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If you’ve ever
lost a placement because a candidate turned down a job—or
worse, took a counteroffer—it’s because the new job didn’t
satisfy the person’s motivation for change.
When you get right down to it, there are four basic reasons
a person changes jobs. Each of the reasons will influence
the candidate’s decision, to a greater or lesser extent. But
generally, one of the factors is dominant, and, like a
compass that wants to point North, will steer the candidate
in a specific career direction.
The first factor is the candidate’s SITUATION, and has
nothing to do with the job itself. Some people change jobs
because they’re being laid off, or have a spouse who’s being
transferred to another city. So the need for change is based
on circumstance. Or, maybe a loss of key benefits might
initiate the search for a new job; or some other external
factor, such as the job’s location, commute time or a change
in the candidate’s personal of family needs will compel a
person to seek out a different employer.
The second factor is MONEY. I’ve found that someone will
change jobs for money only if the money intrinsically
changes that person’s lifestyle or self-esteem. Otherwise,
the money is eaten up by taxes and has little significance.
Or, the pursuit of more money involves taking a risk the
candidate would just as soon avoid. Think about it. Would a
ten percent increase on a $100,000 salary really motivate
someone to change jobs? Probably not—unless that extra
$10,000 had a super-strong emotional appeal or would enable
the person to do something for his or her family that was
otherwise out of reach.
Beware the Money-Motivated Candidate
As a recruiter, you have to be careful if money is the
driving force behind a person’s interest in changing jobs.
In a bidding war between a new company and the incumbent,
the incumbent wins nearly every time. So watch your step
when it comes to money-motivated candidates.
The third factor involves HATE, as in, there’s something the
candidate hates or something that drives the person crazy at
their current job. Whether it’s a particular individual, a
work environment, a corporate culture, an attitude, a
technology, a tool, or whatever, the bottom line is that the
candidate feels trapped where he is. And whatever it is the
candidate hates about his job will never change.
When dealing with the hate factor, you always have to ask
the candidate if he’s sought resolution or made a serious
attempt to correct the problem. If he hasn’t, you want to
try and encourage the person to talk through the issue
before you get too involved. Tell the candidate to go ahead
and have that conversation with his boss, whether the issue
is about money, responsibility, work assignment, recognition
or difficulty with a co-worker. The last thing you want is
to find the person a new job, only to find out that you
helped resolve an issue that ends up keeping the candidate
where he already is.
If the candidate’s situation absolutely can’t be resolved,
and if the new job takes away the hate factor,
congratulations. You’ve got yourself an iron-clad placement
that no amount of money in the form of a counteroffer will
satisfy. In fact, candidates who suffer from the hate factor
will often change jobs, even if the money is the same or
even less than they were making at a job they hate.
The fourth and final motivating factor deals with LOVE, or
to be more specific, unrequited LOVE. When a person has a
passion for doing something or working with like-minded
people who share his values—but that role or relationship
will never be available—the frustration can become
overwhelming. The good news is that if you can find an
opportunity for that person that fills the void, nothing can
stand in your way.
The sooner and more accurately you can figure out the
motivation that’s driving a candidate’s need for change, the
greater your odds of making a match and having it stick. If
you don’t understand exactly what the candidate is looking
for—and whether the new job satisfies those needs—you’ll run
the risk of flying blind. And as a recruiter, that’s a
frightening position to be in. |