Q. I am the vice president of human resources for a well-established telecom equipment company. We have been searching for senior finance/accounting professionals with telecom industry experience for the past few months. I’m really disappointed with the lack of qualified applicants in the market. We’ve been advertising the position in the local newspaper, trade associations and online at the popular job boards. I was under the impression that there are a lot of unemployed people looking for work. Where are they hiding?
A. Interesting question, “Where are all the qualified applicants?” The answer to that question is, “They are working!” Most companies who go through a reduction in force for one reason or another do not let go of the talent. Employees who are productive and make a significant contribution to their organization rarely find themselves out on the street.
Yes, many people have been laid off from their jobs in a wide variety of industries, from auto to construction to retail to finance. But keep in mind that a big percentage of these people are not going to be a fit for your organization unless you are willing to be flexible with the required experience.
Who do you consider to be a qualified applicant? Are you basing this on having five to 10 years of specific finance and accounting experience in the telecom industry and residing in the North Bay area? There will be a limited number of qualified candidates for this position.
Keep in mind that most professionals who are happily employed are not searching for a job, which means they are not reading the classifieds nor are they spending time on job boards or networking sites. In some cases professionals who find themselves unhappy with their current employer are choosing not to change positions due to their fear and lack of confidence in the economy and job market. One more fact to consider is that due to corporate hiring freezes, many companies are choosing to retain their unproductive employees, which means you could be receiving those candidate’s resumes. Beware of these applicants.
How can you attract happily employed qualified candidates to your company and protect yourself from unhappy and unproductive employed candidates? Hire a qualified recruiter who is experienced and skilled at the process and can assist in developing and presenting the following:
• Description of an exciting and dynamic opportunity
• Detailed description of your company’s products and services
• Revenue for ‘07 and ‘08 and projected revenue for ‘09
• A list of your clients
• Size of your company (number of employees locally, nationally and internationally)
• Public or privately held
• Your executive team and a description what brought them to the company and why they stay
• Unique qualities about your work culture
• Growth opportunities for the company
• Career development opportunities
• Retention programs
• Competitive compensation and benefits package
• Overview of interview process and what to expect
Your recruiter should make direct contact with professionals who are already working for the competition and like industries that possess the skills and experience you need, pitch your opportunity, network on your behalf until the cows come home and present only qualified candidates, screening out those who are not a match, which will save you valuable time and money.
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Jennifer Laxton is a senior partner with Executive Search Associates in Santa Rosa, www.esa.com. ESA is an executive search and consulting company. You can reach her at 707-525-1010 ext. 12 or jklaxton@esa.com. If you have questions with regards to your situation, send an e-mail to askjen@esa.com.
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