I was recently reminded how important the simple act of keeping candidates informed really is. A talented corporate Vice President I’ve known for many years is currently on the job market. He’s voiced his frustration with companies that show great interest and then at some point just seem to fall off the face of the earth. Shockingly, this is a common experience, because it’s something I hear from executives all the time.

Granted, time is tight. But the simple act of staying in touch with a candidate is not only the decent thing to do, it’s beneficial to you, your company, and your current and future searches. Here, in no particular order, are reasons why:

1.) Every inaction and action is emblematic of the kind person you are and the kind of organization you work for. How you are perceived is very important, regardless if a candidate is deemed right for the job or not. Why? Word gets out. There is no telling the people who will hear how you and your organization treat people. When it comes to recruiting talent, what better “behind-the-scenes” information does a potential candidate need to know than how people are treated by your organization.

2 .) It’s the professional thing to do. As long as a candidate is still in the mix they deserve to know where things stand. If they are no longer in the mix, they deserve to hear it as soon as that determination is made -and not infer it from the fact you haven’t returned their calls for two months.

3.) Keeping a candidate properly informed gives you an important leg up. As executives pursue competing opportunities, your actions provide valuable information about the quality and professionalism of your company and the people that work there. When two competing companies vie for the same candidate it can come down to the smallest detail. Like - the way you treated them during the process.

4.) It keeps the process organized and flowing. Nothing is worse than having calls you need to make piling up. Then realizing you haven’t contacted a candidate in over 6 weeks and having to face the uncomfortable task of figuring out what to say after so much time has passed.

5.) It’s a courtesy that really helps candidates remain sane during stressful times. Most are fine if a company decides to pass. It just helps to know and to check that job off their list. Being kept in limbo can be mentally draining. And, for those who remain in the mix, it helps to know what is going on. Candidates can remain interested for a long time as long as they are kept aware of what is going on during the process.

Staying in touch with candidates throughout the hiring process is important. People will remember your professionalism and courtesy for as long as they will remember the poor behavior of others. In this competitive world, goodwill is worth the effort.

Here are some basic tips to staying in touch.

Timing

Staying in touch does not mean having to contact candidates weekly. The general rule is that contact should be made immediately whenever something pertinent has occurred that changes a candidate’s status. Otherwise, if it’s a matter of keeping a candidate informed as other candidates are being evaluated, then touching base every two to four weeks is fine. But establish clear intervals for touching base.

Forcing regular contact will also encourage you to deliver bad news sooner. Why? Because you don’t want to have to continue calling candidates who are no longer under consideration.

Method

Typically any definitive news should be delivered by phone or in person and not left to an email. If a person is to receive an offer or is no longer being considered an email is just not enough. Otherwise, if it’s a matter of keeping ongoing candidates informed of where things stand, emails are a quick and appropriate way to stay in touch, though a phone call is always a nice touch.

Sometimes it’s easier for a busy hiring executive to field a quick call than it is to find time to make the call yourself. In such cases, it’s reasonable to suggest that candidates call or email you at regular, predetermined intervals in order to check in.

Candidates love to know they have your blessing to contact you. Otherwise they might spend hours wondering if it’s alright to contact you and slowly get upset that you haven’t contacted them yet. This kind of mental dilemma should be nipped in the bud and it’s up to you to set guidelines that make it simple and easy for candidates to remain informed.

Material information

When it comes to what to share with candidates I’ve always been impressed with Vinny Stabile, the SVP, People at JetBlue who simply suggests telling candidates the truth. It’s amazing how the simple truth is usually the best way to communicate with candidates. It’s not about sharing a high level of detail, though it helps to provide enough detail to make the situation logical and understandable.

If there is another candidate who can’t be interviewed until four weeks from now, it’s better to share that, than convey something nebulous about needing another month to figure out what you want to do. Given the details, it makes sense and is logical why it will take at least four more weeks, without that information a candidate is left to wonder what is really going on. Is there something they did wrong, or is there something they need to do? Even the most accomplished executives can fall into this trap. This won’t happen if you give them sufficient information.

If another candidate has come to light that appears to possess more of the critical requirements for the job, that too is something most people can handle. “It’s not that you are out of the running, but clearly we need to take a closer look at this other candidate.”

