There is nothing that puts me in the holiday spirit quite like blasting my CD of Handel's Messiah in my car. (Best recording ever — Kathleen Battle and Samuel Ramey with the Toronto Symphony.) Cruising down country roads on my way to the office, I am listening to the glorious, otherworldly choirs of heavenly angels at full blast.

But lately, instead of basking in the glories of these angels, I am truthfully thinking about devils! Specifically, I am thinking about what I call the "Devil You Know" mentality that I am starting to see hiring managers and candidates adopt.

Here it is in a nutshell:

The tougher the economic times, the harder it is to recruit top talent because many employees will stay with their current employer even though they may be tremendously unhappy. And, as the world becomes more and more uncertain in its economies and its security, unhappy employees tend to opt for the security of their situation over the risk of a new one.

Further, managers who are unhappy with their employees will keep those employees longer for fear of not being able to attract and recruit replacements who will perform better.


Growth in Spite of Tough Times

This thinking can seriously affect your ability to grow your team and your company. However, although it's hard to find in the daily paper, there are companies out there who are growing and looking for top talent.

And where is that top talent now? While there's no doubt that the downturn has increased the candidate pool because of lay-offs, don't kid yourself. The top talent is still employed. But the good news is (depending on which side of the fence you're on), they can still be recruited out. (As evidence, at a recent holiday party, I listened to the lament of one CEO who has just lost his #1 salesperson. He was recruited out by the competition. Ouch!)


Sure-Fire Strategies to Beat the Devil!

Below are four important strategies that you can easily implement to ensure you get that top talent you need right now.

1. Tighten the Time to Hire. More than ever before, time can be your enemy. With every three hundred point loss or gain in the Dow (I can't believe I'm writing this!) your candidates may be getting even more reluctant. Make sure you have a short schedule for the recruiting process. In this market, that should be between four to six weeks maximum after you have identified candidates. (For more hints on this, read what we wrote about Fred and Ginger and timing in the hiring process.)
 
2. Understand Your Candidate's Motivation to Change Jobs. Make sure you understand fully why your candidate wants to leave his current employer. Get to the bottom of his motivation. (Hint: it's usually not about the money.) A good question to ask is, "What's not happening for you at your current employer that is motivating your potential move out?" Then, sit back and LISTEN to their answer. (If you are using a recruiter, this question should be fully vetted by them and there should be no surprises at the end of the process.)
 
3. Sell Your Opportunity. That's right! Tell your candidate why now IS a good time to come to work for you. Paint a picture of the opportunity that exists now and what the future will look like for him. If there are strategic plans for dramatic growth, share these strategies in your interview process. Give your candidate the big picture.
 
4. Sweeten the Pot. Go the extra mile in putting together a compelling compensation package and additional "sweeteners." This may mean, for example, stock options, an accelerated bonus plan, or compensation guarantees for the first year to ameliorate the risk on the candidate's part. Or, if it's not a senior-level position, use extra vacation, extra personal time, or even a small signing bonus (yes, they're back).

Come on! Everyone has a favorite holiday tune. What's yours? The third caller to call me at 978.921.8282 x202 and hum a few bars of their favorite (possibly "Santa Baby"?), gets a Dancing Deer fresh baked holiday cookie assortment. Or, if you'd like, we'll even have that shipped to your favorite little Santa's elf. (Don't forget to leave your name, location and phone number!)