Boomerang Employees: Guide to Interviewing and Hiring
The labour crunch is real. Companies are struggling to fill positions, and are increasingly looking at unconventional candidates.
One of these types of candidates are boomerang employees. Basically, a boomerang employee is someone who previously worked for the company and left, but then gets rehired.
We frequently think that quitting a job is a permanent decision that cannot be reversed. In fact, some organizations have policies against rehiring. However, amidst a historically tight labour market, more and more employers are open to hiring former colleagues.
The boomerang phenomenon is also more common than you think. According to this survey, almost 30% of employees boomeranged back to a company where they previously worked within 36 months. HR practitioners also use several channels to keep in touch with former colleagues, such as email newsletters and alumni groups.
There are also many reasons why a former employee would wish to return. Perhaps they left to pursue other interests that didn’t work out. Or they had a major life event (parenthood, caregiving duties) and are ready to return to work. Either way, boomerang employees would feel familiar with the company – and in some cases, even gain skills elsewhere to grow in a new role.
But do take note that employees should have left the company recently to be considered a ‘boomerang’. An employee that left more than 10 years ago should be treated as a new hire.
Why Hire a Boomerang Employee
Hiring a boomerang employee can be of mutual benefit to the organization and the employee concerned. Here’s why:
- Companies can save time and money when rehiring boomerang employees. Less time is spent on training and onboarding, and they can reach full productivity sooner.
- Boomerang employees already know the company well. They will be a familiar face to their former managers and teammates, making them a good culture fit.
- The company can benefit from the expertise gained from the employee’s time away.
- Boomerang employees can return to a place where they feel comfortable and rebuild a long-term relationship.
- Rehiring former employees conveys a powerful message to current employees about your business. They are proof that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and can further strengthen organizational culture.
Interviewing a Boomerang Employee
If you think it’s a good idea to rehire a boomerang employee, the interview process will be slightly different from that of a completely new hire.
From the interview, you want to ascertain the employee’s intentions for rejoining, as well as their reasons for leaving in the first place. It’s also a good idea to check with their former colleagues to determine if they left on good terms, as well as any performance or behavioural issues to be aware of.
Importantly, during the interview session, you want to encourage boomerang employees to be open and honest about why they left and why they want to return.
Here are some interview questions you should ask prospective rehires:
- Could you tell me why you first left the company?
- With this, you can gain an insight on the circumstances that led to their departure, and whether they are suitable to be rehired.
- What skills and experiences have you gained since then?
- Often, the most valuable thing a boomerang employee can give to the company is the skills and experiences they have gained. This is especially helpful if they are applying for a different or higher position than the one they left.
- How has your perspective on the company changed since, and how do you think you can improve?
- Time away from a relationship gives you the space to reevaluate the good and bad about it. The same goes with an employment relationship. Returnees can give you a unique perspective that you can’t get elsewhere.
- Why are you looking to return? Could you tell us what excites you about this role?
- This shows their reasons and motivations to boomerang back. From there, you can evaluate if they remain a good fit for the role they are applying for.
- How do you see your future with the company?
- There’s always the probability that a boomerang employee will bounce straight back out. From here, you can gauge whether they are a flight risk, or whether the factors that led them to quit remain an issue.
Recruit Boomerang Employees with BrioHR
Whether you’re recruiting boomerangs or new hires, BrioHR’s recruitment module enables you to hire faster, better, and smarter.
The built-in applicant tracking system allows faster and more robust hiring decisions, where you can collect and share feedback from candidate screening and interviews, between colleagues and across departments. This way, you can gather feedback on any boomerang employees and their past record with the company.
With 9 powerful modules, BrioHR’s software covers the entire employee journey from recruitment to onboarding, payroll and claims, to performance and analytics, and more.
This enables business owners and HR teams to truly focus on what matters most – people.
Visit briohr.com and get a free demo now.
The labour crunch is real. Companies are struggling to fill positions, and are increasingly looking at unconventional candidates.
One of these types of candidates are boomerang employees. Basically, a boomerang employee is someone who previously worked for the company and left, but then gets rehired.
We frequently think that quitting a job is a permanent decision that cannot be reversed. In fact, some organizations have policies against rehiring. However, amidst a historically tight labour market, more and more employers are open to hiring former colleagues.
The boomerang phenomenon is also more common than you think. According to this survey, 15% of employees said they had boomeranged back to a former employer, and nearly 40% said they would consider going back to a company where they previously worked. HR practitioners also use several channels to keep in touch with former colleagues, such as email newsletters and alumni groups.
There are also many reasons why a former employee would wish to return. Perhaps they left to pursue other interests that didn’t work out. Or they had a major life event (parenthood, caregiving duties) and are ready to return to work. Either way, boomerang employees would feel familiar with the company – and in some cases, even gain skills elsewhere to grow in a new role.
But do take note that employees should have left the company recently to be considered a ‘boomerang’. An employee that left more than 10 years ago should be treated as a new hire.
Why Hire a Boomerang Employee
Hiring a boomerang employee can be of mutual benefit to the organization and the employee concerned. Here’s why:
- Companies can save time and money when rehiring boomerang employees. Less time is spent on training and onboarding, and they can reach full productivity sooner.
- Boomerang employees already know the company well. They will be a familiar face to their former managers and teammates, making them a good culture fit.
- The company can benefit from the expertise gained from the employee’s time away.
- Boomerang employees can return to a place where they feel comfortable and rebuild a long-term relationship.
- Rehiring former employees conveys a powerful message to current employees about your business. They are proof that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and can further strengthen organizational culture.
Interviewing a Boomerang Employee
If you think it’s a good idea to rehire a boomerang employee, the interview process will be slightly different from that of a completely new hire.
From the interview, you want to ascertain the employee’s intentions for rejoining, as well as their reasons for leaving in the first place. It’s also a good idea to check with their former colleagues to determine if they left on good terms, as well as any performance or behavioural issues to be aware of.
Importantly, during the interview session, you want to encourage boomerang employees to be open and honest about why they left and why they want to return.
Here are some interview questions you should ask prospective rehires:
- Could you tell me why you first left the company?
- With this, you can gain an insight on the circumstances that led to their departure, and whether they are suitable to be rehired.
- What skills and experiences have you gained since then?
- Often, the most valuable thing a boomerang employee can give to the company is the skills and experiences they have gained. This is especially helpful if they are applying for a different or higher position than the one they left.
- How has your perspective on the company changed since, and how do you think you can improve?
- Time away from a relationship gives you the space to reevaluate the good and bad about it. The same goes with an employment relationship. Returnees can give you a unique perspective that you can’t get elsewhere.
- Why are you looking to return? Could you tell us what excites you about this role?
- This shows their reasons and motivations to boomerang back. From there, you can evaluate if they remain a good fit for the role they are applying for.
- How do you see your future with the company?
- There’s always the probability that a boomerang employee will bounce straight back out. From here, you can gauge whether they are a flight risk, or whether the factors that led them to quit remain an issue.
Recruit Boomerang Employees with BrioHR
Whether you’re recruiting boomerangs or new hires, BrioHR’s recruitment module enables you to hire faster, better, and smarter.
The built-in applicant tracking system allows faster and more robust hiring decisions, where you can collect and share feedback from candidate screening and interviews, between colleagues and across departments. This way, you can gather feedback on any boomerang employees and their past record with the company.
With 9 powerful modules, BrioHR’s software covers the entire employee journey from recruitment to onboarding, payroll and claims, to performance and analytics, and more.
This enables business owners and HR teams to truly focus on what matters most – people.
Visit briohr.com and get a free demo now.
