In the movie Groundhog Day, Phil the Weatherman (Bill Murray) is doomed to re-live the same day over and over again until he gets it right.

Making the same mistake over and over again with recruitment is much less entertaining.

And yet this is often the experience for many fitness employers. 

Does the following sound familiar? 

A cycle of recruiting frenzy, candidate placement, then relax. Only to start from scratch again at the next recruiting frenzy. 

And this cycle is usually repeated (according to our records) at least three times a year for studios and more for larger facilities!

Break the cycle and adopt an evergreen approach

Many jobs in the fitness industry should be considered ‘always open’, or ‘evergreen’. That is, even if you don’t need someone right away, it is statistically likely that you will be looking for someone within a few months, so why not keep the recruitment process rolling?

Five reasons why treating your jobs as evergreen could work…

1. Relying on job ads alone can cost you great candidates

When a role is advertised and filled with the best possible candidate, there's every chance one or more excellent applicants were rejected in the process (the role has, after all, been filled).

Instead, treat the job as evergreen - find space for excellent candidates as they arise, rather than ignoring them until you next have a role you need to sort immediately.

2. Ongoing recruitment helps avoid the ‘coincidence hiring’

There will always be a need for job advertising, but it’s fair to describe it as ‘coincidence hiring’ – that is, it's a lucky coincidence that a top candidate is available during the same time that you have a job opening that suits them.

Instead of relying on this lucky coincidence, adopt an evergreen approach by continuously searching for great talent. Then, as much as business permits, hire them whenever they arise.

By creating a position exclusively for them (or by giving them a short-term assignment until a position opens up) you can successfully capture this suddenly available top talent that would otherwise end up elsewhere.

3. An opportunity for an optimal candidate assessment

With an evergreen approach, there is little if any time pressure. 

This means that any uncertainty about a candidate can be teased out to whatever length required to satisfy the recruiting manager.  It also allows for a more comprehensive on-boarding of new hires. 

Conversely, time pressure negatively impacts on the interviewing and screening systems, as well as reduces the optimal on-boarding period. Not to mention, encourages the appointment of ‘the best currently available’ rather than ‘the best available’.

4. Regular recruiting builds stronger systems and more skilled managers

With an evergreen recruitment strategy, recruitment processes are being followed every week/month. As a result, systems become stronger, managers become more skilled and the likelihood of hiring the best possible team increases.

5. If you’ve got a surplus, it’s likely your competitors have a shortage

OK, you’re not likely to ‘over hire’ simply to scuttle the competition, but it doesn’t hurt to consider the possibility that your recent hire of a record producing Membership Consultant or Personal Trainer could just as easily have been working their magic for the competition.

Stop the stress and cost of repeating the traditional recruitment approach.

A HealthyPeople Business Membership gives you the ability to connect with great local candidates across all job categories, whenever you need.

For recruitment packages that provide ongoing access to local candidates with Standard job ads included, start here.