Никова Тхе Басиц Иссуес оф Манагемент ин Усе 2016

Text 5. Resourceful Recruiting

The recruiting stage of the hiring process is a lot like fishing. Your success depends not only on how well you do it, but on where you do it and on what bait you are using.

The obvious objective of a recruiting effort is to attract as large a pool of qualified candidates as possible. But don’t forget that the measure of a successful recruiting effort isn't only numbers; it's also about quality.

To recruit the best talent, you need to represent your company as professionally as possible. When the time comes to choose the person or people who will represent your company at a job fair or at a local college, look for those who have good people skills and consistently generate positive energy. Pay attention, too, to the presence created on your company's Web site and what happens when applicants call your company for information or show up for interviews. Try to impress on everybody who might interact with a candidate how important it is to be warm and courteous. After all, today's job-seeker may be tomorrow's desired employee or a potential customer. The last thing you need in a labor market is a bad reputation.

Recruiting is probably the most challenging stage of the hiring process. Whenever you post an opening online or place a classified ad, you never know how many responses you're going to get or whether you're going to attract a good group of candidates. When you visit colleges, you have no idea who's going to show up at your recruiting sessions. And even more troubling, no roadmaps are out there to guide your way – no tried and true formulas exist for getting the most mileage out of your recruiting efforts. You must develop your own campaign, ensuring that whatever decisions you make take into account those factors that are unique to your company and to the specific position you seek to fill.

The following list covers some of the general guidelines that you want to bear in mind.

Look first at in-house candidates. Providing promotional and lateral opportunities for current employees positively boosts morale and makes your current staff members feel their talents, capabilities, and accomplishments are appreciated. Always post positions internally first. Give potential candidates an interview. It's a chance for you to know them better. They learn more about the goals and needs of the organization. Sometimes, a good fit is found between your needs and theirs.

31

Make recruitment an ongoing process. Companies known for their ability to attract and hire good employees are always recruiting – even if they have no current openings. You want to keep an active database of the names and resumes of people whom you've met or who've sent in letters or contacted you online expressing interest in your firm – assuming, of course, that they have the qualities for which you're looking.

Continually recruiting for your firm doesn't mean overselling the company to attract more candidates. If you misrepresent your business' scope or capabilities, you'll feed false expectations for employees who decide to join you, leading to later job dissatisfaction once they're on board. Clearly communicate what the company is, as well as what it wants to become and why you need capable, committed employees to help the business reach its goals.

Create a plan. You should always have a general idea before you start any recruiting effort of how you intend to conduct and manage the process. A good way to start is to set a deadline for when, ideally, you want to see the position filled. After the deadline is set, you can then establish a sequence of steps, each with its own deadline. You may decide, for example, that you're going to look inside your company for a certain period of time – say, two weeks – and if unsuccessful, you intend to either post the opening on the Internet, run a classified ad, or seek the services of an outside staffing firm.

No one plan is right for everyone, so keep your options open at all times. Don't become so locked into one strategy that you become unable to see that it's not working for you.

Be systematic. If you don't pay attention to the purely administrative side of recruiting early on in the process, you're asking for trouble. Before you start the search, set up a protocol – a predetermined, systematic procedure – for how you intend to process applications, resumes, and cover letters. Try to set aside a certain amount of time each day to focus on the recruiting effort. If you're using an outside recruiter, make sure that someone in the company – either you or the hiring manager – has a direct line to the individual who's handling the search. If you're seeking candidates through the Internet,·have secure and streamlined systems in place for taking in, sorting, and tracking the many resumes you'll attract. If you plan to advertise in a publication, make sure that you're aware of the publication's deadlines. And if you intend to use a variety of publications or Web sites for your classified ads, think about setting up some

32

sort of database of basic information (audience, rates, payment methods, and so on) so you don't need to reeducate yourself every time you decide to run a new ad.

Be flexible. If the initial response to your recruiting efforts ends up a big zero, you need to have a contingency plan on hand. Be prepared to revisit the job description or even explore the possibility of restructuring the job – breaking it into two part-time jobs, perhaps – in an effort to attract more (or better) candidates.

Vocabulary:

resourceful – находчивый, изобретательный;

recruiting – процесс поиска кандидатов на открытую вакансию для последующего приема на работу;

bait – приманка, наживка;

pool – (зд.) множество, объединение, количество; job fair – ярмарка вакансий;

to impress on smb. – убедить кого-либо в чем-либо; challenging – перспективный, представляющий сложность; In-house – внутри компании, штатный;

lateral – поперечный; боковой, связанный по горизонтали, (зд.) – переход сотрудника в другой отдел без повышения в должности;

fit – подходить; пригодный, соответствующий, (зд.) a good fit – подходящий вариант;

mileage – пробег на единицу горючего, (зд.) – эффективность; соотношение затрат и полученных результатов;

boost – способствовать росту; scope – пределы, рамки, границы;

contingency – чрезвычайная ситуация.

