Values-based recruiting is an approach that aims to identify and attract job applicants whose personal values align with those of the company. It involves being clear about the company’s values, developing a screening process that assesses candidates’ alignment with those values, and hiring, promoting, and firing based on adherence to those values. This approach is important for companies because it can lead to higher employee engagement, better retention rates, and improved performance.
The first step in values-based recruiting is for a company to be clear on what its values actually are. This may be self-evident, but it is certainly no easy task. And make no mistake about it, these values MUST COME from the top down. They must be authentic, not aspirational. They must be considered thoughtfully, not word smithed by a marketing or HR department. The core values describe the behaviors that the current executive team has already internalized over an extended period of time and now consistently exhibits; they are not rhetoric that will appeal to job applicants or eloquent words that are politically correct for corporate reporting. If the values don’t actually describe you, as nice as they may sound, don’t list them as YOURS. Decide what you actually value and appreciate most, consider why you behave the way you do, and define which behaviors consistently define your approach to work. THOSE are your values! Some common values include integrity, teamwork, ownership, innovation, and customer focus. By defining these values, leaders can communicate what is important to the company and what it stands for.
The next step is to develop a screening process that evaluates job applicants based on their alignment with these values. This can be done through behavioral-based interview questions that ask candidates to describe specific examples of how they have demonstrated the company’s values in their previous roles. For example, if a company values teamwork, a candidate might be asked to describe a time when they worked successfully as part of a team to achieve a common goal. Other questions might ask about a candidate’s approach to problem-solving, decision-making, or conflict resolution.
It is also important to establish evaluation criteria and a scoring matrix so that candidates can be compared consistently against the same standard. This ensures that the hiring process is fair and objective, and that all candidates are evaluated on the same criteria. For example, if a company values customer focus, it might evaluate candidates based on their ability to listen actively, anticipate customer needs, and provide solutions that meet those needs.
At TalentWoo, we have developed our own set of core values that guide our recruitment and hiring processes. These values are: Integrity Above All Things; We Value One Another; We Own Our Work; We Win as a Team; and We Keep It Real. These values are reflected in the behavior of our employees, who are committed to doing the right thing, treating each other with respect, taking ownership of their work, working collaboratively with our customers and co-workers, and being honest and transparent in every situation.
We believe that these values are critical for success in the real estate industry, where trust and transparency are key to building strong relationships with clients and partners. Our success in making thousands of hires in this industry is a testament to the effectiveness of our values-based approach to recruiting. By identifying expert real estate recruiters who share our values, we have been able to help our clients build high-performing teams that deliver outstanding results.
If your homebuilding company, REIT, or private equity firm is looking for an executive search and staffing partner who can help you find the right people to drive your real estate business forward, we encourage you to contact TalentWoo today. Our values-based approach to recruiting ensures that we identify candidates who are not only qualified for the role, but who share your company’s values and are committed to helping you achieve your goals.