By Joe Giacomin, Managing Director, Automotive (248) 453-0092 | jgiacomin@asgteam.com
Attracting and Hiring: Is your company winning?
In 2025, technology is in abundance, identifying quality candidates is typically not the laborious task that in days gone by, represented a major… and quite time-consuming portion of the search process.
Yet, companies of all sizes and industries seem to currently employ more professionals, embrace state-of-the-art systems and devote considerably more time and money to talent acquisition, and yet hiring authorities don’t consistently achieve the desired results: Locating, hiring, and onboarding the very best talent for their organization.
Back when the largest firms functioned with a minimal staff devoted to recruiting, the rate of return achieved when attracting successful impact players was favorable.
I believe industry professionals will agree that organizational charts have expanded, along with hiring budgets. However, executives often ask: “Are we adding the best people to our roster… those capable of moving us forward today… and leading our team in the future?”
So, what has changed for the firms that may not be as successful with hiring results as they once were? For many, just about everything has changed, and arguably not necessarily for the better. In contrast, what are the successful companies doing better that keeps them winning?
First off, in companies that maintain effective hiring practices there is sincere “buy-in” from the very top. C-level executives are devoting more attention to getting the best people. The CEO may not be writing ads or scheduling interviews, but he/she isn’t over-delegating, either. They’re involved.
It may seem obvious, but companies that attract the very best people maintain an excellent image and have a compelling story to tell. We can generally agree that it is best to acquire a person who is successful and is not active in the job market. If that superstar is going to make a career move, it will be for the right reasons. Their motives for change typically eclipse compensation. The true winners are attracted to leading-edge product technology, culture, creative freedom, and career advancement.
Organizations with successful hiring track records have fluid, well-organized staffing procedures and are void of redundancies as they move prospective employees through their hiring process.
The involvement of the hiring manager is a key factor. When the Human Resources Manager is requested to fill a current or expanding role, and the hiring authority essentially “walks away”, it creates a scenario for failure.
The two most important people in talent acquisition are the candidate and the person the new hire reports to. The manager thinks beyond “box-checking” qualifications. Leading the list are attitude, motivation, drive, and compatibility at all levels within and outside the company.
Timing can be the most important factor. Candidates are in motion, and they’re quietly interviewing your company as they are being interviewed. They may be thinking: “Do I want to work for this company…these people, in this environment?” The time aspect includes swift and professional movement through the interview stages. Candidates are grown-ups and can handle rejection, but they don’t appreciate lengthy downtime between meetings. Interviewees deserve a decision, positive or negative. Anything less sends mixed signals.
Obtaining the best people is arguably the most important function of any successful organization…and the recruiting process necessary to bring you over the finish line contains many moving parts. Whether you’re utilizing your internal sources or are engaging with an outside search firm, it’s critical that all responsible participants work through it (and stay with it) together to obtain a winning outcome.
Standing Apart in a World That Follows Trends
The domestic automotive executives haven’t called and asked for my opinion, but I often wonder why most foreign auto companies manufacture a broad variety of convertibles, while there are minimal offerings coming from domestic makers. Currently, there are none from Cadillac and ditto from Buick, Lincoln, or stateside products from Stellantis. I believe there is a market waiting and a willingness to sign up.
Speaking of Buick: Their Sport Utility Vehicles are exceptional, but for those folks who may remember the legendary machines launched with the Buick badge in years past, they may be asking: Does the present lineup represent what a Buick should be?
Imagine if it was feasible for domestic automakers to produce various classic vehicles of the past, updated with (inside and out) current technology and equipped with full (EV) electrification. How about an all-electric 1955 T-Bird? Feel free to fill in the blanks with your favorites.
“Don’t chase the perfect resume – look for the person who thinks on their feet. You can’t train them to be smart.”
A recruiting note: It seems that (more than ever before) hiring authorities, in a quest for a bulletproof outcome, are searching for the absolute perfect candidate –not a seven or eight out of ten – more like a Twelve Plus! When hiring, I suggest not to get too enamored with a halo-effect resume. Instead, focus on verifiable key accomplishments, (dig deep) motive for change and enthusiasm. Finally, look for that person who thinks on their feet. You can’t train them to be smart.
Business Attire: Whether formal or casual, I believe we are becoming a bit too “Saturday afternoon” during business hours and in a few cases, almost “third world”. As we have seen in the field of advertising, marketers continually seek new ways of cutting through the noise to (hopefully) make an impression…at times reverting to more traditional methods (think, snail-mail) to stand apart from the crowd. Could this also be a way for businesspeople to make a similar impact by bucking the super-casual trend? Cuff Links? Power Tie?
A recruiting note: It seems that (more than ever before) hiring authorities, in a quest for a bulletproof outcome, are searching for the absolute perfect candidate –not a seven or eight out of ten – more like a Twelve Plus! When hiring, I suggest not to get too enamored with a halo-effect resume. Instead, focus on verifiable key accomplishments, (dig deep) motive for change and enthusiasm. Finally, look for that person who thinks on their feet. You can’t train them to be smart.
Business Attire: Whether formal or casual, I believe we are becoming a bit too “Saturday afternoon” during business hours and in a few cases, almost “third world”. As we have seen in the field of advertising, marketers continually seek new ways of cutting through the noise to (hopefully) make an impression…at times reverting to more traditional methods (think, snail-mail) to stand apart from the crowd. Could this also be a way for businesspeople to make a similar impact by bucking the super-casual trend? Cuff Links? Power Tie?
