The Regional Sales Manager for the Midwest has taken a job with a competitor. The seat has been open for two months, the sales force is losing focus, key clients are uncertain about the company’s direction, and the ideal candidate is dying for the job, just waiting for an offer.

You would think that the story has a happy ending, with the candidate getting the offer, the company being proactive in filling the position with a top manager, and the sales force getting the direction it has been lacking. Unfortunately, more often than not, the candidate goes elsewhere, and the position remains unfilled for months until a less qualified candidate eventually taking the job. How can this happen?

In nearly 15 years of recruiting I have noticed that there are three major things that companies do time and time again that causes them to lose out on top candidates. With a shrinking labor pool caused by an increased number of Baby Boomers headed to retirement, a lack of skilled workers being groomed to replace them, and a growing industry, it is more important than ever the hiring authority avoid these all too common missteps.

1. Creating an Adversarial Relationship: Yes, you have a wish list of preferred skill sets for your next hire. And it is important that you, human resources and the executive team make sure that all key qualifications are met. But keep in mind that this is a “recruiting” process. If you don’t recruit the candidate to your organization, creating a warm environment where an individual feels that he/she can reach their professional potential; do you really think they are going to accept your offer? After you determine that the candidate might be a good fit, take the time to accentuate all the positive things that both your organization and the specific position have to offer.


2. Delays, delays, delays: Coordinating executive calendars can be difficult, but it is really necessary to delay making a decision so the Regional Sales Manager can meet the Accounts Receivable Supervisor? Obviously your Human Resources team has numerous open positions at any one time, but it is incumbent on your organization to have an interview process that has a beginning, middle and end? If you force a candidate to bring a candidate back more than two or three times, there is a great chance that another company will swoop in and secure that candidate before you even have a chance to put an offer together. Understand that any top candidate is probably in discussion with 2 or 3 other companies. There is no requirement to be loyal to their discussions with you until there is an offer on the table. Just as with sales, time kills all deals.


3. Waiting For Perfection: Sure, he has done the job, lives in the city we need him in, and is in your salary range, but maybe there is someone just a little bit better out there. There is nothing more frustrating for the executive search professional than the client who has the candidate that meets virtually all of their requirements in front of them, and their response is “but I’d like to see four or five comparison candidates.” What does this really accomplish? If the star candidate has all of the pieces, will seeing four inferior candidates do anything more than cause you to lose this top person to your competitor? Far too often, companies learn this lesson the hard way.

While there are no absolutes when dealing with people, if your organization creates a positive recruiting environment, that moves swiftly and can hone in on the candidate it desires when it sees him, there is a very good chance you will fill your open positions with talented people who want to help your organization achieve its goals.

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