By Paula Santonocito, AIRS Staff Writer
Open positions to fill, open positions to fill. There are times it seems any live, or even luke-warm bodies, would fit the bill. They'd surely accomplish something.
But who are you looking for? And what are you willing to offer in exchange for that vital human presence?
Perhaps it's time to rethink the plan. (Plan? What plan?) Exactly. Start by reviewing the job description for each open position, and evaluate what is needed. This means taking a hard look at categories like education and experience. Is a college degree necessary? Will a specific certificate suffice? Can certain courses substitute for diplomas and/or certificates?
What about work experience? Do you really need a person with five years experience to deliver office supplies?
The same is true with regard to skills and skill levels. Certain skills are transferable, and job descriptions should be reviewed with this in mind. If a person doesn't have sales experience, for example, but has been involved in some aspect of customer service, he or she may have the makings of a sales dynamo. In the case of the office supply delivery person, is a clean driving record necessary? Or will a good driving record get the job done (despite the possibility of higher insurance premiums)?
Step Back and Focus
While this review process may sound basic, in the throes of daily activity it's sometimes hard to step back and objectively assess the situation, let alone find ways to try and improve it. The first step is focusing on your candidate.
Then, once you've solidified who it is you're looking for, you need to decide what you're willing to pay. While it's a candidate's market, there are guidelines. It helps to know what the competition is paying, and in this regard salary surveys can help.
Salary Info versus the Bottom Line
Salary.com and CareerJournal.com's "Salaries By Industry" are places where salary ranges for a variety of positions and industries can be found. At Salary.com, salary reports can be obtained by metropolitan area. General reports with rates of pay based on national averages are also available. At CareerJournal, salary information tends to be of a general nature, although sometimes specific regions are noted.
But, the bottom line comes down to your bottom line. You need to have a salary structure in place that works for your organization. Recognizing, however, that compensation encompasses more than the paycheck itself, take a look at the total package. Sign-on bonuses, profit sharing, and stock options all fall under the big financial umbrella. CareerJournal.com may offer some assistance in these areas. "Banking Executives" salary information, for example, is broken down by actual salary, cash bonuses, deferred compensation, and total compensation.
The Intangible Enticements
And then there are those candidates who are not chasing the dollar. People making career changes, those desiring lifestyle changes, individuals wishing to relocate-these and others are among the campers seeking to use the word "job" and "happy" in the same sentence. What can you offer them?
Again, part of the solution lies in taking a look at the job description, this time with attention to how you're able to accommodate a candidate in exchange for a work commitment. Attention to this area will enable you expand your market. Is there an opportunity to work off-site? What about flextime? The same holds true with regard to the company benefits plan. Are there options from which to choose, or is it vanilla ice cream for everybody?
Granted, certain changes may not be possible, particularly when it comes to group benefits plans. And some positions, by nature of the work performed, may not lend themselves to as many options as others. If you need a receptionist to greet incoming customers, it's unlikely this person can work from home. Virtual receptionist? Perhaps not, though perhaps some day.
The paradigm has shifted and continues to shift. Instead of clinging to outdated ideas, why not shift the parameters of the jobs for which you're recruiting? In an age where technology and unprecedented economic growth have come together to allow for an exciting level of creativity, there is ample opportunity for every organization to find workable solutions.
-- Paula Santonocito is a writer and communications professional who has written about a variety of business and management issues and is now a contributor to AIRS research. This article is reprinted by permission from AIRS, a global leader in Internet recruitment, tools, news and information. For more information on AIRS, please go to: http://www.CollegeRecruiter.com/pages/airs.php. Copyright © Hanover Capital Management Corporation 1997-2001. All Rights Reserved.
