Seven Methods to Change Attitudes About Recruitment

Next in your step to winning the war for talent, here are seven methods to change attitudes about recruitment in your team and organization.

1. 1. Change the roles – It’s important to realize upfront that the role of talent acquisition is shifting from HR to managers. Job descriptions, measurement systems and performance goals must be revised so managers and employees “own” recruiting. Everyone must develop the mindset of a headhunter.

1. 1. Change HR’s expectations – Because great recruiting needs to be done close to the actual work, it’s essential that managers increase the amount of time and budget that they spend on recruiting. Simultaneously, it’s important for senior managers to work with HR to ensure that they understand that HR’s role must change. Their role must shift from a “doer” to an expert consultant on effective recruiting tools, strategies and metrics.

1. 1. Make it 24/7 – Rather than being a periodic “event”, recruiting must become a continuous process. The expectation must be that it is on the mind and the agenda of every manager (and every employee) every day. View recruiting as a constant process, even when there are no position openings at the present time.

1. 1. Calculate the performance differential – Work with cost-accounting in order to calculate the value of a top performer in your own organization. Compare the difference in performance between a top performer and an average performer where it is easy to measure output and quality (example: sales or customer service). McKinsey & Company reported that a company’s top performers—the ‘A’ players—are 50 to 100 percent more productive than average or underperformers. The report states: “Even if you pay an ‘A’ player 40 percent more to retain him/her, your investment yields a 300 percent one year return on investment.”

1. 1. Make the CEO your chief recruiter – Top CEOs understand the value of star performers, and they personally make recruiting top talent a priority. CEO’s must act as role models and send the message to everyone that they are the chief recruiter for the organization. Senior officers must attend recruiting events and activities and periodically add to their calendar candidate calls and prospect lunches. Have your CEO call superstar candidates. Provide the CEO with information on the candidate, the job and your firm’s best selling points.

1. 1. Become a retention expert – Managers must realize that if they don’t control retention they will be required to continuously recruit to fill those vacancies. In order to minimize that burden, it’s essential that managers become experts in retention. They must spend the time to identify what motivates, excites and frustrates each performer on their team.

1. 1. Dedicate some time – Spend time wooing top talent, or your competition will. Workers have been liberated from your competitors, and the good ones know they are in demand. Visit www.eremedia.com/ere/ and read about recruiting everyday. Don’t limit your learning to the US; it’s essential that you also learn how to hire around the globe because global hiring can increase your productivity as well as the quality (performance after hire) of your new employees.

Written by TalentClick CEO Greg Ford, M.Ed. and Dr. John Sullivan