Recruiting and onboarding a new employee is similar to dating, Mia Perez says. Perhaps the most important commonality is to watch what you say.

“Communication is key in any relationship,” says Perez, chief strategy and people officer at Louisiana Federal Credit Union in La Place.

Perez outlined onboarding steps to take and pitfalls to avoid during the 2022 CUNA HR & Organizational Development Council Conference Monday in Orlando.

Key considerations in the onboarding—and dating—process:

Swipe right. Before applying for jobs, candidates need to decide whether to apply for a job. They’ll research the credit union, looking at the website and reviews on Glass Door and LinkedIn and scouring social media.

 “Your culture will be center stage,” Perez says. 

Match the profile photo. During the interview process, the candidate will want to make sure the job description matches what the hiring team says. 

“Top talent is also interviewing you,” she says. “What you’re promising and what you’re delivering must match.”

Marry me? Before extending an offer, Perez the candidate and the hiring team must have certain conversations. Take this time to ask about long-term goals and training and development expectations 

“There’s a criticality between what we’re saying and what we’re doing enterprise wide,” she says.

Divorce is expensive. What happens when you hire a candidate and it doesn’t work? The average cost to hire an entry-level position is $4,400, Perez says, while the cost for an executive is $15,000.

Along with those costs are intangibles, including the reputational risk that comes with high turnover and other risks within the local community. 

“What does it say about leadership and stability if you’re not finding the talent that lines up with the organization?” Perez asks.

Nobody likes a sneaky link. Top talent can easily be recruited to other organizations if they’re not engaged, Perez says. Make sure your staff is engaged with the workplace, and be intentional about ensuring they want to stay with your credit union through training, development, and a strong relationship with the manager.

According to Gallup, it takes 20% more money to take an excellent employee away from a job if they feel their managers supports, engages, and buys into them.

“Let candidates know what is expected,” she says. “They want to know they have value, an opinion, and that it matters. It’s better to be up front with employees.”