Ex. 1. Find in the text English equivalents to the following words and phrases:

группа квалифицированных кандидатов; навыки работы с людьми; убедить всех; этап, представляющий наибольшие трудности; появляться, приходить; проверенные и испытанные временем способы; подходящий вариант; иметь в виду; свободные вакансии; хвалить сверх меры, навязывать; представлять в ложном свете, искажать; объем возможностей; ложные ожидания; неудовлетворенность работой; установить сроки выполнения; последовательность

33

действий; независимая фирма, занимающаяся подбором персонала; оставлять за собой возможность альтернативных действий; напрашиваться на неприятности; выделить; безопасные и хорошо отрегулированные системы; план действий в чрезвычайной ситуации; иметь в распоряжении; изменить структуру, преобразовать.

Ex. 2. Write down Russian equivalents for the following words and phrases:

pool of qualified candidates; good people skills; to impress on everybody; most challenging stage; to show up; tried and true formulas; a good fit; to bear in mind; current openings; overselling; misrepresent; scope of capabilities; false expectations; job dissatisfaction; to set a deadline; sequence of steps; outside staffing firm; to keep one’s options open; to ask for trouble; to set aside; secure and streamlined systems; contingency plan; to have smth on hand; to restructure.

Ex. 3. Answer the questions, based on the text:

1.How do you explain the saying «the measure of a successful recruitment is not only numbers; it’s also about quality»?

2.Why is it important to represent your company as professionally as possible?

3.What is the most challenging step in the hiring process?

4.Why is it important to post the positions internally first?

5.What does the term «overselling» means?

6.Why is it important not to oversell the company?

7.What can be the parts of the recruiting plan?

8.What can you do if your recruiting efforts do not generate any response?

Ex. 4. What do you think the main idea of the text is?

1.To recruit the best talent you need to represent your company as professionally as possible. Pay attention to the presence created on your company’s Website.

2.Recruiting is the most challenging stage of the hiring process. Whenever you post an opening or an ad, you never know how many responses you are going to get. No tried and true formulas exist for getting the most mileage out of your recruiting efforts.

34

3. Before you start the search, set up a protocol – a systematic procedure – for how you intend to process applications, resumes and cover letters.

Ex. 5. Prepare to present a summary of the text.

1.Make a plan of the text.

2.Write down phrases and expressions you will be using when talking about each part.

3.Present a summary.

Ex. 6. Translate into English using words and expressions from the text.

1.Процесс поиска кандидатов на вакантную должность – наиболее сложный этап всего многоступенчатого процесса найма.

2.Постарайтесь убедить всех, кто контактирует с претендентами на вакансию, как важно быть вежливым и приветливым.

3.Помещая объявление о вакансии в газету, невозможно предсказать сколько ответов вы получите.

4.Не существует проверенных и испытанных временем способов того, как получить наибольшую отдачу от затраченных усилий на поиск кандидатов.

5.Предоставление сотрудникам возможности продвижения вверх по служебной лестнице, или перехода в другие отделы, положительно влияет на моральное состояние коллектива.

6.Обманутые ожидания новых сотрудников могут привести в итоге к их неудовлетворенности работой.

7.После того, как вы установите срок заполнения вакансии, вы можете установить последовательность промежуточных этапов, каждый со своим сроком выполнения.

8.Необходимо иметь план действий в чрезвычайной ситуации в случае, если результаты ваших усилий равны нулю.

9.При поиске кандидатов на открытую вакансию можно обратиться в независимую фирму, занимающуюся подбором персонала.

10.С целью привлечения большего количества кандидатов можно рассмотреть возможность реструктуризации должности.

35

Ex. 7. Complete the sentences with an appropriate word.

perhaps – in an effort to attract more (or better) candidates

Ex. 8. Discussion time. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Explain your point of view.

1.The recruiting stage of the hiring process is a lot like fishing.

2.The recruiting is the most challenging stage of the hiring process.

3.Once you decide on your strategy, it’s important not to change it, even if it is not working for you.

36

Text 6. Writing a good job Ad

Writing a good job ad is a critical step in the hiring process, but the task is often more difficult than many people think. Keep in mind the following two considerations in writing a job ad:

♦the goal of a job ad is not only to generate responses from qualified applicants, but also to prevent candidates who are clearly unqualified from applying for the position. You are better off getting only five responses, each from a person who clearly deserves an interview, than getting 100 responses from people you don’t want to hire;

♦think «sell». You are advertising a product – your company. Every aspect of your ad must seek to foster a favorable impression of the organization.

Your next step is to actually compose the ad. If you’ve done a good job writing the job description, then you’ve already accomplished this task. In fact, you actually want to think of the ad as a synopsis of the existing job description.

As for the ad itself, the following list describes the elements you need to think about as you compose the ad:

♦Headline: the headline almost always is the job title.

♦Job information: a line or two about the general duties and responsibilities of the job.

♦Company information: always include a few words on what your company does.

♦Qualifications and hiring criteria: specify the level of education and experience and relevant attributes and skills (per your competency model) required to do the job.

