7 Recruiting Lessons That You Can Learn from Santa!

Christmas is just around the corner. And Santa Claus is coming to town with a special gift for you: his best recruitment tips!  

Sounds a bit crazy?

Okay, he’s not a recruiter but there are some pertinent lessons we can learn from Santa when it comes to recruiting. Excited?

Let’s uncover seven valuable recruiting lessons you can learn from Santa! 

Lesson #1. Know what your candidates want (and deliver it)

Why do kids love Santa? Because he knows exactly what kids want for Christmas. And he delivers it every year. Santa shows genuine interest in every child and listens to them.

What you can learn:

Obviously, you can’t make your candidates happy if you don’t know what they want. Your hiring process must be candidate-centric. Take some time to build your candidate persona. Learn about candidates’ questions, wishes and goals. It is the only way you can deliver an amazing candidate experience!

Lesson #2. Recruiting is teamwork

Have you ever thought how Santa Claus delivers presents to every child around the world?

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, has been Santa’s right-hand. Rudolph and a team of elves help him deliver the gifts on time and save him from all sorts of obstacles. 

What you can learn:

Just like Santa works with a team – you should also have a team. Try to get everyone (from hiring managers to executives) involved in your recruiting process. You can even start a referral program to encourage your current employees. They can recommend you great candidates and act as brand ambassadors!

Lesson #3. Keep the promises and meet the deadlines

Santa is a tireless researcher. For 364 days a year, he studies his people, learning their precise needs, and how best to meet them. Santa doesn’t make any excuses. He always keeps his promises and delivers on-time no matter what his workload might be. 

What you can learn:

Just like Santa, as a recruiter, you need to realize that no matter how big your workload, candidates view the recruiting process as a mirror to the company’s culture. 

Suppose you fail to meet your promises and candidate deadline, it will send a message to top candidates that they will likely encounter the same degree of false promises when they’re working on the job. Try to build a relationship of trust that makes candidates “believe.”

Lesson #4. Recruit ahead of time

It may seem to you like Santa has a seasonal business, but Christmas would be a disaster if he starts preparing in November! He believes that next year’s planning starts as soon as Christmas is over!

He doesn’t put work off, thinking, “Ahh, I’ve got until December!” but instead keeps up his pace throughout the year. 

What you can learn:

Recruit in advance! If you only hire when your company has an opening, you’re missing out on top talent.  Keep your talent pool fresh and up-to-date. And always keep upwith the latest recruiting trends and tools.

Lesson #5. Create and use checklists

“He’s making a list, he’s checking it twice. Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice…” 

Okay, okay stop humming along for a second and listen to me: Santa diligently builds his list!

Because Santa needs to be accurate, consistent, and fast, he makes lists and checks them twice to make sure there are no errors.

What you can learn:

The simplest and quickest way to improve hiring is by using checklists. It will help you as a recruiter avoid common errors and validate assessment criteria. Recruiters can build checklists for resume screening, assessment, and candidate-experience processes.

Lesson #6. Stay jolly

Being jolly and kind is Santa’s trademark. Whether he’s in the factory with his elves or meeting kids, he’s always smiling. He works on tight deadlines but never shows signs of stress.

What you can learn:

An extremely important skill that all HR professionals and recruiters need to learn: Keep your cool and avoid burnout. 

Don’t be like Grinch. Instead, become the person who lights up the room with an infectious smile and real enthusiasm.

Lesson #7. Know the value of branding

In every country across the world, people know who Santa Claus is and what he does. And everyone loves him. We love him because he makes us feel safe and comfortable. With Santa, people know what is expected of them (good behavior!) and what to expect in return (presents!). His personal brand is powerful. 

What you can learn:

Building a personal brand is a must for recruiters. A powerful personal brand sets you apart and helps you attract top talent. 

Powerful content has the ability to catch the attention of top talent. Tailor your content around areas that you feel would be suited to potential candidates.

Hopefully, this post has made you smile and offered you some ideas for accelerating your recruitment efforts in 2021.