The great majority of candidates will just appreciate being informed of what is going on. And it will pay dividends for you down the line.

I’m often asked what’s the key to recruiting great talent. My answer seems to surprise many people who assume there’s magic recruiting pixie dust. The simple truth is that there are several key steps to hiring great talent and step one is a well defined position.

In our fast moving world, where a running start and cutting corners has become the norm, the importance of a well defined position is often overlooked.

A clear and comprehensive understanding of an open position is crucial for two reasons. First, it helps to shape and focus a company’s search effort. And secondly, it satisfies the need of talented executives to have a clear and concise understanding of a position and the confidence that the company has a solid understanding of the position it’s seeking to fill.

If you describe a widget. You’ll attract widgets.

In most cases, poor position descriptions are the result of an old formula that stresses basic job duties, a list of arbitrary requirements, and a few “wouldn’t it be nice” qualities. Such descriptions allow people who aren’t right for a position to believe they are. While leading those best suited to the role, to pass entirely on the opportunity. Why? The description fails to speak to them with its ambiguous tone.

It’s important to look at an organization chart like a large puzzle, where each opening requires a unique piece to create a good fit. One way to do this is to go beyond the basics duties of a position and focus on the unique aspects facing a particular role. This is where a position description develops the necessary nuance.

Talent is drawn to positions that speak to it.

How is this done? Let’s use an example of a Director, Marketing Communications for a billion dollar retailer. The role is responsible for managing a staff of 45 that provides marketing communication services to internal customer groups.

A typical position description will focus on the primary duties such as managing a group of marketing professionals, overseeing creative, acting as liaison to customer groups. Requirements often are simple arbitrary prerequisites, such as a minimum 10 years of marketing experience, previous experience managing a staff of 20 or more, etc.

You might realize this description is more effective as a sleep aid.

Look what happens when you when dig deeper and ask, what are:

• The challenges this position will face, both functionally and organizationally.
• The unique organizational dynamics within which this person must operate. (How are decisions made and executed in this company?)
• The personalities and individual styles he/she will be working with and against.
• The resources over which the position will have direct control and those that must be shared.
• The specific expectations for the position and the desired outcomes over the first 12, 18, 24 months.
• The values and motivations that are driving the company, division, and department.
• The three year history of the position and the group, including strengths and weaknesses, as well as recent failures and successes. (How did they get here?)
• The morale within the company, division, and department.
• The defining culture within the company, division, and department.

Depth, Shape, & Clarity.

After going through this list, you’ll certainly identify numerous additional duties and responsibilities that give the position greater depth, shape, and clarity. From these new duties you’ll also recognize important new requirements that will ensure a better fit.

See how our Marcom position is redefined with just a few insights:

1. Three different Directors have held this position in the past 24 months.
2. Morale is low and a number of key staff members have resigned to take positions with other companies, leaving the remaining group overwhelmed.
3. Internal clients have lost faith in the group and circumvent their own Marcom organization for external vendors.

These new factors expose a number of yet unspecified responsibilities, such as:

• Turning around an organization suffering low morale and several key departures.
• Developing sound solutions to urgent operational deficiencies.
• Providing leadership to an organization in need of strong guidance and mentoring.
• Instilling a sense of calm and consistency to the department.
• Providing honest communications so as not to over promise and under deliver.
• Building bridges and developing trust with internal client groups and creating renewed confidence in the department’s ability to provide both high quality and timely service and support – while also providing an honest timeline of capabilities as the department ramps up its abilities.
• Staffing open positions with strong candidates who fit well into the group and who can deliver quality work, increase the department’s bench strength, and help improve overall morale.

These new responsibilities also help a company better define essential requirements that are more succinct than the broad requirements generated by standard job descriptions.

A position description that “pops”.

What was once an ordinary non-descript position profile, now becomes a highly nuanced description, which is more accurate and well-defined. Most companies are averse to such honest descriptions, fearing it will scare off candidates. In fact it’s just the opposite - it speaks powerfully to candidates who fit the bill and are drawn to such challenges, while attracting fewer candidates who are not right for the role. A generic position description is a huge red flag, warning talented candidates that the company has little clue what the position is really about. Stepping into such a role is far more risky than one where the company has complete clarity.

