Managing the process necessary to successfully fill your loss prevention job openings can greatly influence everything from the potential pool of candidates, to the identification of qualified candidates, the perception of the department and the organization, and ultimately the ability to secure the best possible candidate for the job. This begins by having a sound understanding of the hiring process within your company, and how to best make that process work to your advantage. Knowing what steps are required and what resources are available to bring the potential candidate to the point of a successful hire will add necessary confidence and organization to the entire search process.
Internal Candidates
When filling positions, most companies begin the candidate search by looking at potential candidates within the company. This may involve a promotion within the department, an individual in another department that wishes to move into loss prevention; or perhaps a transfer from another location or area within the company.
Promoting employees from within serves many valuable purposes. When individuals are promoted from within the ranks, we already have a fairly strong indication of the type of employee that we are getting. Employees currently working for the company are familiar with guidelines and practices, limiting certain transition issues. Internal promotions also boost morale, enhancing employee confidence, attitudes and loyalties.
Depending on the specific company and its loss prevention and company culture, many retailers encourage cross-departmental hiring. We look at individuals that demonstrate the core competencies that we are looking for in a candidate, and then develop their talents to fit the needs of our positions. This not only improves the value and marketability of the employee, it opens doors that give our associates greater options and job satisfaction. Such decisions allow greater flexibility within our employee base, encourage different perspectives that can improve performance, and increase interdepartmental relationships and employee harmony.
How Will External Candidates be Sourced?
When sourcing external candidates a company may employ several different options, to include internal recruiting efforts, Internet searches and job boards, external recruiters, and other potential candidate sources.
- Internal recruiters can provide company-specific insights and information regarding employee hiring and retention (For example, descriptive knowledge of health benefits, retirement programs, vacation, sick pay, etc…), the specific nuances of the hiring process and other elements of the hiring process that can further assist our efforts to fill our loss prevention job openings.
- Many larger organizations also use software-based programs as part of their recruitment tools and to assist them in their work-force management efforts. While most loss prevention professionals are not required to use such tools on a day-to-day basis, there are often requirements related to posting, scheduling, interviewing and other parts of the hiring process that are managed through such tools. If utilized by your company, you should take the time to become more familiar with these programs working with your recruitment offices.
- External recruiters can add another dimension to the search process, having subject-matter expertise, more complete information on the potential pool of candidates, and other skills that can help secure potential candidates.
Taking full advantage of the options available to you will help provide a more complete picture of the available talent, and attract that talent to your positions.
Do Those Involved in the Search Process Fully Understand What to Look For?
It is extremely important that those involved in identifying talent are properly educated on the specific characteristics and traits that you are looking for in a candidate. Loss prevention requires some unique candidate qualifications, and it is necessary that they have a strong understanding of those qualifications in order to best serve your hiring needs. There is a need to understand the approach of the specific department, the functions of the jobs that they will be filling, and what makes someone an exceptional candidate. This should be an ongoing process, and a responsibility of the hiring manager. A well-informed hiring team can be worth their weight in gold, and can make life a whole lot easier for you during the search process.
It is also extremely important that you learn the proper operating procedures and management guidelines regarding the internal recruitment program and the use of external recruiting resources. It is critical that you know and understand what is permissible, how the resources may be used, who is responsible for managing the process and what your specific role will be in this process in order to make best use of your recruiting resources.
The Actual Process
There are many different steps that are actually involved in the hiring process, and each step offers challenges and opportunities during candidate selection:
- Who posts the position?
- How is the position posted?
- Who initially is responsible for reviewing resumes of potential candidates?
- Who interviews candidates that are selected for interviews?
- Are there specific interview guidelines or procedures that must be followed?
- Are there any additional screening processes?
- Who is involved in determining the final candidate?
- Who makes the offer to the candidate?
- How are counter-offers and other special circumstances managed?
- How do you manage the process between the time an offer is accepted and the point when the new employee officially joins your team?
In order to identify and secure the best possible candidates for your loss prevention job openings, it is always best to be a well informed and active participant during the entire hiring process by maintaining open dialogue and effective communications. Having a strong understanding of the hiring process will help ensure that you identify the best possible candidates, and can be extremely beneficial in helping to manage the process from interview to job closure.
For more tips on the hiring process and how to hire the most talented professionals, read the LP Magazine article “Learning to Hire Talent is Key to a Successful Loss Prevention Career.”