Laura Kassin: How Can Effective Recruitment Benefit Your Marketing?

Employer branding is crucial for attracting top talent to a company. In fact, employer branding and marketing efforts must be aligned, as the image a company projects through its marketing directly impacts its ability to attract and retain quality employees. In this podcast episode, Mari-Liis Vaher from Powerful Marketers interviews Laura Kassin, CEO of a recruitment company Personalileidja, that specializes in helping small businesses find the right talent for their needs.

Here are the key takeaways from the episode:

Ask feedback at every stage

Feedback is a crucial aspect of any successful business, and it must be asked at every stage of the working relationship. By asking individuals why they chose to apply for a position, what they know about the company, and how they perceive the recruitment process, businesses can gain valuable insights into their strengths and areas for improvement. Additionally, regularly checking in with employees to gauge their satisfaction, engagement, and overall experience can help identify any issues that may arise and address them proactively. Word travels, especially negative experiences, and this can negatively impact not only your existing and future workforce, but your entire business, sales of your products and services, and the general reputation of your company.

Values alignment drives successful recruitment

One of the key reasons why values alignment is crucial in recruitment is that it helps to attract and retain top talent. When candidates see that a company's values align with their own, they are more likely to be interested in working for that company. They are also more likely to stay with the company long-term because they feel a sense of connection and purpose in their work. This not only reduces turnover but also ensures that employees are fully invested in the company's mission and goals. Satisfied employees are your best brand ambassadors.

Personality over skills in hiring

While having the proper skill set and toolset to match the job’s requirements are necessary, in most positions skills can be taught and developed over time, but a person's mindset, attitude, and alignment with the company's values are crucial for long-term success within the organization. It is important to hire individuals who have a growth mindset, share the company's values, and have a positive attitude, as these qualities are more likely to lead to success in the role. To understand how a candidate thinks and approaches different tasks, practical and personality tests are required. It is especially beneficial if your existing team members have undergone the same tests, so that you have a baseline to compare the candidates’ results to.

In conclusion, it is important to remember that everything a company communicates, whether internally or externally, has the potential to impact its reputation and success. To attract the right talent, you must take good care of your existing employees and showcase your values in everything that you do.

Quotes:

“Asking feedback is something that you should do in every stage. Even if you're doing the recruitment campaign, you can ask for feedback. For example, why did you decide to apply? What have you heard about us? What do you know about us? And when the campaign is over you can ask for feedback like how did you like the recruitment process, how can we improve it?” (00:04:21)
“So you need to have a really clear picture in your mind as a leader about who it is exactly that you want to find. It's exactly the same as in marketing. You need to have this perfect persona in your mind.” (00:06:53)
“Of course, yeah, it depends on the role, how many steps you need to have. But something I definitely recommend is first, of course, an interview. And there are some nuances about that. You should always have like a prepared, let's say, like a base document where you have the same questions, the same script that you want to ask everybody. And then, of course, some practical tests as well, and something to test the personality.” (00:08:30)
“Nowadays you don't have to take one full-time employee. You have so many other options. You can use virtual assistants, you can have part-time people, you can have independent partners who are, you know, subcontractors basically.” (00:10:37)
“If the person has a growth mindset and they share your company values and they have a good attitude, then they can learn anything. And, you know, most of the time there's always something that you need to teach.” (00:12:52)
“So for me it's quite pointless to go and waste the whole interview on what have you been doing in your previous jobs. What you should be asking is what kind of results have you been producing in your previous jobs. What kind of long-lasting value have you done, achieved, created? If you leave your current job, what is going to stay there to remind everybody of what a great employee you were?” (00:16:25)
“Everything starts from within. So, for example, if you have a product as well, you can have the best packaging, the best ads, the best marketing. But if the product itself, it sucks, then, you know, word is going to travel and people are not going to buy it soon anymore. And with the workplaces, it's the same thing. If the culture is rotten, then people are going to know about it.” (00:28:28)