In the dynamic landscape of the US market, where trust and integrity are pivotal, small businesses are facing an escalating challenge: the rising tide of corporate and white-collar crime. This landscape necessitates a vigilant approach to ensure the authenticity and credibility of your workforce – ideally at the start. I actually wrote the bestseller “Taking off the Mask” after observing the sad reality that over 30% of all bankruptcies in the USA were due to employee theft. And the stats are increasing…
In the ever-evolving landscape of business, the next year will bring forth a new set of challenges in the realm of talent acquisition. In this article, we delve into the intricacies of these challenges and explore why small businesses/practices are particularly affected. Moreover, we offer innovative strategies for small businesses to not only compete with larger employers but also thrive by leveraging the power of effective employer branding.
In the realm of sales, where competition is fierce and success is measured in numbers, a league of extraordinary sales representatives has risen to the top of the echelons. These sales dynamos, like Chris Gardner and Mary Kay Ash, have not only redefined the art of selling but have also etched their names in the annals of business history.
Did you know that selling remains one of the least wanted positions on the employment market? Yet it also remains one of – if not THE most important position to fill, especially for small businesses. The “Nothing happens until someone has sold something” adage applies more than ever before to all organizations which are expansion driven.
THE MEANING OF “PERSONALITY”
Let’s start with that word, because it lies at the bottom of all confusions. The American heritage Dictionary provides a very interesting definition:
“The totality of qualities and traits, as of character or behavior, that are peculiar to a specific person. Or: The collection of distinctive qualities of a person, especially those distinguishing personal characteristics that make one socially appealing – or not.”
A few years ago, the Harvard Business Review (“HBR”) presented, in an article titled “The Value of Happiness”, much scientific evidence that employee well-being does indeed drive higher profits.
As outlined in a whole series of articles, the HBR demonstrated that when people are happier, they’re healthier and they strive to accomplish more. They work better in teams, and they’re more immune to burnout. Putting employee and customer happiness at the top of your business goals is a guaranteed strategy for success
51% OF HIRING FAILURES OCCUR… AFTER THE HIRE
So, you hired your best applicant and now you hope it will work out well for all. Well, your job as a recruiter/employer is not finished – in fact, it just started...
NEVER OFFER THE JOB BEFORE DOING THESE 3 THINGS
You remember from lesson #4 that subjectivity is a deadly proposal in talent acquisition. From a technical & legal viewpoint, you need to ensure optimal objectivity throughout the hiring process. You can dramatically increase objectivity by including in your recruitment procedure three actions which act as “insurance policies” in order to optimize the odd of success in your selection:
Test for soft skills
Reference checks
Background checks
In lesson three, I mentioned that per our experience, 53% of resumes contain lies and over 30% of them contain gross lies. So, you definitely want to detect during the recruitment process any possibility of FALSE or temporary personality traits, otherwise called “masks” (see lesson #3).
Here is a harsh reality many small business owners do not think about: Just as much as the success of your business depends on its personnel, so does its failure. According to the FBI, corporate theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. It’s bigger than identity theft, cyber fraud, credit card theft and internet scams.
What is the most important role of a CEO or business owner? You might be shocked by our suggested answer: You have got to be a great head hunter! One thing Steve Jobs knew was that people do not work for organizations - they work for people! As the head of your company, you must be able and willing to be THE talent attractor - and there are many things you cand o to attract the best who will want to work hard for you.