It is a well-known fact that fewer firms are hiring these days. And while most organizations have trimmed back their recruiting function to its barest bones, throughout corporate America there are recruiters still in their jobs, at their desks - bored to death.
While many are using this time to catch up on paperwork that never got completed, to research new tools, or to keep their sourcing database up to date, others are looking for things they can do to help ease the onslaught of need when their firm or industry recovers from its current state of slumber.
This is a listing of employment practices a recruiter might consider to fill their activity void, and help prepare for economic recovery:
Do a survey of all top employees and ask them why they accepted the job when they were hired. Also ask them what they think the top selling points of the firm currently are, and what might concern them if they were just joining the organization.
Do a survey of all candidates who rejected an offer in the past eighteen months to find out what the deciding factors were that led them to turn down your offer.
Review current customer roles to identify who might be interested in joining your organization at a later date, or who might serve as a good recruiting channel to reach others. Start developing the requisite relationships to use your customers in the recruiting process.
Develop a process and format to produce a periodic -mail newsletter that will keep potential candidates interested in your company and aware of current hot opportunities.
Review hires generated in the past eighteen months by collecting on-the-job performance data and manager satisfaction information. Combine this data with available information of source of hire to determine which sources produce the greatest performers.
Consider developing a trade-up program. Identify key roles in the organization, and make sure that no "available talent" currently supersedes the quality of your current incumbent.
Meet with senior functional leadership to learn which roles in the organization are mission critical, i.e. where a vacancy or delay in recruitment would cause critical organizational failures, such as delaying time to market or compromising product quality. Stop treating all jobs and functions as having equal importance.
Consider working with managers to develop short-term rotation programs that could make use of new college graduates or interns, which are available in large numbers at relatively low cost compared to contract labor.
Revisit referrals, and request that the original referrer update the information on the candidates they referred.
Develop pre-qualifying systems for internal candidates to increase the number of internal transfers and promotions. Work with whomever is responsible for succession planning to insure that either a replacement is available internally for all key positions or that an up-to-date source list is available.
Develop "personal courting" and relationship-building programs with potential recruits so that hiring processes are not just one time "flash" occurrences.
Realize one of the primary functions of recruitment and hiring is to build and reinforce the corporate image and culture as well as to increase corporate capabilities and productivity. Remember that recruiting is marketing, and all potential recruits are also potential customers.
Start forecasting the future (unemployment rates, the pool of qualified candidates, business cycles, the changing needs of your customers etc.) and stop just "reacting to requisitions" when they hit your desk.
Do internal customer satisfaction surveys to see what managers and applicants want more of and less of.
Identify how your employment practices differ from your direct competitors. You can't beat the competitor if you all do the same things the same way.
Drop forever the idea that recruitment and hiring must be face to face. Develop remote recruitment and hiring practices that are superior to face-to-face ones.
Develop metrics (in conjunction with the CFO) to identify and prove the business impacts of a great hire and the costs of a bad hire. Make hiring great employees your greatest corporate competitive advantage over your competition.
Consider creating "feeder channels" for future university hires. For example sponsor "learn to be a __________" training classes, student clubs, internships, "professor summer internships" and short-term professor/manager swap programs.
Research voluntary terminations in which an employee joined a direct competitor. Identify why they left and how their current situation differs from what they expected.
Drop or weaken employment "rules" and approvals to decrease your time to hire. Identify things that slow down the hiring process and that you can't prove make a difference (no you don't need a job description in order to hire someone, etc.).
Develop a referral program for non-employees (suppliers and customers, for example).
Conclusion
Who the f*ck cares about Toto, other than Dorothy?
Edited by Reed Lover
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