It's not you...It's me!

Another case of "It’s not you…it’s me" If you ask me, the recruitment process is just like one big ol’ round of speed dating, with the hope and expectation that you are about to meet THE ONE. As a hiring manager, you’d like to start this ideal relationship as quickly as possible. You are bound to meet a few crazy people along the way and there are some for whom you definitely want a criminal background check. Then, you meet someone who creates that dazzling first impression and you ask yourself, “Could this be the one?” But you come down to earth and ask yourself, “Is this person a good investment? Will they meet my needs? Will they be dependable?”

So, you believe you have now found ‘The One’ as from out of nowhere the dream candidate has emerged. They are clearly a wonderful investment…the person you want to take on business trips, to meet the owners of the company, the one who will know that you like your morning coffee with 1 cream and 2 sugars. You’ve even gone so far as to doodle their name with their new title after it. You can't wait for them to meet the rest of the team. Employment bliss! But then, you’re about to sign on the dotted line and BAM!! They back away at the last minute because they have found another employer they like better. You’re left asking, what did we do wrong? We have so much to offer…how could they not see that? Meanwhile, your co-worker consoles you and tells you that they did not deserve us anyway. It’s another case of “It’s not you, it’s me.” They didn’t pick us because they felt that the other company had more to offer.

At a time when there are so many employers to choose from, candidates are taking jobs that offer them more than just a pay cheque and a place to show up to from 9-5 Monday to Friday. How do we make sure that the candidate understands the full breadth of what we offer and that they see us as a good investment for the future? How do we show that we are a super employer, or do we just hope that people will figure this out for themselves?

How do we compete with other employers for the best candidates? What are the innovative ways that a company can sell itself to dream candidates to ensure that they don't end the relationship before it's even started?

Written by: "Ashley" Speed Date Survivor!