|
Part -
I
In research for my
upcoming book, I interviewed one of my wisest and most inspirational
professors, Jim Collins, author of From Good to Great... Why Some
Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't. The free-flowing
discussion with him reminded me that the framework for transforming good
results into great ones can be applied not only to enduring
organizations and leaders but to activities like recruiting as well.
For those of us involved
in recruiting, we can commiserate on the fact that it's been an
especially challenging time. The aftermath of 9/11, a tumultuous market,
global economic woes, the wave of corporate wrongdoing, and an uncertain
hiring picture are the landscape upon which we must execute our own
recruiting strategies and plans.
Still, forecasts are
pointing to a slight upturn in the economy, which translates into a
great opportunity to build for the future. Getting ready for when the
recruiting cycle heats up again should be the main focus now. What we've
currently got is a window of opportunity to start up or re-energize our
college and MBA recruiting, all the while enjoying an abundance of
talented candidates and the luxury of time to refine our efforts and
build a program from good to great. Here's a top ten list that I hope
will inspire you and provide some food for thought as the school year
starts up again and you consider your recruiting efforts.
1. Know what's important. What's important to you and
your organization? What's important to those you want to recruit?
For you, the recruiter:
What are the ideal candidates in terms of qualities, experiences, and
competencies? What kinds of schools/programs offer the backgrounds and
customer-service experiences you want? Approximately how many do you
need to hire and into which groups, and ideally when? What do you need
to do internally to make your recruiting efforts effective? Who are your
recruiting champions, who are your detractors, and how do you engage
them? What resources do you need to be successful?
|
