How to Win The Hiring Game
by Janet Reswick Long
From PR Tactics, February 1998.

The labor market has turned upside down.  Just ask Jim Norris, the Vanguard Group principal who runs the mutual fund company's institutional communications division.  "Today, almost every candidate we bring in is entertaining at least one other job offer," says Norris.  "Their skills are in high demand, and you have to be fast and decisive to hire the best candidates."

A recent survey of professional communicators from top companies corroborates this. In Hiring: The Candidate's Perspective, communicators are highly critical of hiring practices they have viewed from the candidate's chair. 

They cite such frustrations such as non-existent or inconsistent job descriptions and lack of feedback throughout the interview process.  The good news is, communicators are uniquely qualified to influence hiring practices.  Here's how you can use the very skills that make you a successful public relations practitioner to win the recruiting game, even in a brutal labor market.

• Shift Your Mindset
  Shift your mindset from buyer to seller.  Employ the same approach you use as a PR practitioner to compete daily for media attention.  If you're good at media relations, you stand out by presenting clear, compelling information, respecting timelines, and giving thoughtful answers.  Treat every candidate you speak with like your media contacts.
  
  
• Convey Objectives
  You wouldn't disseminate a merger communications plan without having a firm grasp of the key messages.  Yet sometimes experienced communicators fail to convey their objectives for a critical staff position.  Savvy communicators will have a written job description ready.  By clearly defining the job, you are also helping the candidate assess whether he or she is a good fit.
  
  
• Strategize
  There is a difference between strategic decision-making and unproductive agonizing.  You can save time and angst by a) building consensus upfront on what key traits and competencies a candidate must possess to win an offer, and b) determining in advance who the ultimate decision-maker is, since, almost inevitably, you won't have complete agreement among different interviewers.
  
  
• Share The Vision
  Hiring today frequently involves a team of company interviewers across many levels and functions.  The hiring manager should share the vision of the position with everyone who will meet the candidate.  In the survey, nearly 40 percent of respondents complained that interviewers were not prepared or focused.

A successful hire starts with good internal communication: a team-driven process in which every interviewer understands the opening as well as what kind of input he or she is expected to give about the candidate.  Distinguish who will evaluate technical skills and who will address more general factors like how well a prospect will fit into the office culture.  The candidate will benefit from a balanced set of questions and perspectives.

Successful recruiting is the result of good communication.  By applying time-honored tactics like understanding your audience, articulating and communicating key objectives, and establishing a game plan and sticking to it, you will send the message to prospective candidates that you value communication.

And because 70 percent of top communicators believe that how a company interviews is a fair predictor of how it operates, you'll be off to a promising start.