RMN'S Blog
How to Land a Great Candidate
It is one endeavor to identify a great candidate. To land the candidate is a whole other endeavor. Building a great team happens by adding one great member at a time.
Talented attorneys are in demand and have options. Here are my recommendations for you to not lose your top candidates:
Compensation has to be competitive in the marketplace
In today’s world, it is not difficult to discover what packages competitors are offering as compensation. You want to make sure that what you are offering is where the candidate needs you to be. This is the market reality that employers will have to accept.
Keep in mind, also, that there is a difference between the “price” and the “value.” Just because a salary seems lower doesn’t mean it is of less value—consider what the other benefits, pressures, expectations, or billable requirements are.
Sell
Great candidates aren’t just looking for a job and a salary—most are looking for the right opportunity. As the employer, you want to attract them to your team and present them with a compelling reason why they should accept an offer. The best candidates may even expect to be courted and convinced.
Your final interviews should demonstrate to the candidates that your firm is a great place to work and that you are very interested in them. Make sure that your team sells the merits of both the opportunity and your firm to each candidate as part of your agenda.
As you do this, make sure you avoid critical mistakes.
Move Quickly
No one who has invested the time to go through an interview process wants to be left waiting. We are all looking for quick feedback and a smooth process. Delays can raise doubts, regardless of the eventual outcome of the interviews. It also creates a window for your candidates to shop around and for other employers to court your candidate.
You must move quickly to close the deal to keep interest levels high. This makes it easier for great candidates to say “yes.” It also demonstrates a desire to get the candidate on board and contributing as soon as possible.
Plan
Make it a point to think through your interview process and who will be involved.
You want to strike the right balance so that you can coordinate a smooth interview process. Interviewers should be prepared with an agenda that is aligned with the firm and the right candidates. Providing each interviewer with a list of planned questions and a scorecard with the key search criteria outlined helps to mitigate this risk. Provide the interviewers with some creative leeway. This allows a way to score everyone on the same standards as well as an opportunity to demonstrate their individuality.
If you are not currently recruiting, evaluate your strategy and procedures and make sure that your efforts drive diversity and inclusion.
Choose the right search committee and interviewers. Remember that landing the right attorney is worth the investment.
