Talent acquisition Vs. Customer engagement

Having spent more of my career of 20 years identifying and winning customers, I see the process of recruiting talent into the company in a similar light. Let us analyze the process of winning the right customers for a product or services company. First, the marketing team BUILDS a BRAND for the target audience. Then, the sales team is tasked to identify all the potential customers interested in the product by FILLing a sales funnel. It is then the function of the management team to SELECT the customers who could provide the maximum return for the time and effort invested (ROI- Return On Investment) by the company. With a short list of targeted high ROI customers, the entire team rallies behind the sales team to CLOSE the deal. Let us analyze the similarities between winning customers and the process of a successful recruiting process in a company.

BUILD A BRAND: It is important for any company that plans to build a mid to large sized team to focus on building a brand of itself in the job marketplace. The objective is to conjure a very positive image of the company in the heads of job seekers. The effort must result in job seekers wanting to work in the company. Google, Goldman Sachs and Mckinsey are prime examples of companies that have built a solid brand in their respective markets. The focus for any branding campaign is to communicate effectively the culture of the company and the quality of work for wholesome development.

FILL THE FUNNEL: Once a brand is successfully established over time, the company should have no problems receiving a constant flow of resumes. However, when the company has not built a strategic brand, the HR team is forced to expend a ton of energy in filling the funnel. Using the current employee network is a good source of qualified resumes to the company. Remember, employees will never recommend someone who'll pull the company down.

SELECT A FEW: This is probably the toughest of all steps in the recruiting process. In countries such as India and China, where the ratio of incoming resumes to number of positions open could be in the thousands, it is critical for the company to identify sources of talent with the best ROI. Utilizing personal networks of current employees and alumni, employees of competitors, personnel from companies of similar knowledge base and top notch schools and their alumni are some of the channels that come to mind. Effective utilization of social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook can be also prove useful in the search for qualified candidates. Although, employee references have been used for a couple of decades, I continue to believe that the network is under utilized.

CLOSE THE DEAL: Once a few have been selected with a match to the culture of the organization and the skills needed to get the job done, it is of utmost importance to close the deal. Most of the deals I have closed had nothing to do with the $$$$$. Potential employees are excited about the prospects of working with employees who are having fun and are learning every day. I remember one of my managers telling me during an interview that the opportunity will help build on my resume. At the end of the day, if you make the connection and you see the value in the candidate, find a place in the company. Solid candidates whose values match with the culture of the company are hard to come. Pick them up. Train them. Keep them.

Being prepared for recruiting

A good recruiting/staffing organization typically does strive to reduce recruiting costs, reduce time to hire, increase acceptance rates and also to improve time to productivity. However, most organizations do not spend enough time to PREPARE for recruiting. I am not talking about the process of hiring a team. But, more the understanding of the needs of the micro-organization and at the macro level of the company. Typically, the recruiting process starts when hiring managers lob a standard requisition with the details of the job and the skills required to do the job. But, how many times has a staffing manager sat down proactively with the hiring manager to understand the NEEDS of the organization prior to a desperate need to hire a person?

Being prepared for recruiting one or more personnel into any company requires a complete understanding of the functional performance of the team. Functional performance of a team is determined not only by the hard skills required for the job function but also on the soft skills needed to accomplish the tasks as a valued team member of the organization. Soft skills and values are often not given enough attention during the hiring process but plays a very critical role in the success of the person and the company as a whole. Let us probe this avenue by a list of simple questions. Is the team's values (determined by the values of the leader and the independent values of each of the team member)aligned with the culture of the company? What values are lacking in the group? How are leadership skills within the organization? Is there a succession plan in the group and is there is a need to bring in someone with the skills to lead over the long term? Does the team contain a few innovators/out of the box thinkers? Are there personnel within the company whose skills and values match better in an organization other than the one that he/she is in? Proactive, regular discussions led with questions such as these with the managers in the company can lead to building a prepared and responsible staffing organization.

With over 20 years in the high technology industry in roles ranging from engineering to CEO, I have realized that a super star team with no values or even values that do not match with the culture of the company can be a disaster. More importantly, one bad apple in a team with values can sour the entire organization. Therefore, it is the job of a responsible HR team to PREPARE every manager in the organization understand the 'complete needs' of the team in the long term. At the macro-level, it is also important for the HR organization to know the skills and values available within the entire company to consider transfer of personnel within the company prior to engaging in a high cost hunt for talent outside. With a clear understanding of the skills and values of each of the team members, the staffing team can be better prepared to add value to the team. To the HR team: KNOW your team, PREPARE your managers, HIRE the best.