You finally found the perfect job candidate for that hard-to-fill leadership role only to find that they just accepted another offer. Scenario sound familiar? Don’t miss your shot at an A-player by failing to sell your job candidate on the reasons why your company is a good fit for them.
Selling is important throughout your job candidate's journey (not just at the offer stage). It's your chance to reinforce how your company culture, benefits, and the job they are interviewing for fit their top reasons for job hunting in the first place. Like all employees, each job candidate will have different motivators. However, it turns out that job seekers tend to care about five main things, also known as the “Five F’s”: Fit, Family, Freedom, Fortune, and Fun. The key to successfully wooing your next job candidate is to learn which of the “Five F’s” are most important to them.
Here are details on each of the “Five F’s”, plus recommended interview questions you can use to discover which motivators resonate with your candidate the most.
Candidates who value “Fit” value culture, the right chemistry, and a feeling of belonging or doing good.
Candidates who value “Family” care about hours, commute, location, and flexibility to spend time with or take care of their ohana.
Candidates with this as a priority need to know they will have a certain amount of autonomy in their new role
For candidates that value “Fortune”, pay shouldn’t be the deciding factor, but it must work for you and the candidate.
Candidates looking for “Fun” desire a work ohana they enjoy spending time with and a workplace. They also value a welcoming job culture, along with laughter, and doing non-work activities too
Don’t forget to be curious about your job candidate. Really listen to how your candidate answers each interview question to discover which one of the “Five F's” resonates with them the most. The words they choose and the passion in their voice will tell you what you need to know and which one of the “Five F’s” they most value. Once you know what motivates them, use what you learn to help your candidate understand how your organization can fit their needs specifically.