Introduction
Compensation is a significant part of any company’s budgeting plan. This is why it is highly important for an organizational recruiting team to focus on the selection of the best talent but also to take into account the candidates’ requirements in regard to desired compensation levels and benefits. Based on their skills and professional experience, the most talented and qualified candidates can have unique requests as to their future pay, as well as various perks, incentives, and working schedules.
In order to attract and retain the best talent, organizations have to remain flexible and responsive to the demands of their valuable workers. The present paper is focused on the analysis of two candidates with different levels of professional and experience and requirements regarding their compensation. By taking into consideration the balance between what they ask for and what they have to offer to the organization, the best hiring decision will be made and explained.
Direct and Indirect Compensation Requests of the Candidates
In the present scenario, two candidates are considered for the same position. Both professionals are asking for a competitive base salary. However, the first candidate, who has twenty years of relevant working experience, also wants their compensation to include one extra week of vacation. The second candidate has six years of relevant professional experience and, as part of their compensation, would like to be provided with a company smartphone upgraded each year and paid Internet service at home.
Moreover, when it comes to their requirements as to the desired work schedule, the two candidates expressed different ideas. Specifically, the first one is willing to take on flexible shifts and come in for work at nights and on weekends whereas the second one prefers working from home. Finally, both workers would like to be included in the company’s yearly bonus plan.
Analyzing the resources and experience the two persons have to offer, it is important to take into account their direct and indirect compensation requests. In terms of direct compensation, the two candidates request equal levels of pay and bonuses. Even though both of them have similar education and training, the first candidate has twice as much practical experience in the field of marketing as the second one. Regarding indirect compensation, the exact monetary value of the additional week of vacation and the paid company smartphone and home Internet service can be compared when the exact salary asked by the candidate is known. Hypothetically, it is possible to suppose that the two requirements are similar in terms of costs for the organization.
Finally, when it comes to the preferred working schedules and styles, the first employee is more flexible than their counterpart due to the readiness to come to work on weekends and at night. This is a rather valuable trait. As for hiring employees working from home, the major benefit is that an organization can save costs such as office rent and maintenance. However, if the office with Internet access and phones already exists, paying for company smartphones and Internet service of the employees working from home can be an additional and unnecessary expenditure.
The Best Hiring Decision
Following the analysis of the two candidates and their requested direct and indirect compensation levels, a conclusion can be made that the first candidate could be a more suitable addition to the organization’s marketing team. This decision is driven by several factors. First of all, since the position for which the two candidates compete is in the marketing department, it is critical for the selected professionals to be flexible (Gimbel, 2017). The first candidate who expressed the desire to come in at night and on weekends is more flexible than the candidate who prefers to work from home. Secondly, collaboration and teamwork are among the top priority skills for a marketing employee (O’Donnell, 2015).
The employee who works from home and stays isolated from their team and other departments are not likely to make a significant contribution to the organizational performance in marketing. This is why the first candidate is preferable in this regard as well. Thirdly, having a highly experienced worker who can easily cover for their team members by working flexible shifts, an organization can agree to an additional week of vacation for the purpose of retaining valuable talent. Therefore, out of the two candidates, the first one seems to be more suitable for the marketing position.
Conclusion
In order to make the right recruiting decision, an HR professional needs to evaluate candidates from a variety of perspectives. In the present scenario, the two candidates had similar education and qualifications; however, their preferred working schedule and requested indirect compensation was different. Based on these differences and the general set of requirements for the marketing position for which the two persons competed, it was possible to make a weighted final decision. The lengthy professional experience, flexibility, and readiness to join the team, were the factors that made the first job candidate a more suitable professional for the marketing position.
References
Gimbel, T. (2017). The 6 ingredients of the right marketing candidate. Web.
O’Donnell, K. R. (2015). Six hard and six soft skills to look for when hiring your next marketing employee. Web.