♦Respond method: let applicants know the best way to get in touch with you: e-mail, regular mail, fax or phone.

Company Information

Don’t just tell the potential applicants what you do, tell them why you’re the best at it. Tell them why you’re a great, successful, growing business and anybody coming to work for you will be so lucky they’ll never leave.

This sounds over the top, but remember, it’s a sales job. Here’s an example:

Sales manager needed for 60-bedroom, three-star hotel in York. Job will also cover restaurant.

37

Compare that with the next one. Which would be more likely to get the applicant reaching for their CV?

The Grand Hotel in picturesque York needs a dynamic new sales manager. With 60 bedrooms, we’re one of the biggest hotels in the city and our restaurant has won the Yorkshire Eats Out award for the past three years. Have you got what it takes to make us even more successful?

Job information

You need to tell the potential applicant exactly what the job is. Make sure you detail exactly the level of responsibility and the main duties, but sell the challenges and what the job may lead to in the future. If the job has become vacant because the previous incumbent has been promoted, then slip that in.

Again, look at this example:

Sales manager needed. Will manage sales team of three, covering conference and hotel side of the business.

Yawn. Now compare it with this:

Sales manager needed. Heading up a team of dedicated sales staff, you will be responsible for a budget of $1m a year covering our awardwinning conference hotel. We plan to double the size of our facilities in the next two years and need you to help us grow the team to 12. Our last sales manager has been transferred to the head office to cover the whole country. Can you step into his shoes?

Qualifications and hiring criteria

You need to tell the reader all the skills, qualifications and attributes you think anyone filling your vacancy will need. It will filter out a lot of people who aren’t what you want.

You still need to apply the hard sell, but many companies put lots of buzzwords in this part that sound good but are of little practical use.

For example:

We want a sales manager who can think outside the box, inspire, lead, and deliver quality and excellence.

That doesn’t help the applicant reading the advert decide whether he has what you’re looking for.

Stick with the hard facts:

We want a sales manager with at least three years’ experience in a tough hotel conference sales environment. He or she must have a de-

38

gree, have the industry qualification and be able to prove an outstanding sales track record.

In other words, leave the questions about «thinking outside the box» to the interview – that way you can ask for examples.

Salary issue

You need to tell the applicants what they’re going to get paid, or more precisely, what the benefits package will be. Of course, not all companies like to give details of salary and benefits, preferring to hedge their bets with phrases like: «An excellent competitive salary and benefits package is available to the right candidate.» Which, to most potential candidates, is not helpful at all.

The reasons for not wanting to specify a salary are obvious, but not mentioning it means that you’ll get applications from totally inappropriate people way above, or way below, the level you’re looking for.

One way around this is to specify a salary range, such as «$25,000– $35,000» which will at least help the bemused applicant.

Respond method

Finally, how do you want them to apply? The covering letter and resume is traditional, but many people have e-mail these days and this is more convenient both for you and them. However, e-mail has an air of informality about it that many employers don’t like.

Do you want to give out a phone number for anybody who is after more details? Potentially irritating if you’re expecting a lot of applicants, but it does give you a chance to further assess applicants.

Don’t be afraid to ask for extra information if you need it. Details of current salary is the most common thing to ask for, but if you want references, or examples of their work, then stick that in as well.

The job advertisement is the potential applicant’s window into your company. If you want to attract the right people, you need to make sure they know you’re there, know what you’re about and why you need them.

Vocabulary:

to be better off – быть в лучшем положении;

think «sell» – (зд.) мыслить в направлении «необходимо продать»;

39

to foster – способствовать; synopsis – резюме, конспект; over the top – слишком;

think outside the box – иметь нестандартное мышление; incumbent – лицо, занимающее должность; challenges – сложные, но перспективные задачи;

hard sell – усиленная реклама;

hedge their bets – (зд.) уклониться от предоставления фактической информации;

buzzwords – слова, не несущие смысловой нагрузки; hard facts – реальные факты;

bemused – озадаченный;

track record – послужной список, достижения в какой-либо сфере деятельности;

attribute – качественная характеристика.

Ex. 1. Find in the text English equivalents to the following words and phrases:

объявление о вакансии; препятствовать подаче заявления о приеме на работу; обязанности общего характера; слишком; разрекламировать сложные, перспективные задачи; навыки, квалификация и качественные характеристики; слова, не несущие смысловой нагрузки; с оттенком неформальности; потенциальный раздражитель; занять чье-либо место; дополнительные льготы, выплаты; использовать усиленную рекламу; нестандартное мышление; результаты предыдущей деятельности; конкурентоспособная заработная плата; диапазон, «вилка» заработной платы; рекомендации, придерживаться фактической информации.

Ex. 2. Write down Russian equivalents for the following words and phrases:

job ad; to prevent from applying for the position; general duties; over the top; sell the challenges; skills, qualifications and attributes; buzzwords; air of informality; potentially irritating; window into your company; step into smb.’s shoes; benefit package; apply hard sell; thinking outside the box; track record; competitive salary; salary range; references, stick with the hard facts.

40