Does it seem like there are “Hiring now!” ads everywhere? You’re not imagining it. As ag and feed companies gear up for the busy spring planting season, there are many open positions. Sadly, it may also seem like qualified candidates are few and far between.
We know it can be tempting to hire anyone who can fog a mirror or pass a drug test. However, before you post a job description requiring applicants to “have a pulse,” please take a beat. Remember, the average cost of a single bad hire is nearly $15,000—and that doesn’t include the time, energy, and resources you’ve dedicated to recruiting and interviewing the, uh, wrong person.
With this in mind, here are 4 straightforward ways to approach hiring and interviewing, no matter how tough the labor market is.
1. Stand out from the crowd.
With real and virtual signs everywhere—Now hiring! All jobs! All shifts!—you MUST stand out from the competition. Your ad needs to grab the attention of a potential candidate AND convey something about the values and culture of your business. Consider:
- Including pictures. Ads with pictures are more likely to get noticed. Some ideas: A photo of the animals your business feeds. A shot of your employees working and having fun together. A picture of your team helping a smiling customer or engaging with the larger community.
- Focusing on the business and the culture. Convey what’s special about your company culture. Do you appreciate silly humor? Is there a monthly BBQ? Do you offer job training and career development? Flexible hours? Whatever it is, call out (with words and pictures!) what makes your business different from—and better than—the competition.
- Expanding your visibility. From the community center and public library to the high school or a popular coffee shop, think outside the box for where you might find your perfect candidates. A great example: When our landscaping client needed physically fit employees for a demanding outdoor job, they posted an ad at the local gym that read, “We’ll pay you to work out!”
2. Nail the job description
If you’re unsure about how to describe your company culture in a job posting, ask your current team what they like about their job and the work environment. Listen for words that describe values, like “fun,” “respectful,” and “collaborative.” You might even ask an employee to write the ad—it’s a great way to recognize hard work and make folks feel engaged and valued.
Keep your ears peeled for valuable tidbits, too. During a recent conversation with one of our client teams, an employee said, “My worst day here is better than my best day anywhere else.” This high praise is a PERFECT sentiment to include in an ad!
Here’s another tip: Tell your employees you want to hire more people like them—do they know anyone who might be a good fit? You might even consider setting up an employee referral program, paying the employee a bonus at the time of a new candidate’s hire and at three or six months.
3. Conduct an interview (yes—even for just one applicant!)
A job interview is a reflection of your business, so use this time—20-30 minutes—to set expectations with prospective employees from the get-go. For example:
- When you show up on time with a list of behavioral-based questions inspired by the candidate’s resume or application, you reveal core values like punctuality, preparation, and initiative.
- When you ask questions about how a person solved an actual challenge, you show you care about real responses, not idealized hypotheticals.
- When you smile, make eye contact, and listen carefully, you communicate your values around respect, courtesy, and customer service.
4. A word about “behavioral-based questions”
Behavioral-based questions, which we mentioned above, focus on how someone has navigated actual situations, not on how they might respond to a hypothetical challenge or problem.
Instead of asking, “Tell me how you would handle X,” you say, “Tell me how you did handle X” The difference is subtle. But, since past performance is the best indicator of future performance, the language shift will help you get a sense of an applicant’s past actions and decisions so you feel confident about making them an offer.
(Watch a 5-minute video on assessing the responses to these questions.)
Keep your standards high—and then make the best hiring decisions you can
Remember, you can make a job offer based on whatever criteria you want—even if it’s “has a drug-free body with a pulse.” If you also embrace a few simple, practical marketing and interviewing strategies along the way, you’ll find the best candidate out there, and be miles ahead of the competition when the busy season begins.
Need guidance about making great hires or keeping your current employees motivated and engaged? Send us an email, and we’ll assess what’s good, and what could be better, in your business.