talent edge solutions

I have spent many hours as a recruiter trying to move candidates along through their application pipeline. In many cases, I have had to co-ordinate meetings between those candidates and anywhere from 3 -6 different interviewers before the employer is ready to move forward with an offer. This process does have value of course. If you are bringing a new hire onboard for a key position within your company, then you should garner as much insight and as many different points of view as possible. This will enable you, as a hiring manager, to ensure that nothing has fallen through the cracks, and that the culture fit has been established. That being said, it is possible to have too many cooks in the kitchen. At some point you have to ask yourself, is this process really the most effective way to interview new candidates, or are we just muddying the waters. In my experience the most effective interviewing strategy has been to have new candidates meet 3 company delegates at the most. The three people should represent, a person to whom the candidate will report, a person that is in a similar role to the position you are trying to fill, and an executive of the company. These people should all have the same information about a candidate, as well as the same mandate to follow regarding key competencies and desired qualities. The interviews should all take place over a period of time no longer than a week, and a decision should take no longer than two weeks. This will enable all of the interviewers to keep their impressions fresh and will ensure that the candidate does not become frustrated by the process. Many of my clients follow this outline with a great deal of success. The principle is sound; too many cooks spoil the broth. Make sure that as you design your interview protocols, you are considering not only the most effective way to determine suitability, but also the way that a candidate is going to perceive your organization. Remember, the interview process is not only your chance to get to know a candidate. It is also the first chance you get as an employer, to make an impression with your future stars. You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and in today’s competitive job market that means as much to companies as it does to candidates.

They are the hot ticket item in the workforce right now, and they know it. In Canada we call them the Sunshine generation but around the world they are known as Generation Y or The Digital Generation, and according to an ABC news poll in the United States they prefer to be called Millenials. I am referring of course to anyone born between 1980 and 2000. This is a generation that is entering the workforce in the largest numbers since the Baby Boomers, and their impact is just beginning to be felt by employers now. The Sunshine Generation are the first truly collaborative demographic to enter the job market. They have been raised in a world that has embraced online community and sociability, and they have developed into a group that is optimistic, goal and self oriented, and most of all influential. Never before have a generation of workers had the opportunity to discuss and assess the pros and con’s, of working for any given employer to the degree that is possible today. Salaries, policies, and work environment are discussed in blog form every day online. The effect of this increased online presence has just begun to be felt by mainstream employers. The fact is that the success of any companies marketing toward potential candidates has to be gauged by its effectiveness representing the brand online.

So who are this generation? What is it that’s unique about their experience and culture? How can employers position themselves to capitalize on their talents? The answers are really best supplied by the employees themselves. I have found that in many cases, the managers that are truly effective in recruiting top talent are the managers that have made their workforce a recruiting partner. Building workplace recruiting teams, and utilizing their suggestions effectively, is one of the resources that can be utilized to ensure that you are reaching your target candidates. Remember, this is a generation that has been validated in every aspect of their upbringing, and they expect to have their input welcomed. As the dynamic of the modern workplace changes, and the Baby boomer generation leaves the workforce, managers and companies in general are going to have to tailor their recruiting efforts to respond to these demands. The fact that the Sunshine Generation has such high expectations, only increases the risk that, if those expectations are not met, the word will be out with the click of a mouse, and then Generation Y will be asking the question, why should I work for you?

If you are interested in looking at ways to brand your business for potential employees, please feel free to contact Dave Hick at Talent Edge Solutions. dhick@talentedgesolutions.com.

Once you have the right people hired, you need to keep them happy so they stick around! We recently attended the Vancouver Education & Career Fair held on Feb. 19, 2008 at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre. We took this opportunity to survey some of the employers at the fair and when asked what they are doing to retain their top talent, the following 10 responses emerged as the most common.

1. Bonus: If you have seasonal staff, pay them an end of season bonus to stick around till the end of your peak season.

2. Training: Top employers are providing training and development for their staff to ensure they are helping people to further their careers and build their resumes – even if it means after 6 months or a year, they will take that experience somewhere else.

3. Career Path: Find out where your staff want to go with their careers, what are they aspiring to become? Find ways to help them get there. (If you help them, they are more likely to stick around and help you)

4. Promotions: When you have top talent, identify them early on and fast track them through the internal systems, promote from within.

5. Recognition: Do not underestimate the power of saying “thank you.” Put programs in place to make sure you look for and recognize desired behaviours.

6. Communication: Today’s employees want to be involved and empowered so communicate to them, often, explain the “what, where, why and how”. Ask them for feedback and suggestions – they have an opinion and they are not afraid to share it with you.

7. Fun! Don’t forget to have fun! Create a workplace that takes the time to celebrate successes, work hard and play hard together as a team.

