What’s Your Hiring Story?

The person you want isn’t going to come out of the woodwork for a job that sounds like the one she already has. She has to hear the story. She has to know why she’d love your job if only she would take a closer look.

Part of that story has to do with your practice. What kind of place is it to work? Why is it that people love to work there? (Hint: Ask your employees!) Are there things you can say that communicate a unique sense of what it’s like there? Things like:

• No one has ever left our firm to go to work for a competitor.
• Two of the firm’s Managing Directors started in this position.

Another part of the story has to do with the job – or role – itself. Lurking behind that job description is a real business need for this hire. What is that? What might look to you like a problem could sound like fun to the right candidate. What can you say about the connection between problem-solving and compensation? For example:

• You will take on engagement management and staffing decisions.
• Increased staff productivity will be a key driver of your incentive compensation.

Finally, your ad needs to be written not to the masses, but almost like a love letter to the very person you have in mind. Why should the right person want this job? If your employees work long hours because they like the intensity and want to make money, don’t be afraid to say that. Alternatively, if they value the work/life balance they enjoy at your practice, say that.

To find the talent you want in BV, you have to cast a pretty wide net. That doesn’t mean the bait shouldn’t be aimed at the one person you want to hire.

When you build your ad from a job description, you’ve written a generic job posting that likely won’t get forwarded among friends because no one wants a generic job. If that job sounds perfect for a friend, it gets forwarded even if the friend isn’t looking.

Contact us if you need help discovering your story.