Starting a new job is never easy. It is often full of uncertainty and learning what seems like a million new things all at once. This is why it is so important for a new employee to go in to a new job with a positive outlook. Unfortunately, many job seekers cannot let go of the negative experiences they encountered in their old job, which prevents them from having the positive outlook they need to really succeed when beginning at a new company.
Nobody likes being given false hope or, worse yet, being lied to. If the position a candidate is being considered for has little opportunity for advancement, tell them that. If some of the day to day tasks they will be expected to do are not much fun, again, let them know ahead of time. If you keep this from them and they do accept the job, they will likely put your company in the same category as their old employer, where incorrect representation of information and lack of transparency may have left a bad taste in the mouth.
Candid disclosure of some negative aspects of the position may initially be a turn off, however, the candidate is sure to appreciate your honesty. Moreover, if they are prepared for some of the job tasks to be less exciting, you would be a doing a better job of managing expectations.
Set aside plenty of time to get to know the candidate. If the candidate has shared with you what happened with their old employer, reassure them that your company is different. Though you cannot promise that nothing will ever go wrong, make sure they understand that you care about their happiness within the organization. After all, their positive outlook and success with the company does affect you both.
When the new employee knows that they are valued and their voice and concerns will be heard, they are likely to have a positive outlook and feel optimistic about their future with the company. Setting aside the time and place to really get to know a candidate and to make them feel special can easily be accomplished with Simplicant’s candidate relationship management feature. It allows you to have ongoing thoughtful and engaging conversations from within the applicant tracking system.
This is something recruiters should already be doing whether the candidate had negative experiences in their old job or not. Unfortunately sometimes recruiters hire based solely on credentials and these important considerations slip through the cracks. Thus, the recruiter ends up hiring someone who does not fit in with current employees or the company culture, making it unlikely the candidate will project a positive outlook in his or her new position.
To ensure the potential hire will be a good fit, make sure their values are similar to the company’s values. Before you share the company values, ask them about their own first. This can be done by asking behavior based questions during the interview. Also, have the candidate interview with several different people within the company, specifically people who would be working closely with the potential employee.
Employee referrals are another way to help assure the candidate will be a good fit. If someone already in the company or familiar with the needs of the job recommends a candidate, the prospective employee will have an easier time fitting in. This is not to say that all employees should be like-minded, as diversity is necessary for a successful company; however, the recruiter should be certain the employee will fit into the already established culture.
Sometimes the hiring process takes much longer than we anticipate. Obviously this could be a major source of annoyance for any candidate who is in desperate need of employment or eager to get out of their current negative work environment. By keeping them in the loop of the status of the hiring process, the potential employee will have more respect for your organization than one that just completely ignores them for weeks and then finally gets back in touch when a decision is made.
As a recruiter, you should also inform the candidate of anything that will help them better present themselves to their prospective employer. For example, what is the dress code like? Are there specific characteristics the company is looking for? Anything in particular that the boss cannot stand? The more they know, the more confident they will be.
Starting a new job with a positive outlook is crucial for success. As an employer, hiring manager or recruiter, it is important to realize that sometimes even the most promising candidates need help getting over the negative experiences they encountered in their old job. But this isn’t any reason to let the candidate get away. With your support, they can get the encouragement and support they need to start their new job confidently.
How do you help new employees enter their new position with a positive outlook?
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