Defining your recruitment process to promote performance

I have spoken in previous posts about the career platform. Just to recap. Each member of the business is responsible for building their own career, as is each business owner or manager tasked with supporting this, by providing a platform in which the team can build their career. These would include having a position description for each role; outlining areas where each team member can upskill and evolve; a career progression plan; 1-on-1 meetings; and scheduled training and mentoring to support this.

I recently did a presentation that demonstrated, through aggregated data that we have been collecting, that each time an agency turns over a property manager, it can cost them up to 25 managements. This is not just the portfolio that lost the property manager, but also other portfolios, where team members are under strain to cover the labour shortfall during the changeover process. For property management team members to engage in a career progression plan, would mean the business is offering them longevity in the business, a playground where they can learn and grow with the business. Clearly this will reduce the risk of both team members underperforming and staff churn.

Many agencies I work with have spent quite a lot of time getting this formula right. Not just how to support team members in developing a career path, but also, how to empower them to control and drive this themselves. What often happens, is that they forget how powerful this type of career platform is in engaging the right candidates for their business.

When recruiting new team members into the business, make a position description available to any potential candidate. This sends a clear message to these candidates that you have a documented career process and their future isn’t being left to chance. During the interview process, outline the learning pathways and the career progression opportunities available if they were to join the business. Give examples of previous training programs, and case studies of other members of them team that have progressed through to become senior, long term, members of the team. It is often helpful to invite these team members to pop their head in during the interview process and introduce themselves.

I have found in the past, that when you have a clear recruitment process that promotes a high performance culture and career progression, you attract the right people to your business. In fact, on the reverse side, I have had many people, during the interview process, say that they don’t want to be a part of a system that was so structured. I would suggest to you that these are not the people you want in your business. This process not only attracts the right people but detracts the wrong people also.

A business that promotes accountability, growth and career progression is a business of choice for new candidates. Be that business of choice. Attract the right people to your business.