Welcome to our first in a series of #fitprofinder tips that will help you find your best hires and also find the right opportunity for you to flourish in! In case you aren’t familiar with us, @fitprofinders is a staffing agency that focuses on making the perfect match between candidate and employer, with a focus on roles in the health, wellness, fitness, beauty, and hospitality industries. We service clients from the big box fitness world, to boutique beauty franchise stores, and independently owned wellness studios across the United States.
In this first installment we are going to discuss 5 common mistakes hiring managers make when searching for and onboarding a new hire and how to correct them. If you have any questions about any of these, or any you would like to add please add in the commons or send us a message!
- Relying on Job Postings To Find Candidates:
Yes we know this sounds strange! How else do you find your next hire then? First things first: in our 12 years of experience recruiting in the fitness and wellness industries, we have learned that the best talent often is not actively looking for a new position. Why? Because they are doing well in their current role and have no urgent need to look for a new role. Yes this is the ideal candidate we want because they are successful. Another thing to consider here is that most people typically find their next role through a referral or from a headhunter or recruiter that found them and sold them the job (more on this later). Bottom line: take advantage of proactive outreach and networking to find your best hire. Put the work out on your social media as well as to your existing staff and clients that you are hiring. Also utilize the outreach tools here on LinkedIn and other career sites to find your ideal candidate and send them a brief, but enticing message telling them about your amazing job opportunity. - Underselling Your Job:
This is a very commonly made mistake that is often hard to detect. Have you found a candidate that you were excited about, met with them, and then wonder why they disappear? Well its not just because they are flaky or found another role, it is often because they were not impressed by your presentation of the role. While this can be a tough thing to hear, it is necessary to understand that as a hiring manager you must also be a sales person, particularly in this ultra-competitive job market. Meaning, while you are investigating your candidate and asking them questions to see if they are right fit for your role, they are also doing the same with you! Make sure that you are coming across as an inspiring and competent leader. Talk excitedly about your business, the opportunities for growth, the wins you have already achieved, the amazing work culture, and your vision for the future. Have your most passionate performers get involved too, so the candidate can see that this is a place they want to be working in. - Not Thoroughly Screening the Applicant Before Hire:
Have you ever found what you thought was a great candidate, or been in a hiring crunch where you felt pressed to make a quick hire? We all have! However we must not skip steps in the hiring process. Perhaps none are more important that conducting background and reference checks. Sounds simple enough but we have met clients who have skipped out on these steps or even brushed over them without doing a more thorough search. Employ a HR vendor to facilitate the background checks, most are quite inexpensive. Keep in mind that everyone is going to provide references from people they know who will say good things about them. Reference check the reference checks by looking their names up here on LinkedIn, or even on social media to make sure they are not a personal reference or a false reference. Speaking of social media searches, perhaps one of the most telling things you can do is to google and look up your candidate on social media platforms. This gives you insight into any notable history as well as their personalities. While this is not a formal search is in an imperative one. - Fumbling the Offer:
Keep in mind in today’s job market, particularly fitness and wellness, your candidates have many options for employment. Make sure you are presenting an offer, a job, a compensation plan, and a work environment that stands out in a positive way. Search for similar roles in your area to make sure what you are offering is competitive and enticing. Also be very clear both verbally and in writing what you are offering, what is expected of the new hire in the role, and be very specific about KPIs and timelines. Have your HR vendor or Recruiting consultant go over your offer letter with you to make sure its in line with your needs. Lastly don’t take your mind in moving a quality candidate through your interview and hiring process, or in presenting them an offer. We are not saying to skip a step, rather just to move through your thorough process quickly so you don’t lose your candidate to another employer that is moving faster. - Throwing Your New Hire Into the Fire:
We get it, you have things to do. Your business needs someone who can jump in and make an immediate impact. You hired this person because of their skillset and expect them to perform. However, we have to be very intentional with our expectations, timelines to deliver and particularly the training and onboarding process to get them there. What is your training and onboarding process? Who is leading it, what are the steps involved, how long is the training period? How often do you check in with your new hire? Do you foster a safe space for them to ask for help? Know that with anything new, regardless of the new hire’s experience coming into the role, there will be a learning curve. Be there or provide the tools for them to be successful. Overcommunicate and be specific. Provide examples and mentors. Give them time but hold them accountable for their performance. Use a CRM or spreadsheets to help them keep track of their performance. Most employee anxiety stems from uncertainty around what is expected of them, or not feeling like they have adequate support.
In summary, think outside the box in finding your next hire, sell yourself and your business as a great place to work, and be thorough with your vetting and training processes. Always coach up, and play to win with all of your hires. If you need extra support, @Fitprofinders is here to help! Reach out to our founder, @christinehowe for more information: christine@fitprofinders.com
Need Help?
Fitness recruiting can seem daunting, but with the help of Fit Pro Finders, it doesn’t have to be. We take the time to understand your needs and only recommend professionals who meet our high standards. We offer many services, including temporary, contract-to-hire, and direct-hire placements, so whatever your needs may be, we can help you find the perfect fit. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you find the perfect fit for your team.