Recruiting Tips

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Created on Wednesday, 03 January 2001 01:16

Written by Craig Lloyd

Here are three creative and effective recruiting tips that I have collected during the year. Hopefully they will stir up your imagination.

Nathan Snyder was driving home one late afternoon from his job as an occupational therapist. Listening to his favorite talk radio show, his ears picked up on an unusual 30-second commercial.

The ad person was asking questions like, "Do you have the freedom to succeed or fail in your current job? Does anyone support you when you make a mistake?"

After 30 seconds of challenging the listener the ad person gave a telephone number to call but no company name. Nathan was so intrigued that he called immediately from his cell phone. Thirty days later Nathan was on board at Ameripride Uniform and Linen Services, learning how to be a production manager. He has since progressed from plant manager to service manager, as his GM, Ty Saal, believes in cross training his management employees. This method has worked so well that Ty is currently setting up a run of 16 thirty-second "spots" as they find it more productive than the traditional newspaper ads.

A chief engineer for one of the largest volume plants in Florida oversees a three shift engineering department. Managing a department full of mechanics and supervisors means that he needs a "pipeline" of candidates.

Local technical school graduates are the type of prospects he likes to hire and develop, but many other employers contact the same technical schools. His edge? "I not only drive out to the schools, but I find out who the instructors are and develop relationships with them. Instructors refer their best students to me personally. Other companies typically just call the placement office."
 
Lori Jesberger, Director of Human Resources for Paris Companies, says they employ 350 employees and operate in three states. Recently Ms. Jesberger did a production employee blitz that left no stone unturned. She started with posting notices in school employment offices, tapping into two prison systems, participating in the welfare to work program, and contacting the domestic relations office at two adult probation offices. A flyer insert was designed for a local newspaper, with a radio ad to follow a week later. An "open house" was staged at the plants, supported with a thorough explanation of their employee referral program at a plant wide meeting. Finally, employment announcement on two local cable TV channel bulletin boards and email announcement on a local internet carrier (and yes Paris Companies has a great looking website). Whew - now that is a blitz.

Thanks to these individuals for sharing with me their ideas - and have a great new year

Craig Lloyd represents LaundryCareers.com, a management search firm specializing in the industrial / institutional laundry industry.  He holds a degree in Industrial Relations from Rider University and has been a Certified Personnel Consultant since 1979.