak, and for god sake, you listen. As they always say, two ears are to listen that much more, that speaking with one mouth. And if it’s a telephonic conversation, you have to listen that much more.
Remember, the prospective candidates, in these few conversations, see you as a brand ambassador. And HR is indeed the best brand ambassador for your organisation.
Following these pointers in hiring from competition, is indeed Leadership by the day.
