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Employment Today™


"HOW TO SNATCH A "STAR"!"

Dear Kathryn:

Before I "rob" my neighbor, I thought I'd consult you.

I'm the human resource manager of a specialty cable company in search of an engineer with some specific qualifications. I've advertised on the Internet, put the position out to two national recruiters and am not coming up with the specific experience we need. I know for a fact that my company's competition has two excellent employees that I'd love to persuade to come here. I've provided their names to the two recruiters; however they were unsuccessful in their attempts to persuade them to make a move. I know it's underhanded, but I need their talent and we offer some perks and growth potential they're not getting.

What do you think?

LISA Y., Enfield, MA

Dear Lisa:

In this market filled with uncertainty, there's been an explosion of employee "head hunting".

Before you dial up your hot prospects, understand the methodology employed by the recruiters you engaged. Try and probe with the recruiters as to what the candidates' response was to their pitch. Your understanding of why there was a lack of interest/response to the recruiter's efforts will provide further insight as to how to structure your pitch. Know your target candidate's goals, desires, likes and dislikes. Only then can you make that effective call!

The next step, if you're truly desperate to rob candidates from your neighbor, is to call the desired candidates yourself. You can begin the call by asking if they know anyone that might be looking for this kind of special opportunity or be blunt and address the opportunity you're presenting right off. It's smart to give them the option of calling them that night at home or to meet them for lunch. The in-person meeting is when you'll establish a relationship and slowly plant the seed of their making a job change.

Know this-while a few candidates are motivated by a big dollar boost alone, it's more likely that striking their emotional chord and understanding their motivators will be the most effective approach. A candidate will be turned on when they hear how and why they'd have a positive impact on your company. How you'll be able to use their talents and why the customized job of their dreams would suit them and the company to a "T".

If you get the flat-out feeling there's no hope to move them now, keep it positive and sell your company, then ask for referrals. Keep up the correspondence as your positive meeting is only the first step to getting this star talent on your team, even if it's at a later date.

Dear Kathryn:

I'm in an exempt position, expected to work weekends and nights. That's okay, but I'm getting no consideration on the other end.

I've needed to leave early (an hour) twice a week for chiropractor's appointments and will need to do so for the next two months. As the other three days a week my boss will find my car in my parking space from 7am to 7pm, I didn't feel I needed to get his permission to accommodate my doctor's appointments. I just received a nasty e-mail stating I'm not the company president and can't just disappear when I'd like. I'm of the mind to email him back, telling him I'll happily exchange my 70-hour weeks for 40 -hour ones and forget about the two hours weekly he's so miffed about.

What's your suggestion?

MARIANNE Y., Hamden, CT

Dear Marianne:

Go ahead and vent by writing down your frustration that you're experiencing with your ignorant boss, however don't send that email! My guess is your boss is ticked because you didn't tell him about leaving early and the reasons for it. Most likely, he was surprised when he went to speak with you and SURPRISE--the always-present -Marianne was gone!

Personally visit him and explain that you have important appointments that can't be scheduled at any other time. Follow up by saying that it surely shouldn't impact your work as you pull so many hours and if necessary, you'll be in early the next morning to pick up the pieces from the night before.

As you're obviously in a position of responsibility, avoiding the exempt status is probably impossible. Smooth that devil's ruffled feathers and I bet you won't have problems again if you keep him in the loop.