As anyone in
the recruitment business knows it is getting harder and harder to attract and hire top level talent in almost every industry in Canada. That's because the pool to recruit from is getting smaller and there are frankly too many people fishing in the same pond. In addition over the next 15 years experts predict that there will be a 15% decline in the number of 35- to 44-year-olds at the same time as the great wave of high energy workers known as the baby boomers leave the workforce.
Finding, hiring and keeping the best and brightest will continue to be a major challenge for Human Resources in the foreseeable future. The competition for the cream of the crop will be intense and employers will not only be competing against other Canadian companies and organizations but against the world. Highly skilled, talented, or experienced workers will have their pick of employers and recruiting this group will require an equally skilled and resourceful team of professionals.
This has left Human Resource professionals and the executives they report to looking for new options to increase their purchasing power in the recruitment and attraction phase of the hiring process. After years of outsourcing these services to outside recruitment firms and agencies they are now looking to bring this service back by hiring an internal recruiter. In this article we will focus on the benefits of in-house recruiting versus an outsourced service plus some suggestions to improve your internal recruiting and if you decide to go that way, to assist your in-house recruiter.
In-House Recruiting Versus Outsourcing
There are a number of benefits to an in-house recruitment process that include cost savings in the short term and building capacity in your organization over the longer term. Having someone on staff in recruiting who knows your organization's values and culture is immeasurable when it comes time to matching outside individuals with your current and future needs. You can also use the services of your in-house recruiting representative on other priorities of the organization including other HR projects and improving your succession plan.
The benefits of utilizing an outside individual or firm for recruitment may include the fact that you already have a good working relationship with your recruiting firm and that they are both responsive to your needs and manage to find you appropriate candidates within a short time period. If it ain't broke, don't try and fix it. You can still continue your relationship with your outside source as you start to bring more services internally. You can also use your current recruiter for high level or more difficult staffing situations while your in-house recruiter is coming up to speed.
Keys to Success in In-House Recruiting
The Law of Attraction
Your recruiter is not just advertising your jobs, he or she is selling your company. Your in-house recruiter has to promote your organization as a good place to work and grow and tap into the powerful law of attraction to recruit the best and brightest.
Teach Them Your Language
Help your in-house recruiter target the people you really want by teaching them the language of your business. Every company and industry is different and they need to know your language and terminology. That will help them not only when they advertise, but also when they screen and prepare for interviews.
Utilize All Sources
Even with an in-house recruiter you still need to use all available avenues to seek out the right talent for your organization. It's just not good enough anymore to place an ad in the newspaper and wait for responses. Your in-house recruiter should be accessing job boards, job fairs and social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook to promote your company and attract potential candidates. If it's a particularly difficult hire then you might even consider their request for outside assistance.
Encourage Networking
Your in-house recruiter should be encouraged to get out of the organizational bubble and network with other recruiters at job fairs and industry association activities. That's where the people who are looking for jobs are likely going to be and your business needs to be seen and noticed there. Networking builds leads and leads turn into sales. Your in-house recruiting program needs all the leads it can get.
The Personal Touch
Get your in-house recruiter off the computer and on to the telephone. They will build their organizational expertise by talking by phone or in person to your managers and they will do a much better job of screening potential candidates if they talk to them on the telephone and not just communicate by e-mail.
Don't Procrastinate: Anticipate
Encourage your in-house recruiter to work with HR and the management team to anticipate staffing needs long before a vacancy occurs. They should have access to all workplace planning information and the projected retirement dates of key personnel. That way they can start the ball rolling and be ready to go as soon as an opening happens. In recruiting the early bird really does get the worm. And the pick of candidates.
The Customer is Always Right
Your in-house recruiter should know that he or she has a lot of customers to keep happy. This means managing the expectations of potential recruits who want to come right now but may have to wait a few months or even a year until the right vacancy develops. It also includes maintaining good "customer relations" with candidates who didn't make the cut this time around but might be the perfect match later. The recruiting business may seem a little cutthroat but it's actually has a really soft side that must be developed and nurtured by your in-house recruiter.
Get Them Certified
If your in-house recruiter doesn't yet have a professional certification or if they need an update then sign them up for an accreditation program like the Professional Recruiter Program at the Institute of Professional Management. This accreditation program consists of 3 modules which show recruiters and hiring managers how to reduce recruitment costs, lower the risk of erroneous hiring decisions and avoid needless litigation.
Upon completion of this program they will be eligible for membership in the Association of Professional Recruiters of Canada and continue to benefit from educational and networking opportunities in the recruiting field.
Interested in more articles on current issues? Click here for subscription
info on Workplace Today® Online Journal, Canada's leading journal of
Workplace Issues, Plans and Strategies..
Check out IPM's nationally recognized accreditation programs
Click here for more details
