The Better Deal Theory
In 1973, Robert Ringer wrote a bestselling book called Winning Through Intimidation. Much of it is a formula for how not to recruit top talent. Artifice and bullying aren't going to get you very far when you're trying to reach people who have recruiters chasing them every single day. On the other hand, one of his ideas-the Better Deal Theory-offers a rare insight into exactly what it takes to connect with and sell the "A" level performers that your organization needs in order to succeed.
The Better Deal Theory states "... that before a person closes any kind of a deal-including marriage-he always worries about the fact that there may be a better deal down the road. It's an uncontrollable instinct: at the last moment, the thought has to at least occur to a person that he might be missing out on a better deal somewhere else." Now, I'm not sure how relationship and marriage counselors would view this notion, but in recruiting, it's dead on. The people who have the most choices-the best and brightest in the workforce-are always concerned that they are going to under-sell themselves or miss out on a better opportunity by accepting the offer they have today (from you) rather then the one they might get tomorrow.
This phenomenon, of course, is not unique to "A" level performers. It afflicts all of us. No matter how many times we repeat the lesson, somewhere deep down inside, there's always the belief that the grass is greener someplace else. For those of us in recruiting, however, this notion underscores the importance of being very selective in the kinds of information we provide when crafting our organization's value proposition as an employer. In essence, we must use only the information that will cause a top prospect to move past the "point of no return"-to accept that our offer is the single best deal for them.
How do we formulate such a message?
First, it's important to recognize that there is a hierarchy of information for top talent. Not all information is of equal value to them. We have to know the hierarchy because these prospects have the attention span of a gnat. They simply aren't going to wade through a lot of text to find the information they want. Either it's easy to access or they're gone.
To prevent their premature departure, therefore, we must front-load our messaging. We have to lead with the information that is most important to them. In practical terms, front-loading means inserting the required information in the first five lines of your job postings, on the front page of the Career area on your corporate site and at the beginning of any collateral you produce for career fairs and campus visits. It should be the first thing they read and, equally as important, the information that is emphasized with word choice, graphics and format.
Second, it's important to use the right hierarchy. Unfortunately, the information we typically provide in our recruitment messaging-job requirements and responsibilities-is not what the top talent most wants to see. This information is important, of course, but it's not what motivates the top talent to see an offer as the best deal for them. And it's that realization which we must accomplish first. We must get them beyond the point of no return, and then we can tell them about the specifics of the job.
A 2004 Recruiting Roundtable study provides some insight into the kinds of information that matters most to "A" level performers. It found the following hierarchy (in descending order of importance):
The day-to-day experiences a person will have as an employee
The type of person the organization wants to hire
What is expected of the person in performing the job
The type of work that will be performed
The skills and competencies necessary for successful job performance.
In other words, if we want to convince the best talent that there is no better deal than ours, we have to lead with our strength. We have to front load our message with information about the day-to-day employment experience in our organization and the type of people who will succeed there. If (and only if) that communication is persuasive will they then consider our specific opportunity to determine whether it is a good fit for them.
Thanks for reading,
Peter
Who is Peter Weddle? Peter Weddle is a recruiter, HR consultant and business CEO turned author and commentator. Described by The Washington Post as "... a man filled with ingenious ideas," he has earned an international reputation, pioneering concepts in Human Resource leadership and employment. He has authored or edited over two dozen books and been a columnist for The Wall Street Journal, The National Business Employment Weekly and CNN.com. Today, he writes two newsletters that are distributed worldwide and oversees WEDDLE's LLC, a print publisher specializing in the field of human resources. WEDDLE's annual Guides and Directory to job boards are recognized for their accuracy and helpfulness, leading the American Staffing Association to call Weddle the "Zagat of the online employment industry."
© Copyright 2008 WEDDLE's LLC.
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