8. Lead by Example: Ensure your leadership team walks the talk, creating the right workplace culture and empowering people to do their jobs right the first time.

9. Quality: Employees are looking to be part of a company that sells products, services they can believe in and relate to. Quality is #1.

10. Perks: Offer discount programs, work out reciprocal discounts with other employers allowing you to stretch you reward dollars. (…kind of sounds like more free stuff, are you seeing the trend?)

Even students coming out of school with little to no experience have very high expectations of their future employers and the type of workplace they want. We heard several stories from employers feeling they were being interviewed by the candidates at the fair. The question to think about the next time you are conducting an interview is to think, who is conducting the interview and how do you compare to other employers in the marketplace? What are you doing to attract and retain your top talent? Sell yourself as an employer, if you don’t, your top talent might start getting lured elsewhere…

There is no question, the “war for talent” is on and employers are battling each other to hire top talent. At the Vancouver Education & Career Fair held on Feb. 19, 2008 at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre, top employers and educational institutions were present. The target audience: students, looking for their next educational experience and awareness about the career opportunities that await them. We took this opportunity to survey some of the employers at the fair and asked them what they are doing to recruit top talent. As you would imagine, the responses had many differences given the mix of employers present – from the Department of National Defense to Starbucks!
When asked what employers are doing to attract top talent and differentiate themselves from the competition, the following top 10 responses emerged:

1. Flexibility: If you have seasonal staff and peak time needs, provide flexible scheduling and pay premiums for undesirable shifts.

2. Fit: Ensure you understand who will be a good team and company fit, hire people with the same values that are espoused in your workplace culture. Who better to recruit for you than your current employees who know the workplace? Put referral programs in place and reward people who refer people you hire.

3. Environment: Today’s job seekers are looking for employers who value and make commitments to be green and support the environment. Create corporate social responsibility programs and include them in your recruiting campaigns to attract people.

4. Outreach: As an employer, getting involved in community activities is a great way to showcase yourself as an employer and that you care.

5. Co-op: Create partnerships with schools and supporting co-op programs is a great way to attract talent fresh from school.

6. Go to them: Many employers are finding they have to go to the talent – schools, career, education fairs and in some cases are interviewing and hiring on the spot.

7. Apprenticeship: Where possible, support apprentices in your workplace to attract top talent from trades and other schools.

8. Brand – You: Top employers have a good understanding of their brand as an employer, what they stand for, who they look to hire and what they can offer. A strong employment brand allows potential employees to decide if you are the right employer for them. (…kind of sounds like the candidates are interviewing you, see where this is going…)

9. Rewards: To play the game and be in the “right” ballpark, you need to make sure your base pay and benefits are competitive enough to get people in the door. Pay and benefits are only one factor people consider but it is getting more and more attention these days.

10. Free Stuff!!! When all else fails, give away free stuff. All the employers we talked to at the fair told us today’s younger generations expect free stuff – pens, hats, free passes, perks…So, the next time you are looking to attend a career fair, ask yourself how you will get them to stop at your booth?

After reviewing the top responses that employers are using to recruit top talent, you can see tides are turning. It is a candidates market and they are shopping around for the best opportunities. Are you attracting top talent or are they going to your competitors?

Imagine this…You show up for a job interview, the receptionist is too busy to help you, the interviewer is late, unprepared, and has to take an urgent call during the interview. What message does that send candidates about you as an employer? Candidates form their opinion of you as an employer during the interview process. To ensure a positive recruitment process and build a pipeline of qualified candidates, consider the following tips:

-          Recruitment Life Cycle: Identify candidate touch points during your recruitment process and the impression you are making. What story are you telling about what it’s like to work for you?

-          Communication: Call back all candidates who go through the interview process and offer them feedback for a positive experience. Every unsuccessful candidate is a potential recruiter who will tell friends about their experience with you, whether good or bad.

-          Feedback: Ask candidates for feedback on the recruitment process. What impression did they get of you as an employer; do they have suggestions for improvement?

-          Candidate Relationship Marketing (CRM): Keep in touch with qualified candidates who express an interest in your organization. This can be a simple e-newsletter, occasional phone call, or, really impress them and invite them to a candidate appreciation event!

-          Employer Value Proposition (EVP): What is your unique, differentiating employment proposition to candidates and existing staff? Why would a talented person want to join (and stay with) your organization?

In the same way you want every guest that enters your business to leave with a positive experience, think of the recruitment process in the same way.  In a job seekers market with employers competing for talent, your recruitment process needs to impress candidates and sell them on the opportunity of working for you.

Do you have a job interview horror story? How did it influence your perception about the employer? Share it with us by posting a comment.