Author and The Muse co-founder Kathryn Minshew on how HR must adapt to the changing world
Would you balk at the idea of asking acquaintances to tap their networks to help you find a new job? Do you hate candidates sending follow-up messages to find out when you’ll make a hiring decision?
If you answered yes to the above, you’re probably still following the old rules of work – while the elusive talent your company needs is playing by a different set.
“If you want to be able to compete for and win top talent in this new world of work, you have to understand what candidates want and how they’re thinking, so that you, as an employer, can adapt and play by the same rules,” says Kathryn Minshew, co-author of the hit book The New Rules of Work: The Modern Playbook for Navigating Your Career.
Minshew, co-founder of The Muse – a careers site that’s shaking up the world of hiring – will reveal how employers and HR professionals can use the new rules to their advantage, when she speaks at the HR Leaders Summit in November.
Employer branding, she says, is the secret weapon that organizations need to understand – and instead of limiting their hiring strategy to job ads online, companies need to use storytelling and marketing tactics to attract exceptional recruits.
“It’s a candidate’s world right now, which means it’s harder than ever to attract and retain top talent, but it’s not impossible,” Minshew told HRD.
Gone are the days of bland resumés (on paper!), sent in response to a job ad; candidates who shy away from asking questions in job interviews or negotiating compensation packages.
Today, talented recruits already know their dream job – they’ve likely filled in the Muse Grid in Minshew’s book, narrowed down exactly who they want to work for, asked their network for reviews and referrals, and set a bottom line for salary and conditions, all before they seek the role.
That’s why it’s crucial for companies to be clear about who they are, what they stand for, and what they offer their teams, to make it onto those dream job lists, Minshew says.
“Employers have to get creative and build their brand, not only on their own career site, but across multiple channels so they can stay top of mind and meet candidates – both active candidates and passive candidates.
“This can take a lot of forms, from employees’ stories, statements of your values and leadership principles, media – such as photos, video and text – that describes a day in the life at your office, anything that gives people a peek behind the curtain and helps them understand, authentically, what you’re about and what it means to be part of your team.”
Would-be recruits also expect a positive candidate experience: a swift response to their application, any information they need for an interview, feedback on how it went, and an update when they’re no longer being considered.
If the candidate’s a better fit for a job down the track – or ends up working for a partner company – it means they’ll be more inclined to work with your company in future.
It should be obvious to those in human resources, but, adds Minshew, “don’t forget to be human”.
“People don’t trust brands,they trust other people. That means that as a recruiter, as an employer, your employer brand has to come from your people – your employees. Without them, your story won’t be authentic. It’ll just be jargon.
“The bottom line is: treat people – candidates, current employees, etc., well no matter what, and don’t be afraid to bring that humanity to the recruiting and hiring process.”
Kathryn Minshew will speak at the HR Leaders Summit in November. She will also hold a book signing, with free copies of The New Rules of Work – a must-read for any HR professional.
Related stories:
‘Don’t be afraid to lose your best people’
Here’s what employees want in 2018
Want the latest HR news direct to your inbox? Sign up for HRD Canada's daily newsletter.
If you answered yes to the above, you’re probably still following the old rules of work – while the elusive talent your company needs is playing by a different set.
“If you want to be able to compete for and win top talent in this new world of work, you have to understand what candidates want and how they’re thinking, so that you, as an employer, can adapt and play by the same rules,” says Kathryn Minshew, co-author of the hit book The New Rules of Work: The Modern Playbook for Navigating Your Career.
Minshew, co-founder of The Muse – a careers site that’s shaking up the world of hiring – will reveal how employers and HR professionals can use the new rules to their advantage, when she speaks at the HR Leaders Summit in November.
Employer branding, she says, is the secret weapon that organizations need to understand – and instead of limiting their hiring strategy to job ads online, companies need to use storytelling and marketing tactics to attract exceptional recruits.
“It’s a candidate’s world right now, which means it’s harder than ever to attract and retain top talent, but it’s not impossible,” Minshew told HRD.
Gone are the days of bland resumés (on paper!), sent in response to a job ad; candidates who shy away from asking questions in job interviews or negotiating compensation packages.
Today, talented recruits already know their dream job – they’ve likely filled in the Muse Grid in Minshew’s book, narrowed down exactly who they want to work for, asked their network for reviews and referrals, and set a bottom line for salary and conditions, all before they seek the role.
That’s why it’s crucial for companies to be clear about who they are, what they stand for, and what they offer their teams, to make it onto those dream job lists, Minshew says.
“Employers have to get creative and build their brand, not only on their own career site, but across multiple channels so they can stay top of mind and meet candidates – both active candidates and passive candidates.
“This can take a lot of forms, from employees’ stories, statements of your values and leadership principles, media – such as photos, video and text – that describes a day in the life at your office, anything that gives people a peek behind the curtain and helps them understand, authentically, what you’re about and what it means to be part of your team.”
Would-be recruits also expect a positive candidate experience: a swift response to their application, any information they need for an interview, feedback on how it went, and an update when they’re no longer being considered.
If the candidate’s a better fit for a job down the track – or ends up working for a partner company – it means they’ll be more inclined to work with your company in future.
It should be obvious to those in human resources, but, adds Minshew, “don’t forget to be human”.
“People don’t trust brands,they trust other people. That means that as a recruiter, as an employer, your employer brand has to come from your people – your employees. Without them, your story won’t be authentic. It’ll just be jargon.
“The bottom line is: treat people – candidates, current employees, etc., well no matter what, and don’t be afraid to bring that humanity to the recruiting and hiring process.”
Kathryn Minshew will speak at the HR Leaders Summit in November. She will also hold a book signing, with free copies of The New Rules of Work – a must-read for any HR professional.
Related stories:
‘Don’t be afraid to lose your best people’
Here’s what employees want in 2018
Want the latest HR news direct to your inbox? Sign up for HRD Canada's daily newsletter.
