The document provides tips for employers on defining job requirements, interviewing candidates, and retaining top talent. It recommends clearly defining the needed skills for a role rather than focusing only on industry experience. It also suggests having candidates describe past achievements in detail and asking top candidates about their career goals to better understand them. The document stresses that employers play a key role in developing and retaining the best people by showing genuine interest in their success and growth.

1. Employer
&
Recruiter
Tip
Mark Swartz,
Career Coach

2. 1. DEFINE WHAT
YOUR NEW HIRE
NEEDS TO DO

3. 1. DEFINE WHAT YOUR NEW HIRE NEEDS TO DO
By first defining exactly what you need accomplished, crafting a
compelling job posting, and then hiring to those requirements, you
may well open your eyes to an ideal candidate you would otherwise
not have considered.
For instance, a marketing services firm typically hired salespeople from
within its industry. But the company’s two top salespeople previously
sold in completely unrelated industries.
Defining what made these two successful -- their ability to open doors
and be hands-on in the delivery of solutions -- was the key to hiring
more similar salespeople. Industry experience was helpful, but only
when added to these two fundamental skills.

4. 2. HAVE CANDIDATES
DESCRIBE IN DETAIL
THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS

5. 2. HAVE CANDIDATES DESCRIBE IN DETAIL
THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS
Ask all candidates to give details in the first person on what they have
accomplished in past roles and jobs. Use behavioural questions to
elicit the circumstances, actions taken, and results achieved.
This is not always easy. Many people want to describe things in the
plural, saying, “We did this; we did that.” This does not necessarily
mean they are trying to fool you, but neither does it help you
understand what a candidate accomplished personally.
Lay the ground rules early, and keep people on track throughout the
interview. If someone cannot describe in detail how he accomplished
something, the candidate may be overstating his involvement in the
accomplishment.

6. 3.
ASK YOUR
TOP CANDIDATES
WHAT THEY WANT

7. 3. ASK YOUR TOP CANDIDATES WHAT THEY WANT
If you are genuinely interested in a job seeker, communicate that
interest by taking the time to understand what the candidate is really
looking for in his next role. Take the time to ask questions that will
help you learn about the person’s goals and desires.
What you learn may help you shape the job description for the people
you ultimately hire. You’ll also be conveying that you take a genuine
interest in these people, and few executives do that during the
interview process. As a result, you will stand out in their minds.
If your interest is sincere, this is one of the most effective recruiting
tools at your disposal.

8. 4.
YOU ARE THE KEY TO
GETTING AND
KEEPING THE BEST

9. 4. YOU ARE THE KEY TO GETTING
AND KEEPING THE BEST
The best people want opportunities to do the best projects, to work
with the best clients, and to develop personally and professionally.
These people can always get a job (even in a down economy), but they
have a hard time finding an organization (and a boss) that is actively
interested in helping them develop and achieve.
Write down the name of the best boss you ever had. Why did you love
working for this person? Chances are, it wasn’t her intelligence or
technical ability. More likely, confidence was the key. The best bosses
believe in themselves and their people, and this translates into a work
environment compelling enough to entice a talented person to take a
job and stay with it.

10. more on this topic:
The Key To Hiring And Keeping The Best
more Employer/Recruiter/HR advice:
http://hiring.monster.ca/hr/hr-best-practices.aspx
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