Recruiting a “Game Changer” Candidate
Here is a great summary of an article by Dr. John Sullivan, an HR and Hiring expert on hiring top level, game changing candidates. It was stimulated by the recent league wide recruitment of superstar basketball player Lebron James and the lessons it provided on recruiting any candidate that could significantly impact your business results.
“Game changer” recruitment requires more sophisticated approach
14 July 2010 6:16am
A top performer can generate substantially more revenue for an organisation than someone who is average, but the approach required to bring one on board differs dramatically from typical recruitment, says HR expert Dr John Sullivan.
In an article on ere.net, he describes NBA basketball team Miami Heat’s recent signing of star player LeBron James as “the most sophisticated recruiting effort executed in this century”.
Sports teams and corporations alike need all the game-changers, innovators and exceptional performers they can get, Sullivan says, pointing out that Google estimates a top performer generates three hundred times more revenue than an average performer.
Organisations can learn three key lessons from Miami Heat, he says.
Calculate the economic value of a game-changer
Most recruiting managers focus on the cost-per-hire metric, ignoring the potential return or the economic impacts that recruiting a game-changer will have, Sullivan says.
“When doing calculations, remember that the economic impacts of acquiring a game-changer are not limited to their direct contributions, but also include the attraction of investors and other high-calibre recruits that will also impact the performance of the organisation.
“In addition, recruiting a game-changer from a direct competitor may significantly impact their ability to compete. Once your executives understand the startling economic value, they will support the use of a game-changing recruiting approach.”
Realise that game-changers are different
Game-changers, innovators and top performers “truly are different and must be recruited in a unique manner, Sullivan says. Traditional recruiting models won’t work, because they don’t accommodate superstar personalities, unusual expectations and an array of influencers.
He says that while all game-changers are not alike, they have certain characteristics in common, including that they are:
Not looking for a job – and they are almost certainly treated well where they are;
Powerful – they understand their value and their importance, and expect to be treated differently; and
Difficult to approach – they are busy and in demand. To make contact, recruiters need assistance from someone who influences them.
Game-changers are often cynical of strangers and need a strong relationship built on trust before they will consider an offer, Sullivan adds.
Shift to a game-changing recruiting approach
The main difference between game-changing and traditional recruitment is the level of effort put into truly understanding the candidate and their needs, Sullivan says.
The game-changing approach is market-research and sales driven, resulting in a sophisticated candidate profile, covering the candidate’s job search process, how best to contact them, and their job acceptance decision criteria.
“This in-depth profile takes a significant amount of time and resources but is necessary if you want to have a realistic chance of success,” Sullivan says.
He recommends 10 activities, which include:
Identify the factors that trigger a job search – a combination of a positive job opportunity and a negative triggering factor in their current situation is needed. “Such events might include a corporate merger, management turnover, corporate scandal, or a significant cut to their budget”;
Determine who must do the recruiting – game-changers often expect to be contacted by professionals of a similar stature;
Identify the factors that will grab their attention initially – make sure that compelling information on those factors is clearly available on the sites they routinely visit;
Identify the decision criteria they will use to accept an interview – this requires extensive research and benchmarking, and some guesswork;
Identify who will influence their decision – game-changers are more likely than others to consult with and seek the advice of friends; and
Develop a counter-offer strategy – the normal reaction of a game-changer is to stay put in a known environment, Sullivan says. You need to research what their counter offer is likely to be, and prepare a compelling strategy to overcome it.
