This is the second installment of Common Perceptions in Talent Acquisition That Must Change. Part I addresses the false notion that Talent Acquisition (TA) is an unnecessary source of overhead costs for businesses. The following is another commonly held, but inaccurate belief in the industry.

Hiring (Well) Means “Letting Go”

Relinquishing control and trusting that those around you will do the right thing is not always easy. There are tons of HR executives and TA professionals out there who think that the only people who can execute a TA strategy are recruiters and recruitment leaders.  As business needs are constantly changing and evolving, the concept of forecasting accurate hiring numbers (forget layering in the complexity of attrition) is as nebulous as the flying purple squirrel candidates.

Targets, priorities, and profiles change, and both inbound and outbound sourcing methods take time and energy – which leads to inevitable resource constraints. While it would be nice to say that all of this can be solved with a good CRM strategy, the reality is: there will always be certain roles that we are filling ‘”just in time.”

This means that a completely centralized recruiting function needs to be built for worst case scenario hiring numbers – they need to be prepared for the inevitable “urgent hiring push” that in some businesses is cyclical and in others seems to be completely random. The most amazing thing that TA leaders need to realize is that they have an entire workforce of recruiters – inside their own companies. 

As an industry, we’ve spent too much time making the recruiting process complex and bringing all control and ownership into the department, that we are missing out on using our best asset to our advantage: our people. TA leaders who decentralize their hiring processes (i.e., give both power AND responsibility back to the hiring team – managers, brand ambassadors, executives, department coordinators) have access to a huge pool of resources who are both experienced in interviewing and invested in making a great hire.

Giving access to these resources does come at a price: your ability to control every tiny part of the hiring process. If you want these people to be REALLY invested in hiring, they need to have some semblance of control.  This may mean letting them post their own jobs (gasp!) moving their candidates through the recruitment process, or even making a hiring decision without input from a recruiter.

There are of course certain parts of the process that need controls (you still need a sound approval chain for postings and for offers) and most hiring managers will still want the opinion of someone from your TA team before going to offer on a candidate.

BUT, instead of them having to have your approval or wait for your team to push a button, you become an advisor that they look to for advice, assistance, and support (or sometimes a differing opinion). Ultimately, the hire is theirs to onboard and manage, so why not let them feel that the hiring process is theirs to own too?

Next week we will dive into the last topic of our three part series, which is how delivering true digital transformation within TA is not a lipstick on a pig exercise.

Spread holiday cheer and avoid the season’s recruiting faux pas to start the New Year on a sparkling note.

December is a bustling time for most. Travel. Parties, visitors, cooking, shopping, and eating… lots of eating. Yet, with all the festivities, recruiters are still hard at work trying to fill reqs and source candidates before the end of the year.

This time of year is especially hard for talent acquisition (TA) professionals who want to keep the ball rolling while everyone else is in holiday mode. Trying to move candidates through the hiring process can feel impossible, but no one wants to just press pause for a whole month. Practitioners can easily become antsy with the slow nature of winter, but no one wants to be the overeager recruiter, dimming the spirit of the season with reminders and nudges.

Good news! There are still ways to be productive during the holidays without getting on the naughty list.

Here are some pointers for staying productive and in ways your candidates and colleagues will actually appreciate.

1)

Don’t expect quick communication

Needless to say, people are busy during the holidays. Don’t expect fast replies from candidates. Beware of pushing too hard with reminders – it will get annoying quickly – rather make use of this time to get process tip-top for the new year.

via GIPHY

2)

Invite candidates to the company party

If it feels appropriate, invite top prospects to the company holiday party to get acquainted with the team, and stoked on the company culture!

via GIPHY

3)

Don’t contact people on the big day

Just don’t. Not everyone celebrates Christmas, but it’s still a public holiday, and as such no time for work communication.

Consider adding other religious holidays to the online calendar, so you aren’t inadvertently trying to schedule meetings on a day of religious observance. Of course, you may not know what holidays a candidate observes, so just be respectful. An example of this would be…

‘I was thinking Monday 3 pm would be a good time to meet. However, it’s a busy time of year, so feel free to let me know what works for you.’

If you know you are asking to meet on a religious, but not public, holiday (generally don’t ask to meet on public holidays) then it may be appropriate to acknowledge that in your email.

‘Hi, Would Tuesday at 3 pm work for you? I realize it’s a holiday so please let me know if Thursday or Friday would work better.’

This wording gives options without making assumptions.

via GIPHY

4)

Spread holiday cheer

Infuse holiday outreach efforts with seasonal cheer! Wish candidates happy holidays and a joyous new year. It’s a simple gesture that makes applicants feel special.

Many recruiters wonder what greeting to use. This author’s subjective advice is to go with heart. “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays” are great and inclusive terms, but “Merry Christmas” isn’t necessarily bad. Sending a personal card or email is not the same as decorating a governmental office, and most people will be touched by the thought regardless. (Consult HR for the company phrase if it’s on behalf of the organization.)

The term “Chrismahanukwanzakah” can read disrespectful and is best avoided. Don’t assume a religion on someone, but if you know a candidate celebrates an often overlooked holiday, the acknowledgment of their practice could be appreciated. Also, remember that asking someone what they celebrate is a no-no – even if the inquiry is for the purpose of holiday cards. To learn more about this check our article regarding  Top Illegal Interview Questions.

via GIPHY

5)

Self assess

With fewer candidates available to meet, it’s a great time to review the year. What were some big wins? Where do you want to improve? 

via GIPHY

6)

Think undergrads

College and university students will be on vacation for winter holidays. They are probably at home, probably bored, and probably getting a lot of questions about their future – this is a demographic that may appreciate info on open opportunities… “Yes aunt Linda, I am excited to graduate. And, I’ve already received a job offer!”

via GIPHY

7)

Meet with hiring managers

As part of the self-assessment and future planning, meet with Hiring Managers. Get their takeaways from the previous year, and make some joint goals for the next 365 days. And, of course, learn what roles they foresee needing!

via GIPHY

8)

Update everything

Make sure all the info is up to date. Career site, social media profiles, review sites (like Glassdoor etc), and job descriptions should all be accurate to start 2019. Don’t forget profile photos, too many professionals have out of date headshots. To avoid the appearance of ‘catfishing’ make sure the picture was taken in at least the last three years.

via GIPHY

9)

Relax and recharge!

Don’t burn yourself out before the new year even begins! Make sure to turn your email off for a couple days and enjoy the holidays.

via GIPHY