Milestone 1 – Recruiting Strategy

Alfred Kofi Tiunayan Kodzo

Nexford University

HRM2100 – Managing Human Resources

Professor Hector Gonzalez

September 21, 2023

What is Zappos’s recruitment strategy? How is it different from traditional recruitment procedures, if

it is?

Zappos has a distinctive recruitment strategy focused on cultural alignment and exceptional

customer service. They adopt "Holacracy," giving employees autonomy. Core values emphasize

outstanding service, adaptability, and a playful work environment. They prioritize culturally aligned

interviews, employing a two-part process with comprehensive training to ensure new hires embrace

their culture. Zappos is renowned for its "Offer of Money to Quit," encouraging new hires to evaluate

cultural fit during a four-week training program (Feloni, 2015).

This strategy diverges from conventional approaches by prioritizing cultural fit over skills.

Zappos’ “Holacracy” promotes employee autonomy, a departure from hierarchical structures

prevalent in traditional firms. Zappos uses a two-step interview process, including cultural

assessments by current employees. Their "Offer of Money to Quit" initiative is unique, underlining the

importance of cultural alignment. Zappos emphasizes a customer-centric ethos and invests significantly

in comprehensive training to nurture a workforce deeply committed to their values. This contrasts with

conventional recruitment, often emphasizing immediate skill matches over long-term cultural

compatibility and employee engagement.

Zappos strives to devise unique ways of recruiting individuals for its teams. Name at least two

of them and explain why they are unique to the industry standard.

Zappos boasts a knack for crafting avant-garde recruitment methodologies, and two standout

examples of their distinctiveness are particularly intriguing. Firstly, the "Zappos Offer of Money to Quit"

offers a monetary enticement to fresh recruits during their initial training, extending an audacious

invitation to gracefully exit if they sense an incompatibility between themselves and the Zappos ethos.

This practice, a bold departure from the recruitment norm, permits self-selection and reduces the odds

of onboarding those not wholly immersed in Zappos' values (Feloni, 2015).

 Equally distinctive is Zappos' meticulous commitment to cultural alignment. The company

orchestrates a symphony of values assessment through a two-tiered interview process, where the

conventional metrics of skills and experience yield precedence to an exploration of candidates'

resonance with Zappos' distinctive culture. In tandem, Zappos' adoption of “Holacracy”, an

unconventional model of self-management, propels the organization into uncharted waters. While

corporate landscapes frequently adhere to rigid hierarchical structures, Zappos empowers its employees

to craft the contours of their own roles (White, 2015).

Would the videos convince candidates that Zappos would be a great place to look for work? Why?

The videos would strongly convince candidates to seek career opportunities at Zappos. This is

due to a unique blend of compelling factors that set the company apart. The Zappos narrative, tracing

the founders' journey from college pizza sellers to billion-dollar business creators, serves as an

inspirational tale of entrepreneurial success. Their unwavering commitment to happiness as a guiding

ethos, surpassing the mere sale of shoes, captivates job seekers (Arata Academy ENGLISH, 2016).

What adds to Zappos' appeal is its unwavering dedication to delivering exceptional customer

experiences. CEO Tony Hsieh envisions Zappos as a happiness provider, a future in which it's

remembered for more than just footwear sales. The company's commitment to transcend traditional e-

commerce and potentially expand into industries like aviation signifies a spirit of innovation (PBS

NewsHour, 2017). Zappos strives to create lasting customer impressions and relationships, going the

extra mile with next-day delivery upgrades and assisting customers in finding products on competitor

websites when inventory is scarce, consistently exceeding expectations (Arata Academy ENGLISH, 2016).

Zappos' distinctive employee culture solidifies its status as an attractive employer. The emphasis

on cultural alignment is evident in their rigorous hiring process, which meticulously assesses candidates

for alignment with the company's core values. Zappos' commitment to cultural immersion, with every

employee undergoing a comprehensive four-week program, underscores the importance of a

harmonious, values-driven workforce. The audacious "Offer of Money to Quit" initiative, allowing new

hires to leave with a cash bonus if they feel culture misalignment, operates as a self-selection

mechanism, paradoxically leading to heightened commitment among those who remain (Arata Academy

ENGLISH, 2016).

Outline a recruitment strategy, highlighting key aspects that you think would help in convincing

candidates to join a company

First, I would craft a captivating company narrative that resonates with candidates. For instance,

I can share how a startup founded in a garage transformed into a global tech giant, as seen in the

evolution of Apple Inc. The story of innovation, from the Apple I to the iPhone, underscores the

company's commitment to pushing boundaries and fostering a culture of creativity. Secondly, I would

prioritize cultural fit during recruitment by defining core values. Taking Google as an example, it

highlights its values of "Don't be evil" and "Focus on the user, and all else will follow." I would emphasize

how these values shape the company culture and guide decision-making, attracting candidates who

align with this ethical and user-centric ethos. Next, I would illustrate career growth opportunities with

the journey of Satya Nadella at Microsoft. I can highlight how Nadella, who began as an engineer, rose

to become the CEO, emphasizing that the company values talent development and nurtures leadership

from within. Then, I would share testimonials from current employees. These testimonials would display

the company's commitment to diversity and inclusion fostering an environment where their unique

perspectives were celebrated, attracting candidates seeking an inclusive workplace. Also, I would

provide concrete salaries and benefit figures for each role. Candidates would be more likely to be

enticed when they see the tangible rewards of joining my organization.

Finally, I would highlight our dedication to work-life balance, drawing inspiration from how

Salesforce introduced flexible work policies, allowing employees to tailor their schedules. This

accommodation would underscore our commitment to employee well-being.

 References

Arata Academy ENGLISH. (2016, March 26). The Zappos story: delivering happiness [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ftPsgkBoiU

Feloni, R. (2015, December 3). Zappos’ sneaky strategy for hiring the best people - Business Insider.

Business Insider; Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/zappos-sneaky-strategy-

for-hiring-the-best-people-2015-12?r=US&IR=T

PBS NewsHour. (2017, March 3). Zappos is a weird company -- and it’s happy that way [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mknIg_Abfw

White, S. (2015, August 5). What is holacracy and why does it work for Zappos? CIO.

https://www.cio.com/article/244722/what-is-holacracy-and-why-does-it-work-for-zappos.html

‌
‌