As organisations constantly seek to ‘do more with less’ the need to source the right talent into your organisation has never been more important. Reducing the ‘luck’ factor is a key ingredient of doing this right. Chris Parsons, Director of organisation development consultancy, 7days, provides some useful insights into what can be done to make the sourcing and selection of talent work for you.
We all know that recruitment is an expensive and time-consuming process, whether in terms of line manager, HR or external agency involvement. We also know that it is not a perfect process. Numerous reports tell us that at any one point a large number of people in your organisation are looking to move, many citing the fact that what they thought they were joining was not borne out in reality. Whether this is the fault of the recruitment process or the organisational experience once on board it all points to a process that in many cases is failing to do its job.
Despite the difficulties of the last two years, the pool of potential recruits is not infinite. Competition for the best is always strong and no organisation openly admits that they accept second best. However, the reality is that getting the best may not be possible for most organisations. The pay, conditions, opportunities, prestige and environment that they are able to offer may not be attractive to those who you really want.
There is no one factor that encourages a potential recruit to choose your organisation against another. Recruits do not all want the same things and are certainly more discriminating than say 15 to 20 years ago. The opportunities for people are expanding and factors such as work/life balance, flexible working patterns, the need for variety and challenge are all now much more in evidence in the ‘wish lists’ of recruits than before. This implies that sourcing approaches need also to move with the times and become more flexible to get the right results.
Finally, the issue of sourcing is as much of a concern to public sector organisations as it is to private sector organisations. The issues they face are the same, they want to source the best people they can for the roles that they need delivered. Whilst the rewards may not be the same in the public sector, the opportunities for growth, development and ‘making a difference’ all play to their favour. In this sense both public and private sector organisations can be said to be fishing in the same pond and the responses to the issue of sourcing talent are as applicable to both.
Top tips for resolving the sourcing issue
Whilst there are no ‘quick fixes’ we believe that there are a number of steps that can be taken to significantly improve your chances of sourcing the right people into your organisation.
1. Be clear about who you are and what you offer
We are often surprised when we talk to organisations just how unclear they are about their own attractiveness. If you can not encapsulate simply in a few lines, who you are and why people should work for you, you should not go into the market to recruit. The best people are discerning about who they work for and consistently surveys tell us that money is not the number one factor effecting their decision. Therefore, clarify your position first but be honest. It is like online dating, the truly successful are those that are truthful in their adverts.
2. Segment your market
The potential pool of people looking for work may be large but those you want may have specific characteristics that you can only get from those with relevant qualifications or experience. If you need graduates only go for those markets, if you need non-graduates but with 5 years experience, look to areas where they may congregate. State clearly the requirements; it is amazing how you can refine the list of potential recruits by doing so, thus reducing sifting time and interviews.
3. Be professional
All stages of the process need to be run professionally. You expect this from your potential recruits and they will expect this from you. The best will notice this, they don’t expect preferential treatment but they do expect efficiency in this first potential ‘touchpoint’ to the organisation.
4. Think from the individual’s perspective
What we know is that if you want the best to choose you, you need to think about what they are looking for. Listen to the messages in the CVs or application forms of those you consider top talent in your organisation, try to understand why they joined and what they appreciate about the organisation. Use this insight to shape your approach to sourcing and emphasise the elements that play to the needs and desire of the people you wish to recruit.
5. Getting the right results
Ultimately, if you want to source and select the right people into your organisation you need to work smarter not necessarily harder. If the people you want to attract do not read the Sunday Times or the FT, don’t advertise in there. We often hear organisations say they always put adverts in the same places because that is what they have always done! If it does not attract responses from the people you want, then stop it.
Responding to the changing needs and requirements of the people you want to attract will allow you to compete in the market, whether you are a public or private sector organisation.
Getting smarter about the type of people you want to attract, understanding what they are looking for and ‘fishing in their part of the pond’ may not guarantee that you always get what you want but certainly ensures a much more increased likelihood of doing so. Leaving it to luck will never get the same results.
