Tactical vs Strategy - Metrics in Recruitment

Moving to strategic metrics tracking actions is easier but fails to capture the business impact.

If your recruiting team is like most, you already track time to hire. It’s the most commonly used recruiting metric for good reason—it’s easy to measure and can set expectations— but it’s not the most strategic. It tells you how fast your team hires, but not how well.

A slow recruiter who hires 10 high performers is far more valuable than one who efficiently hires 25 poor performers.

Tactical metric s —like time to hire, candidates per hire, or offer acceptance rate—track the immediate actions of your recruiters. That’s a good starting point, but the future of recruiting will revolve around strategic metrics: those that measure the business outcomes of your team’s efforts—not just the actions they take.

The role of recruiting is rising. Shaping your business’s talent strategy will be just as important as executing it. To do that well, you’ll need to track the metrics that really matter. 

Which is the best ATS, I asked

Maarten Oostenbrug wrote to me a detailed reply:

Sorry Sajit, imho this questions can’t be answered eaningfully.
The “right” ATS depends on the specific needs of your organization. An ATS that works fine for one company can be totally unfit for another and vice versa. As always, HRM is context sensitive. So are recruitment processes and therefore also the supporting technology.

You will have to define the requirements for your specific organization and define the specs of a tool to support that. Then (and only then) can you start looking for tools (there are various sites to compare and evaluate software). It’s a bit work but it will make things easier and faster down the road. In case you have not a good idea yet how your requirement process works and what you need for support:

• use a whiteboard (yes, I’m serious. If you can’t figure it out with pen and paper, you can’t automate it either!)
• Use trello or any other KanBan system to keep track of workflow
• Use excel or something that recruiters themself can modify and maintain with basic skills.

None of these solutions will automate your recruitment process. None of these are scalable and none should be used for more than a short time. They are only useful to develop and understand your recruitment process, decision making (selection!) and other requirements.
Some examples of requirements you need to know before you even start looking for ATS: what is the recruitment experience you want to offer? How many applicants and recruiters are involved? Do you need video conferencing? What are selection criteria and how do you know them (CV’s are horrible for selection)? Legal requirements (privacy. Equal opportunity). And of course, do you really need an ATS to start with? There are downsides and risks involved with an ATS too. Bottom line: you can’t select or evaluate an ATS (or any tool) based on an idea that you will recognize something good once you see it. Neither will raving reviews by others mean anything for your specific situation. Serendipity is not a strategy.

Productivity tools during social distancing - Nick Martin

16 tools shared by Nick Martin, to increase productivity
Collaboration and project management: 1. Communication: Slack 2. Program management: Trello 3. Video conferencing: Zoom 4. Wireframing: Figma & Invision 5. Document management and storage: Google Drive 6. Visual collaboration: Mural 7. Research: Dropbox Paper Operations: 8. Payroll: Gusto 9. Accounting: Quickbooks Online 10. Sales and CRM: HubSpot Others (and eLearning tools): 11. Decks and infographics: Piktochart 12. Icons: Flaticon 13. Learning management and course creation: the TechChange platform 14. Rapid elearning authoring: Articulate 360 15. Screencasting: Camtasia 16. Video editing: Adobe Creative Cloud

Links to tools: 1. Slack: https://slack.com/ 2. Trello: https://trello.com/en-US 3. Zoom: http://zoom.us/ 4. Figma: https://www.figma.com/ Invision: www.invisionapp.com 5. Google Drive: https://www.google.com/docs/about/ 6. Mural: http://mural.co/ 7. Dropbox Paper: https://www.dropbox.com/paper 8. Gusto https://gusto.com/ 9. Quickbooks: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/ 10. HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/ 11. Piktochart: https://piktochart.com/ 12: Flaticon: https://www.flaticon.com/ 13: TechChange: https://www.techchange.org/ 14: Articulate: https://articulate.com/360 15: Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html 16: Adobe: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud.html

What should #recruiters do during an epidemic?

Recruitment is a sales function period. Just that it is under the HR department.

So what should a recruiter do during tough times! If you haven't face the 2008 recession, read below.

Ask yourself if you are a hunter or a farmer?

If you are a hunter, you might want to sharpen your nails for the next kill as it is going to be a tough market once things become normal.

• Connect: use your LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or whatever platforms you use to connect with potential candidates.

• Engage: you haven't had time to connect with your previously placed candidates, now is the right time.

• Brand: To brand or not to brand is not an option anymore, the HR department especially the recruitment function has to take branding seriously. Decide what processes you can streamline to make the customer experience better.

I guess a farmer to can follow the above steps as in a crisis your contractors will be looking at other opportunities if they are uncomfortable with their current job. You might want to know who is looking to jump ship as soon as the economy starts to pick up.

Happy hunting! Stay Safe| You Are Awesome!

Who owns your brand - You?

Think again. Don't be delusional. You don't own your brand. Your customers and employees own your brand and the faster you realise this, the easier it is for you to see the big picture.

