Branding – It Starts in the Job Interview
It’s not just the Marketing Department responsible for branding of your organisation. Kerry Larkan, best-selling author of The Talent War and renowned professional speaker on leadership shows you how and why. Further information of Kerry at Speakers Connect: http://www.speakersconnect.com/kerrylarkan.php.
Kerry Larken
It’s been said that you hire for skills and fire for values. People whose character or values are at odds with the brand and values of a company typically don’t last long in an organization. To hire people who are going to stick, think in terms of values from the start, right from the first job interview.
Questions like “Why do you think you’d like to work in this business?” or “What attracts you to our company?” are good for beginning a discussion about brand and values. Listen to the applicant’s reasons for interviewing. Do those reasons resonate with the vision of your company?
Talk about your company’s mission, observing how the potential new hire responds. Do your words resonate and inspire, provoke a neutral reaction, or seem to make the other person uncomfortable?
Pay attention not only to words but to body language. People attempting to win the job may manipulate words to match what they think the interviewer wants to hear. But body language, which is usually not under conscious control, reveals genuine feelings. If the values and vision you talk about cause discomfort, there’s reason to think that person may not be a good fit for your company.
Values are like oxygen – they permeate the whole culture of an organization. Make sure the new people you bring on your team breathe the same air you do. Match your people to your values, and you’ll grow a crew that builds your brand by virtue of who they are. It doesn’t get much better than that.
November 4, 2009
Tags: branding, Hiring, Kerry Larkan, Leadership, speaker bureau asia, speaker bureau hong kong, Speakers Connect Posted in: Hiring, Leadership