Failing has such a bad connotation. And no wonder, the process of failing is horrible. The lessons however are priceless. Failure is a great educational tool, an experience that facilitates growth and excellence if you’re willing to learn from it.
The internet has really changed everything. First when Monster came along as the main job-search tool, then when Google took a stand as the top search engine and now social networks are facilitating sharing and communications. Each evolution makes it more difficult to find the right talent. So to attract them, you need to try stuff out. Trying new stuff means failing. The great news is that it’s now cheaper than ever to fail.
But the fact remains that failure is that it’s scary. You’re afraid to try something new because you’ll get fired or reprimanded. So you rationalize your lack of trying by blaming the corporate system – “the company’s just not ready for that.” Unfortunately your candidates are.
CTRL+ALT+DEL
Mitch Joel is known for saying it’s time to Ctrl-Alt-Del your current business processes and start over. Apply the same thinking to your recruitment processes. Recruitment success is going to come to those companies willing to jump fully in to the new trends: employer branding, SEO, media campaigns, SEM, social media, mobile, etc.
Unfortunately, hiding behind outdated processes is just not going to work. If that’s sounds like it’s easier said than done, I’m sorry. That’s just how it is. It’s not only about having your Facebook Page or a Twitter account, it’s about thinking about your industry today and in a few years from now. Where are your candidates going to be? Will there be a shortage or surplus of candidates? What story will your employer brand tell? How are you going to stand out?
Starting today
Planning for tomorrow starts today. Start by reviewing your practices today. How do they measure up to where candidates are? The great thing about the web is that it allows for easy and relatively inexpensive testing. Small media campaigns can lead to larger ones, basic mobile optimized sites can lead to full sites and so on.
It’s time for HR to try new things, fail quickly, learn and grow. What’s your take?
(Photo credit: sometimesdee)
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