Six Words That Will Improve Your Employee Recruitment

Hint: They’re not about wages or benefits

Up and down busy streets nationwide, the same six-word banners stand outside in front of hundreds of businesses. Affixed to poles on front lawns or hanging above entrance doors, these inescapable banners, while the numbers may vary, almost always have the same wording: “Now Hiring! $18/hour, plus benefits.” “Join Our Team Today! $16/hour” “Start Today! $17/hour plus healthcare.”

The problem? These banners aren’t working. These six words—umpteen dollars per hour plus benefits—have lost all their meaning in a world with a talent shortage and simply not enough workers.

Put simply, $18 per hour plus benefits is table stakes. That’s what today’s employees are expecting, and you’re just another face in a crowd when you advertise only your starting salary. Would you eat at a restaurant that proclaims, “Eat here today! We have food!”? Would you go to a movie because of a tagline that reads, “Something to do for two hours!”? Would you travel to a country that advertises, “Visit here—we’re not your house!”?

Of course not.

So, think about it: If you get a potential candidate’s attention on your banner for five seconds, why would you advertise the least interesting aspect of working for your company?

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Comments

table stakes

Matt, as a thought experiment, please try to do all of the following on $16/hr ($2000/month) in the American city of your choice:

Rent a clean, safe 1-bedroom apartment. Or go crazy like our grandparents did and pay the mortgage, taxes, and upkeep on a modest 1800 sq ft house. Get some internet service along with that if you want.
Drive a reliable, fully insured vehicle.
Eat 3 square meals a day.
Pay for some non-covered ongoing medical expense.
Go on a nice date with your girl every other weekend.
Save enough money to have a fun 1-week vacation every year.
Save enough money to fund your retirement at age 62.

How's that working out so far? Not so easy, right?

But wait, someone just stole your catalytic converter so here's a $2500 sudden expense. And ugh, you slipped on the icy stairs and broke your leg. Lucky you, though, you only have to pay $8000 to meet your medical deductible! But it's February and you haven't spent anything towards it yet, so here's the entire $8k now due. Oh, wait, your employer only lets you work 39 hours a week so you're not eligible for their health insurance plan? Dang, bummer there. Well, I guess you'll figure something out.

Do you see that $16/hr isn't even table stakes any more for people who just want to live a normal life? Now try throwing a child or two into that mix of expenses. Or am I just a raging socialist for thinking that someone who works a full time job should be able to live a comfortable (not extravagant) life, not having to constantly worry about when the other shoe is going to drop (e.g., when the rent is going up by another $100 again).

People aren't applying for these jobs, not because the slogan isn't catchy enough, but because they are just weary of trying to scratch out a living with no clear vision of when or how it's going to get better for them. People need money to live on, Matt. They could give a rip if they work with "cool" people or "exciting" technologies." Cool doesn't pay the bills.