You don’t just need candidates, you need Qualified Candidates! The talent shortage gives us pause for contemplation. Dr. John Sullivan, an HR Thought Leader, prolific writer and speaker, published Next Year’s Headlines,Trends and Practices November 2012. Consider his predictions and ways to attack them to improve the situation. Although the economy continues to be shaky, reality demands immediate action.
Plan Ahead
“Volatility and workforce planning – as continuous business volatility becomes the “new normal,” data-driven workforce planning will become an absolute requirement. In addition, the increased use (approaching 40%) and the improved management of contingent workers will become essential to provide the needed agility and flexibility.”
Contract or “contingent” workers are an attractive alternative. The vendor may supply benefits, saving money for your company. Plus, you see the ethics and skills of the worker before deciding whether hire the individual full time.
Qualified Candidates
“Referrals — will continue to produce the highest volume and highest quality of hires. The target percentage of all hires from referrals at top firms will reach 50%.”
As a recruiter my absolute best source of candidates was employee referrals. If you don’t have a referral system, start one. If your referral system does not provide at least 25% of your hires, explore ways to improve it.
Know your Value
“Candidate selling – the overall recruiting emphasis will continue to shift away from what is becoming relatively easy — the “finding” of candidates. Instead, there will be a shift toward the still difficult task of successfully “selling” top talent who are in high demand.”
Too many times I’ve seen hiring managers look at the resume for the first time as the candidate sits in front of him or her. I’m well aware that many hiring managers and team members prefer doing their regular responsibilities rather than recruiting. The hiring manager must devote adequate time for preparing the job requirements and the interview team. The hiring team needs to clearly know why anyone would want the job you have available.
Improve Recruiting Processes
“Remote work — the growth of technology and the willingness of managers to accept remote work options will dramatically expand recruiting for remote jobs. This shift will force recruiting to increase its capability to find and land a higher percentage of candidates from around the world.”
For example, the recruiter might have an Analyst opening for someone with supply chain experience in the beverage industry in Dallas. The recruiter finds the perfect candidate in Atlanta, who will not move, as his teenager is entering her senior year in high school. Arranging for one week in Dallas and three weeks at home for a year would fill the opening immediately, rather than waiting to find someone in Dallas who might be less qualified.
“Recruiting at industry events — as the economy approves, industry events will return to popularity. And once again recruiting at these events will become an essential and effective tool for recruiting top and diverse talent.”
Career fairs are brutal for both recruiters and candidates. Recruiters sometimes have long lines of candidates, who may not be even vaguely qualified. Personalized events, such as conferences, webinars, or localized special events with industry leaders may help. A company career event “by invitation only” can provide immediate hires, if done correctly. Innovative team efforts may yield unexpected results.
John Sullivan’s background clearly addresses why hiring must involve every step in this article. You can’t just “post and pray.” You can’t leave the planning in the hands of one person. It’s a team effort. You can use all the resources available, such as “selling the candidate” on the job and company, plus advertising and outside agencies. The more stringent your requirements, the smaller the candidate pool. Outside resources will be better than a “bad hire” or prolonged empty seat!
This article was first published on EBNonline on 4/26/13. It has been slightly modified to appeal to all readers, not only Supply Chain professionals. If you are a job seeker, you might want to forward this to your favorite hiring manager!
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