The Team Is An Important Hiring Feature

Sez Scoobie. Dog Lady Agrees

Gretchen Ledgard and husband, Josh, picked the winners on Recruiting.com's Post of the Week.

And, I've got to admit that I was surprised to see that Josh is so witty:

I liked the post because it should make you realize that, as a hiring manager or recruiter, you can't attract talent with job content and job descriptions alone.

You have to form a team of passionate people with whom top candidates want to work.

Remember, it's not just about the Red Sox;
it's also about the Red Sox Nation.

I've never realized that the team means so much to a candidate. And, to tell the truth, it doesn't seem
that way in my work.

But I don't work with programmers. Especially elite programmers. So it might be a matter of differing environments.

Sometimes, a candidate will come to me who joined a firm because she liked the manager who hired her only to have him quit the month after she was hired. And she doesn't like the new guy.

But candidates rarely seem to have exposure to the rest of the team before being hired.

Shmoopy, however, agrees with her husband. (It's a Microsoft thang).

I was also amused to see that Gretchen had pangs of guilt when she and picked Guy Kawasaki, a non-recruiter.

I suffered the same uncertainty when I judged and I still picked him, too. So, I think that means he must be good.

Canadian Headhunter

Comments

[Chris Taylor]

I always tell recruiters and line managers that the team is the most important component of the job. If I don't like the team, I'm not staying. It overrides all other considerations, including compensation. There are millions of jobs with crappy teams that pay well. You have to work a little harder to find jobs with great teams that pay well.

[Gretchen]

I didn't feel guilty about picking a non-recruiter as much as I felt guilty about picking a "celebrity." I figure the blog awards and post of the week awards are all about introducing readers to lesser known bloggers. As Brian Toland said, Guy might as well play for the Yankees. :)

[Canadian Headhunter]

That was actually my problem too (or one of them). Here's what I said:

"I tend to think the blogosphere belongs to as "the little guy" vs the MSM. But here I found myself giving the prize to a very successful author.

"I'm not really a bible quoter but this line came to mind: 'Do not show partiality to the poor nor favour the mighty. Judge your people fairly.' Kawasaki included."

[Todd Lamothe]

I am not sure the team is important as a hiring feature as it is a tool for retention. Like CH said, in most cases you don't meet the team until you are offered and accept a position.

I think a good talented team is more helpful in internal recruitment where the candidate knows more or less what they are getting into.

With external you don't know what the team will be like but with internal you more or less know and who besides Jeff O'Neill wants to work for a team with no talent.

[Chris Taylor]

I have often had the opportunity to meet with my prospective team members during the 2nd/3rd round of interviews.

My advice is, if you want their candid feedback, ask the boss to excuse themselves from the room for 5-8 minutes. Nobody is going to slag the company or the department with the boss sitting right beside them.