Talent Management - December 2008 - (Page 17)

strong prospect, we are in a position to offer something different,” Warne said. “We can offer them the opportunity to network with business leadership and other key decision makers in the ﬁrm. Networking is a key ingredient to business success, so most prospects are open to networking with us,” she said. Laurie Nielsen, corporate resource manager at RCM Technologies, a business and technology solutions provider, has spent almost a decade building a database of contacts that often provide her with references. She also uses a variety of networking and job sites to locate potential candidates — not just ones currently looking for jobs, but also those who may have been job hunting years ago and now may be considering a change. The traditional recruiting technique is referred to by many corporations as the “post and pray” method — post an opening, then pray the right candidate comes through the door, said Lauryn Franzoni, vice president and executive editor at ExecuNet, an executive recruiting and human capital ﬁrm. Recruiting passive candidates allows recruiters to play a much more active role in the process. Recruiter Research Is a Requirement In the same way a salesperson must research a product prior to selling it, a recruiter must take the time to familiarize him or herself with the position. Having a conversation with the company’s marketing representative is not sufﬁcient to appeal to passive candidates. “If you’re going to embark on a recruiting expedition and you have a certain type of skill set you’re trying to acquire, you’d want to sit down with the company you’re representing and explore all the different types of stories each individual has within that organization and how they brand the organization,” said Ned Bement, director of sales for TAPFIN Process Solutions, a human capital management solutions provider. Collecting varying points of view allows recruiters to customize their discussions with the candidates. “Speaking with different people and recruiting for different positions, you’re dealing with different personalities. And a good recruiter will be able to adjust [his or her] approach in order to assimilate to that personality and drive them home,” Bement said. It can be critically important for recruiters to articulate the merits of the opportunity and of the organization in which the opportunity exists. “If recruiters are not completely familiar with the fabric of the culture of the organization they’re representing, as well as the idiosyncrasies of the role, they most likely will not be able to make an impact in the initial two minutes of the [conversation] and will therefore lose their audience,” he said. Recruiters can make the organization more attractive to potential employees with clear, consistent messaging and strong value propositions. In today’s communications- and technology-rich world, there are numerous inexpensive ways to approach this type of branding. For instance, online social networking groups, blogs and other Web-based communication outlets provide recruiters with a proven method to reach ideal candidates. Researching the habitats passive candidates reside in also can prove useful. “[Recruiters should] identify prospects and leads to get them to the prospects,” Franzoni said. “They can also go into online communities and get a feel for how these people communicate and what they’re interested in. If I’m interested in hiring a head of radiology, I may go to a radiology community and see what they’re talking about and what the key issues are.” Identify the Bait Passive job seekers aren’t looking for jobs. When recruiters approach them, they have to identify what will make them happier in a new position, Lowisz said. It takes more than higher wages to lure a highly qualiﬁed employee to a competing organization. “It’s a unique, personal decision. What might turn on one candidate might leave another cold,” said Barbara Ling, CEO of Recruiters Internet Strategic Education (RISE). “If you could present a solution to an issue or problem they currently have, that would excite passive job seekers.” Talk to the candidates to identify their emotional hot buttons, Ling explained. This could include: • Gaining recognition. • Securing a job title. • Shortening their commute. • Obtaining family beneﬁts. • Availability of on-site child care for moms looking to re-enter the workforce. • Securing eldercare discounts for aging parents. December 2008 Beneﬁts packages offered by many organizations are comparable. What might prompt someone to make talent management magazine www.talentmgt.com 17 http://www.talentmgt.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Talent Management - December 2008

Talent Management - December 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Human Performance Leading Edge Foundations Recruitment & Retention Assessment & Evaluation Compensation & Benefits Performance Management Learning & Development Succession Planning Insight Dashboard Application Advertiser's Index Editorial Resources Full Potential

Talent Management - December 2008

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