Talent likes challenges. So make the challenges clear.

Talent is not afraid of challenges. They are enticed by position descriptions that accurately describe the unique challenges facing a role and which convey a strong sense that the company is open, honest, well aware of the challenges it faces, committed to the position, and open to the medicine that’s required to fix what ails them.

Don’t fret about sharing details you worry might scare candidates away - always present them as challenges to the position. Talent loves challenges. What you will find is that the candidates who are scared off weren’t right from the start.

Ultimately, a thorough, well defined position is the first step to landing true talent – because talent is drawn to it.

Companies that want to attract talent on a consistent basis must create an Employee Value Proposition that appeals to top talent. Doing so will noticeably improve the quality of hires across an organization.

Today it’s shortsighted for companies to rely on “titles” and “compensation” as the primary levers to attract talent. In this age of corporate free agency, real talent looks well beyond these factors. They’re looking for positions that address broader needs and interests.

Understanding the factors that are important to star talent allows savvy companies to create powerful Employee Value Propositions that consistently draw quality candidates. It may be surprising, but many components of a solid EVP don’t cost companies a dime. They revolve around issues of position scope, autonomy, control over resources, developmental opportunities, clarity of purpose, commitment to the role, etc.

What are star candidates looking for?

The first step to developing a powerful EVP is understanding what star candidates are looking for.

From my experience, most are looking for:

• A strong, clear, unambiguous, understanding of the role and its purpose.
• Responsibility and accountability with sufficient authority.
• Interesting and difficult challenges with the necessary autonomy and control over resources to meet those challenges and achieve targets.
• A dynamic, quality minded work environment.
• An environment where most of the time is spent battling the competition and not figuring out how to overcome internal barriers and road blocks. (Nothing frustrates talent more.)
• Talented superiors and peers from whom they can learn, grow, and develop.
• A superior and colleagues whose styles mesh well with their own.
• Organizations with a quality reputation.
• Organizations with a strong, clear understanding of the role they are seeking to fill, along with aggressive, yet realistic expectations.
• A title commensurate to scope and responsibility which shows progression.
• Financial rewards that match the “value” they provide the organization.
• Personal growth and advancement. Not just bigger titles, but mentoring and experience gathering that strengthens their competencies and improves their overall marketability.

The degree to which a company can provide and concisely communicate each of these components, will, in large part, determine the likelihood of landing a star candidate.

Build your EVP.

First, determine what you have to offer in terms of the areas mentioned above and ensure that you incorporate them in all relevant communications throughout the search. These issues resonate with top talent.

You must also realize when you don’t have a sufficient value proposition to land the quality candidate you envision. This will permit you to find ways to either enhance your Employee Value Proposition or decide you need to compromise in terms of the quality of your candidates.

Remember, it’s not that top talent can’t be recruited into less desirable positions; it’s just statistically less likely and more time consuming and costly.

Overcome weaknesses in your EVP.

You can overcome some weaknesses in your EVP by making changes. For instance, you can add additional responsibilities to the role. You can authorize additional resources to the position. If the superior for a particular role is not a sufficiently strong mentor or leader, you might consider restructuring the position to report elsewhere.

As a last resort, you can throw money at the problem, but this will require a compensation sufficient to offset any perceived shortcomings in the EVP. And that can be costly. It might also require an employer to mitigate unacceptable risks by offering an employment contract and/or other financial incentives and guarantees to entice a star.

To truly reap the benefits, an EVP should be in place at the start of a search. It’s not something that should wait until the end of the recruiting process.

Often companies without a compelling Employee Value Proposition find it necessary to rework the entire position, that may include adding responsibilities, providing a bigger compensation package, etc in order to land a strong candidate. Now imagine how many more star candidates they might have drawn into the process had the EVP been well established prior to the start of the search.

The “let’s worry about what we have to do to land a great candidate once we’ve found one” approach, relies on luck to attract talent. Every now and then this approach might land a star, but tragically, companies with such an approach would have drawn many more talented candidates, had they only put the work in up front.

If you are serious about recruiting talent, the factors cited above should be established at the very beginning of any search. Few talented executives are willing to go through the process without focusing on some of these important issues early on.

Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden use to say, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” When it comes to recruiting top talent nothing is truer.