6 Questions on Talent Recruitment with Mark Waschek
It’s an understatement to say the COVID-19 pandemic created numerous challenges across all aspects of agriculture, including hiring the right people. In the area of recruitment, the pandemic forced retailers and trusted advisers to revamp how they evaluate talent, and it changed the way employees view potential employers.
Some of those challenges are now subsiding, but the critical need to have an excellent team in place in today’s post-pandemic world remains, which is why the topic of recruitment strategies is included in the program agenda for the inaugural Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo.
To be held in Des Moines, IA, July 20-21, this new event has been dubbed “the ag tech practitioner’s must-attend summer event.” Tech Hub LIVE is designed to bring together like-minded professionals to gain valuable industry insight on a diverse mix of topics, engage with leaders across data-driven agriculture sectors, and find key suppliers and partners to help move business forward.
Tackling the topic of talent recruitment is Mark Waschek, Vice President of Agronomy at Ag1Source, a recruiting firm that serves the agriculture industry. We had a chance to chat with Mark and get his take on the impact of recruitment changes and get a glimpse of what you will learn during his session at Tech Hub LIVE.
What do employers need to keep in mind when recruiting in a post-pandemic world?
Mark Waschek: The pandemic caused all of us to appreciate things we overlooked in the past and realize that even though we thought things were great, maybe they weren’t. Most of us who don’t work for ag retailers and have been working from home, realized we may not have been spending that much time with our family, and we actually enjoyed spending more time with them this past year.
The other thing is, when provided with the opportunity to work remotely, very few want to go back to the office. That is huge for the ag retailer because before the pandemic, people were far more open to relocation for the right opportunity. Now candidates know there are more opportunities available without having to relocate.
It comes down to a quality-of-life issue. Ag retailers need to understand that issue, and even though their employees are not part of the population that works remotely, they weren’t immune to it. Concerns over quality of life are more important now more than ever for ag retailers and need to be part of the value proposition to attract new talent to their organizations.
What will the talent recruitment process look like moving forward?
Mark Waschek: Organizations have realized you can improve your entire interview and recruitment process by engaging in video meetings and video interviews. I think there will be a balance of video and in person, and when companies find the right people, hiring decisions can be made quickly.
Part of my presentation at Tech Hub LIVE will include tips on what you should look for in video interviews to ensure the candidate is right for your team. Spoiler alert: Video interviewing is just one of the talent recruitment strategies I will share during my session.
What are the drawbacks to video interviews?
Mark Waschek: There is one drawback, but if you have the final interview in person that will eliminate 99% of the issue. Every person has unique nuances that can be masked in an online interview. For example, I had an individual who was hired online, but when it came time to execute the job in the field, the person wasn’t physically able to do the job. There are things like that or perhaps a nervous habit that would show up in an in-person interview.
You can easily hire the right person via video interviews. What concerns me more than hiring somebody based on virtual interviews is the opposite: making sure the candidate actually wants to work in that organization. If you think about it, the potential employee hasn’t been able to see what it is like to work in your organization or how people interact within your company. In a retail setting, candidates get to see how others are dressed, and if they are laughing or stoic. You don’t get that in a video interview.
What have been the candidates’ responses to this new way of hiring?
Mark Waschek: Candidates love it. They don’t think about the problems I just identified until it is too late. However, if you are unhappy in your role, thinking about a change, or if you were part of the downsizing that occurred last year, video interviews present an opportunity to have more interviews faster and get back to work.
What are you looking forward to addressing at Tech Hub Live, and what will the experience of attending your session provide to an attendee?
The year 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic has no doubt impacted everyone in this country, both personally and professionally. As a result, the way each one of us (and your future employees) consider a potential career change will forever be impacted going forward. Organizations who fail to include these attributes when recruiting, hiring, and onboarding their employees are going to quickly find themselves with a small and shrinking talent pool. That’s why I’m excited to share a series of small changes that organizations can fairly easily implement that will keep them relevant and in front of their competition in the battle for the best talent.
What advice you can offer companies recruiting talent?
Mark Waschek: Recruit before you have an opening, but also recognize that if people are not happy, it’s easier now more than ever to change jobs. You need to remind new employees every day how much you appreciate them until they become established, making it difficult for them to leave. In my presentation at Tech Hub LIVE, I’ll also talk about the importance of overall communication, and creating a vision that your organization is a great place to work and raise a family.
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