It is at the top of every CMO's mind. But have you thought about looking at the recruitment process in your company? Have you sat with your HR folks to understand if they are contributing to the branding process?

Every touchpoint in the recruitment process is important to reinforce the brand image and it can work wonders for the brand.

Think about it!

#EmployeeAppreciationDay

Recruiters possibly are the least appreciated employees of an organisation.

Mostly because they are sandwiched between the business and the candidates.

Businesses often confuse between recognition and appreciation.

Recognition is about giving positive feedback based on results or performance. Sometimes this happens in a formal way: an award, a bonus, a promotion, a raise. Sometimes recognition is given more informally: a verbal thank you, a handwritten note. All of these methods can be meaningful, especially if they’re done in a timely and genuine way. They’re also motivating and exciting — everyone wants their good work to be applauded.

Appreciation, on the other hand, is about acknowledging a person’s inherent value. The point isn’t their accomplishments. It’s their worth as a colleague and a human being.

Oprah Winfrey once said: 

I have to say that the single most important lesson I learned in 25 years talking every single day to people was that there’s a common denominator in our human experience….The common denominator that I found in every single interview is we want to be validated. We want to be understood. I’ve done over 35,000 interviews in my career. And as soon as that camera shuts off, everyone always turns to me and inevitably, in their own way, asks this question: “Was that OK?” I heard it from President Bush. I heard it from President Obama. I’ve heard it from heroes and from housewives. I’ve heard it from victims and perpetrators of crimes. I even heard it from Beyoncé in all of her Beyoncé-ness….[We] all want to know one thing: “Was that OK?” “Did you hear me?” “Do you see me?” “Did what I say mean anything to you?”

The Little Things That Make Employees Feel Appreciated

• Give balanced feedback. 
• Touch base early and often. 
• Address growth opportunities. 
• Make it a habit.

#EmployeeAppreciationDay

https://hbr.org/2019/11/why-employees-need-both-recognition-and-appreciation

https://hbr.org/2020/01/the-little-things-that-make-employees-feel-appreciated

ATS - No magic wand!

An applicant tracking system or fondly called ATS by HR is no magic wand. But it does make life a lot easier or sometimes more difficult for recruiters. 

But having said that, it is a must for any organisation in order to evaluate your recruitment metrics.

Below is a small list and I am sure I haven't covered all. But let me know your thoughts, which ones you like best and also if you want to add to this list.

ADP

ApplicantPro

ApplicantStack

ATS OnDemand

Bullhorn

CATS ATS

Ceridian

ContactHR

eRecruiting

Force.com

Greenhouse

HealthCareResource

Hirebridge

HireRabbit

HRDepartment.com

HRMDirect.com

Hrsmart

Hyrell

iApplicants

iCims

iRecruit

iRecruitment

JJ Keller

Jobscience

Jobscore

Jobvite

Kenexa-Brassring

Lever

Link

Luceo

Lumesse

MyStaffingPro

netMedia

Newton Software

NovaHire

PCRecruiter

PeopleAdmin

PeopleAnswers

Peoplefluent

Pereless

PracticeMatch

Recruiting.com

Resumeware

SAP-SuccessFactors

Silkroad

SmartRecruiters

SmartSearch

Snaphire

Taleo

TeamWorkOnline

TheResumator

Tribepad

TrueBlue

Ultipro

Vitae

HR marketing - Why it is important

Any organization big or small to attract and retain the best talents towards them, have to market themselves, the job opportunities, the training programs for the internal employees and make them stand out.

Attracting, engaging, and retaining top talent is a high priority for executives, and most companies place this responsibility on HR. According to the PwC 18th Annual CEO survey, a full 73% of respondents are concerned about the availability of talent – a 10% increase from 2014. Executives worry that it’s getting harder to recruit and keep the people who are both skilled high-performers and ‘fit’ within their organization’s culture. And without top talent, maintaining a competitive advantage, adapting to industry change, and growing business is nearly impossible.

So... how do you reach out to the top talent..

HR Marketing is key.

hiring experience
employer brand
employee experience

are some of the things you will be hearing a lot in 2020.

Recruitment = Sales + Marketing + Branding

Recruitment: simply put is finding the right candidate for a role within a time frame using various methods.

Sales: answer the demand in the market by converting candidates to customers. Recruiters are always speaking to potential candidates to convert them to customers.

Marketing: strategies demand in the market by adapting to product, price, place, and promotion in anticipation of, or in reaction to, the market situation. In a very competitive market, recruiters constantly change their promotions tactics to ensure that they get the best candidates faster.

Branding: is intended to imbue the brand with an identity: something aking to an archetypal human personality, designed so that the trademark becomes a potent symbol of that archetype. Some recruiters are a brand in themselves for the quality of service they provide and leverage on that to generate more business.



Ref:

http://duffy.agency/blog/difference-between-marketing-sales-and-branding/

Recruiters - Superhero?

Recruitment - Farming vs Hunting

Recruitment is the process of identifying the need for a job, defining the requirements of the position and the job holder, advertising the position and choosing the most appropriate person for the job.

