Recruit online with pizzazz

Workforce, Dec, 2002

Dear Workforce:

We're having trouble recruiting for a personal shopper in our Internet shopping department. The job starts at $7.55 per hour, and the median income of the area is $98,000 per year. I have advertised in local and large papers, used all my neighboring stores, and advertised with occupational centers, government training operations, and employment departments, but to no avail. How can I drive up my application flow?

--Desperate HR Representative, major supermarket chain, Glendora, California

Dear Desperate:

Lou Adler of POWER Hiring asks: Am I missing something? You're looking for an Internet shopper and not using the Internet. Come on. Here's what to do.

Write a creative ad and put it on Monster.com or another site, like a local job board. Newspaper ads are pretty useless if you're trying to attract a Gen Y person. A creative ad must have an outrageous title and compelling copy. Here are some ideas for the outrageous title.

* Yeah, Baby, Yeah--This Job Is Shagadelic

* The Secret's Out--We're Looking for a Secret Shopper (list in customer service)

* This Secret Shopper Job Is Wicked (for Boston)

The key is to make the title fun and long, and tie it in to a theme that appeals to the target audience. The theme could be a movie, song, or even local slang. It must be long and different in order to be noticed on the job boards. Most ad titles are too traditional, and don't get the response of a great title.

Next, make sure that the copy focuses on what the person will do, learn, and become. Don't emphasize the skills. Instead describe what the person will do with the skills.

Here is an example of copy:

Use your analytical and report-writing skills to prepare in-depth price comparisons of our competitors' product line. You'll become our ace detective and product expert in weeks. If you've got a marketing bent, all the better. You'll need to figure out how Web positioning, product placement, and pricing all affect the customer experience. Before you know it, you'll be helping our marketing and design group to create award-winning advertising programs that sizzle.

Add some fun stuff about the company and culture to round out the ad. Here's an example:

We're a hot local retailer that wants to grow its Internet business. We have a great reputation in our local market because we deliver price, value, and extra-special performance. We're moving our Internet business to the same level, so here's a chance to help create something new, big, and bold. We'll trade off skills and experience for heart and desire. We long ago recognized that this is how to build an all-star team. Send us your resume We'd like to give you a tryout.

If you want to attract the best, no matter what the job, it's important to design your advertising programs around their needs.

The Point of Budqets

Dear Workforce:

Managing liabilities and improving productivity is very important to our company. We have 200 exempt employees now, and expect to have 300 within 18 months. We're in seven cities in seven states, expanding to 10 cities in 10 states. How can I calculate a budget for building an HR department/function that effectively improves our company culture and performance?

--Trouble Keeping Pace, manager, services, Houston

Dear Trouble Keeping Pace:

Jonathan Tanz of Buck Consultants shares some good advice:

Clearly, given your company's rapid expansion in staff and geography, budgeting can be challenging. The budgeting process plays a critical role in the implementation and monitoring of your HR strategy. As such, it is vital that the budgets are linked with plans that come from your basic strategy. Start with an assessment of the overall strategy. What is the plan to execute against that strategy? The more closely aligned your strategy and tactical plan are, the better.

Now, identify the key activities needed to execute that plan, such as when the rollouts are scheduled, in what cities, and what expansions will result. These activities drive what expenditures are needed. For example:

* Will the expansions involve new or existing sites?

* What are the implications for the IT components of your budget? New hardware or software? More IT support?

* What impact is there when it comes to hiring and training HR staff to support those sites?

* What additional HR support is needed to hire, train, and bring operational staff on board? What is the plan for this?

* Will you staff up internally or externally, with full-time employees or contractors?

* Is this a long-term increase?

Once you have these specific activities and cost factors laid out, you can calculate the cost of the individual components. Remember that the existing budget items will have to be adjusted to reflect the additional volume (e.g., it may cause you to spend more on corporate functions like IT support).

Also remember that the point of budgeting isn't to stop people from overspending--though that is the way many budget processes seem to operate. It's really a way of executing your company strategy. The financial folks get so fixated on the spreadsheet that they may miss this focus. Here are some quick pointers to help you achieve that: