7 steps to building a recruiting engine that works

How important are your employees, really? �

Ben Yoskovitz!@byosko!

byosko@gmail.com!http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericfarkas/5574078680/!

“I’ve never had a hard time hiring great people!”

– said no one ever �

HR is one step above janitorial staff�

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fxp/2333755312/!

HR people are NOT recruiters �

http://www.flickr.com/photos/st3f4n/3493855156/!

Recruiting = sales �

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vermazeren/6283638731/!

Recruiting is top down�

Founder of Tesla &

Space X!

Always Be Recruiting (ya, right!) �

Most companies are meh. �

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tai_mcqueen/1854692822/!

So how do you hire great people? �

It takes a LOT of work�

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reallyboring/5203357138/!

Few companies bother putting the work in.�

“Asses in seats” is not a recruitment strategy�

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mybloodyself/2189659383/!

✓ They want to be challenged�✓ They want to work on interesting things �✓ They want to learn�✓ They want to work with equally talented people �✓ They want to be treated with respect �✓ They want to be listened to �✓ They want to know what’s going on�✓ They want to be recognized for their work�✓ They want perks that make their lives easier �

�

What do the best people want? �

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68751915@N05/6551534889/!

They want to be �

paid well�

Brain drain happens.�

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sinistraeliberta/3681513185/!

You stop it by building �

great companies. �

7 Steps to Building a

Recruiting Engine That Works �

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50191917@N06/4604110691/!

Recruiting = Finding the Right People at the

Right Time �

#1: Build a great career site �

✓ A boring list of jobs isn’t enough�

✓ You need a story people care about �

✓ You need to sell it �✓ You need a “home base”

to point people to �

#2: Do your homework�

✓ Make a list of every relevant company�

✓  Then make a list of every relevant employee at those companies �

✓ Use every tool you can (FB, LinkedIn, Twitter, GitHub, news sites, etc.) �

✓  Think of this like your CRM for recruiting �

#3: Build your network�

✓  Engage online & offline �✓  Identify community

leaders and connect with them (in universities too!) �

✓ Participate and lead �✓  This is a long-term

investment �✓ You want to know what’s

going on with everyone all the time �

http://tacticshr.com

#4: Hunting (Part 1) �

OK, you’ve got a job to fill, now what? �

✓ You should have a few candidates in mind right away�

✓ Leverage employee referrals (they love working there after all, right???) �

✓ Promote like crazy into the community (you’ve built the reputation & brand, now use it!) �

#5: Hunting (Part 2) �

✓ Personalized messages �✓ Be relevant �✓  Focus on what matters to

them (not you) �✓ Keep the messages short�

#6: Build an interview process �1. Prescreen!

2. “Get to know you” interview!

3. Tech interview!

4. Build an app!

5. App review!

6. Final interview!

✓ More extensive is almost always better �✓ Don’t skip steps�✓ Don’t lower your standards�✓  Include a practical component �✓ Have candidates speak with multiple

people �

#7: Rinse and repeat �

http://www.flickr.com/photos/br5ad/8098870211/!

✓ Constantly build your network�✓ Constantly promote your

brand�✓ Constantly connect �✓ Constantly track�✓ Constantly refine the process �

Hire slow, fire fast?�

NO!�Hire fast, fire fast.�

THANK YOU! �Reach me here: �

•  byosko@gmail.com�•  http://instigatorblog.com�•  http://twitter.com/byosko �