Finding the right person for a job is a challenge.

There are two strategies.

Farming: You work with a small pool of candidates for skills that niche or specialist. You keep the candidates engaged with market trends, multiple job opportunities and always work with them to ensure they get the right job. This is a lengthy process and candidate management and people skills are of key importance.

Hunting: In high paid roles that are difficult to fill, the hunter is constantly sharpening his/her skills to find talent. Your networking and search capabilities are top-notch. Every role is a challenge and some can be very time-consuming. The ability to wait for the right kill is very important as you want your client to be presented with the best candidates that the market has to offer.

What is the best strategy?

An 80-20% mix is a great strategy to have. I would personally go with 80% hunting and 20% farming.

Happy recruiting!

Branding - As a recruiter, you are the brand!

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as “A name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. 

Are you a brand ambassador for your company? As a recruiter, you must be.

All of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You. 

– Tom Peters in Fast Company

You, the recruiter, is the voice, face and brand for your company and that is what's going to make the difference.

Is it easy, definitely not!

Building a profitable personal brand online is not a sprint and something that happens overnight. Don't aim for perfection early on. Instead allow your brand to evolve naturally over time and focus on providing massive value and over-deliver to your target audience. Then you will get more clear over your message and brand as well. Always remember that! – Navid Moazzez 

The 1 Thing ALL #Marketers Need to Know

https://www.linkedin.com/video/live/urn:li:ugcPost:6637689720472244224/

Recruitment - a constant learning process

“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” -Albert Einstein

And recruitment is a constant learning process.

Every call with a client or candidate is a learning process.

So it is necessary to pick up the phone and speak to both your client and candidate to ensure that you -  the bridge between the two, handholds both together to ensure a pleasant journey.

If you stop learning, a recruiter is like deadwood.  

Why is feedback important in the recruitment process?

Everyone wants to hire as of yesterday!

Clients/Business Owners/Hiring managers - all want to hire as of yesterday. But will they invest in the hiring process with even the least effort of giving feedback?

That is the issue most recruiter face. Feedback..

Proper feedback will help the recruiter modify his/her search and find the right candidate faster.

Not all process can be automated.

Feedback on why a profile is not suitable has to be given in a perfect work scenario...

But then nothing is perfect...

You cannot buy an iphone for $100 period

If you want to hire the best talent, you should be able to at least pay industry standard and top it up with a great role, environment and designation.

Ultimately, it boils down to the company that can pay the best compensation.

Time in, again and again, we see companies go through the whole recruitment cycle and lose on a great candidate just because they couldn't chip in that extra $1000 but have no trouble in going through the whole process again and costing the company 10 times that amount.

Like I always say, "You cannot buy an iPhone for $100.

Square Pegs, Round Holes - Recruitment

Recruitment is not about pushing square pegs into round holes. But it is about chipping the edges of the square pegs so that it gives the impression it fits the round holes.

It is also understanding the aesthetics of design and colour. You want to sprinkle a bit of culture, a pinch of character, to top it with the right attitude.

The problem is that your AI is not going to spice up your candidates.

And as long as it is unable to do so, talented recruiters are going to be in demand.

On this happy note, signing off.

Stay Safe, Stay Warm, Stay Happy!

Every day is a challenge

"There are far more problems and opportunities in the world than there are talented and hard-working people to solve them. Neil Pasricha in his book, "You are Awesome"

Every day there are new candidates, roles, targets, achievements, rejections and the list goes on...

What matters is how you react to them.

If you think that by doing your job well, you are not only ushering a change in a person's life but also extending it to his family and friends, you realise how much impact your actions can have.

Then you stand and pat yourself with awe at the end of each day for the good work you have done!

Rejection at all levels

Recruitment is not easy unless you are open taking rejections on your stride.

Candidates reject you.

You reject candidates.

Hiring managers reject your resumes.

Candidates get rejected at interviews.

Candidates reject offers.

Candidates accept offers and then reject it.

Clients withdraw offers as they find some discrepancies.

Reject... Reject.... Reject and the last one standing gets selected.

Story: A senior IT candidate who had been job hunting for the last 3 months gets an offer from our client. She is super nice, gives us good reviews but doesn't sign the offer as she was given 2 weeks to decide. In the meanwhile, she got 4 offers from her previous interviews and she was considering roles that were nearer to home. The commute is always a big problem. She declined our client's offer after thinking about it for 2 weeks.

Question: What could have been done differently?

From a job searcher's perspective.

Do you want to find a new job? Then you need to be okay with the pain of handing out a hundred resumes and going to a dozen job interviews and being rejected by every single one of them except one. From Neil Pasricha "You are awesome".

2020 - A year of change for HR

Lots of chatter online and offline about 2020 being the decade for HR.

Hiring strategies

AI

ATS

Chatbot

Talent Engagement

etc....

My take: What works 10 years before works even now, meet people, listen to them and help them in their search for a new home.