Hiring for Attitude Ch 6

Recruiting High Performers

• Current recruiting trends are ineffective, with less than 10% of companies excelling in sourcing executive, professional, technical, and unskilled talent. Over 65% were rated average or below average for each category. Companies perform best sourcing professional, then technical, then executive, and finally unskilled employees.
• High performers aren't attracted to average jobs; they seek ongoing success, a culture fit, and a clear path to high performance. They are usually already employed or in career transition, and are selective.
• Companies need to understand that recruiting top talent requires the same marketing and sales effort as attracting customers. Current job ads often focus on requirements rather than selling the culture and job benefits.
• A compelling sales pitch for a product (e.g., a video game) is vastly different from a typical job ad, failing to connect to candidate needs and motivations.

The Brown Shorts Recruiting Formula

• P = A + U − S (Probability = Attraction + Urgency − Suspicions)
  • Attraction (A): High performers need to feel an attraction to your unique organizational culture ("Brown Shorts"). This involves clarity on how you are different from other organizations and how you differentiate high vs. low performers. This requires specific behavioral descriptions in job ads.
  • Urgency (U): High performers need a reason to leave their current position. Understanding their "Shoves" (demotivators) and "Tugs" (motivators) creates a sense of urgency for a better work environment. Simply offering positive "Tugs" isn't enough if underlying "Shoves" remain unresolved.
  • Suspicions (S): High performers are perceptive to inauthenticity in a company's recruiting message. Generic, overused language raises suspicion. Authenticity is vital.

Defining Your "Brown Shorts"

• "Brown Shorts" represent your unique culture, differentiating high and low performers. Specificity about behaviors is key. Job descriptions should highlight specific behaviors rather than general phrases.

Addressing Shoves and Tugs

• High performers often encounter "Shoves" (demotivators) in their current jobs. Common Shoves include:
  • High performers facing disproportionate workload while others lack effort.
  • Managers failing to recognize high performance.
  • A decline in engagement over time.
• "Tugs" (motivators) are lacking in many high-performing work environments. Examples include opportunities for autonomy, innovation, and advancement.
• Addressing Shoves and Tugs is a key driver of candidate urgency/interest. Recruiters should actively listen and understand candidate needs (Shoves & Tugs).

Job Ad Example

• Generic job ads often focus on company attributes (history, awards, size, etc.) rather than highlighting candidate needs.
• A Brown Shorts job ad example re-evaluates the priorities of a candidate (e.g., avoid company politics, prioritize collaboration) and highlights how the company's positive attributes meet the candidate's needs.
• Testing job ad effectiveness (split testing) is important to assess the effectiveness of the recruiting message.

Metrics for Hiring

• Companies should track the quality of new hires (performance over time and their attitudes). Track new hire engagement (motivation, effort, productivity) and tenure (longevity). Measure manager satisfaction from the hiring process.

Recruiting Channels

• Employee referrals are the most effective method. Networking, online job boards, and a company's internal career portal follow in effectiveness. This effectiveness is amplified when Brown Shorts are thoroughly defined.

Authenticity and Social Media Recruiting

• Job seekers are perceptive of inauthenticity. Company social media pages need to reflect reality, not just company messaging. Responding to questions and sharing authentic employee views is important.