Wednesday Wisdom: Back in a Flash

Dear Claudia,

I hired a senior manager for my company about six months ago, a complete rockstar with heavy industry experience and credibility. It was a big deal that we were able to get her, and she was excited about what she would get to do at our company. She took us all by surprise when she announced she is going back to her old employer last week; we all thought she was a great hire, and nobody saw this coming. How do you know when a hire isn’t working out? And when can I relax because my job as recruiter is finished after the hire?

Really Bummed

Dear RB,

Wow – This one hit where it hurts, doesn’t it? Not only did you lose a good employee, now you also have to go back and fill the position all over again.

If it makes you feel any better, I'm not sure that we can ever fully know what is going on inside of another person. But I do think that there is a window of vulnerability for each new hire when, if we’re not careful to reinforce the deal just made, we do indeed face the possibility of losing them. The trick is in knowing where your hire is standing in that window.

Buyer’s remorse is a common reaction to job change; both candidates and hiring managers can get it before, during, and after the hire. It's important to help these parties rationally negotiate the emotional effects of a transition.

I've noticed that Superstars are at special risk of rethinking a decision post-hire, though. If they’ve been a superior performer elsewhere, it’s natural to assume they’ll pick right up again at your company. But what if the contribution they made in the old job isn’t recognized in the same way at the new one? What if the connection to the former boss or peers isn’t replaced with the new? And what if maintaining high performance is more difficult in the new business culture than it was in the old? Loyalty, environment, and expectations – all of these can affect performance in the new role…and you may argue that these issues are not your responsibility as a recruiter, but they certainly become your problem when the role has to be filled again. Retention is as much the corporate recruiter’s business as anyone else’s.

Why do people do their best work? And why do they leave their employers? Clearly motivation takes many forms; but from a recruiting perspective, retention becomes an issue when trust and transparency haven’t been well established during the hiring process.

As a recruiter, you can impact trust and transparency by maintaining strong relationships with your candidates at every stage of the employment life cycle. Keep talking with them after the ink dries on the offer letter, and don’t stop asking questions about their satisfaction in the transition. It could be one of the most basic interventions you do for the business you serve, and one of the most profitable.

**

In my day job, I’m the head of Products for Improved Experience, where we help employers use feedback to measure and manage engagement for competitive advantage in hiring and retention. Learn more about us here.

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Albright on September 10, 2008 at 8:24am

Dear Really Bummed,

Perhaps we can start with the term "Rock Star". Your choice of that label tells me you just assumed they would also crank out new "hits" as soon as they hit your corporate stage. It's almost as if you thought you had hired a money machine. Or maybe you put this new "rock star" in the spotlight so much that other team members decided to black ball her? People need to feel good about the team they are on. If they do - they stay.

Regardless of "alleged" track record - every employee needs to have a bit more hand holding while they acclimate than it appears you did. Being that surprised when someone leaves in 6 months tells me that nobody on the team had struck up a solid relationship with your "rock star".

Maybe next time you could be a little less "star struck" and actually involve yourself or a manager in truly getting to know the person you've just hired.