Lowering our Risk in Talent Acquisition There are always uncertainties in a down-economy when it comes to recruitment, but the one that keeps us up at night is the continuous fluctuations in role volume based on the needs and priorities of the business. Oftentimes, leadership is thrown into a catch-22 scenario where we must become extremely agile in how we manage our internal recruitment headcount to be able to keep up with a sudden influx of new job requirements, and/or vice versa, a hiring freeze. It’s a tough predicament to navigate, and we never know for how long it will last. So how do we as Talent Acquisition leaders solve for intermittent conditions and still ensure we’re able to deliver on requirements large or small when the call comes in. The most agile and optimal go-to is outsourcing. Now of course, keeping a core team of recruiters is critical in any economy. In-house knowledge is irreplaceable and relationships with business stakeholders is a key to a successful talent acquisition strategy, but it's about honing in on how to handle the variance. Outsourcing is the only way to stay agile and scalable, especially during headwinds. In addition to the scalability value, it’s a fraction of the cost in comparison. The risk of having more internal headcount, when the business needs just aren’t there is too great. So what are we referring to on the outsourcing front? There’s a variety of options, it’s not a one-size fits all, and in many cases adding a blend of several solutions is ideal. It could be an RPO, a staffing agency, some companies deploy contract recruiters (though that seems to be a heavier lift), or if we're being biased, technology. Technology, especially advanced algorithmic automation and now AI is already making a significant impact on the efficiencies of companies, and even brick and mortar outsourcing outfits are leveraging innovation to lower their costs, increase margins and most of all minimize or eliminate risk.

In developing a recruitment strategy and creating tactical steps to execute on that strategy, the question that should always be top of mind is — What’s in it for them? As hiring becomes more and more competitive (especially now that remote is becoming one of our new norms), the foundational shift from waiting for applicants to apply, to actively pursuing candidates to capture their interest has a huge impact on the traditional hiring process. From recruitment marketing, to the interview, to our internal workflows, to the language we use and the attitude that is perceived, all aspects must be aligned. The most important take-away is: candidates have options, lots and lots of options. The more candidates we choose to decline or filter out from the jump, the more limited the talent pool becomes.  So how do we balance this shift in the way we approach recruitment? In lieu of asking candidates to vest their time or energy in our process from the get-go, we must go above and beyond to vest our time and energy in a prospect well-beforehand. Here are 3 suggestions to get moving in the right direction: 1. Remove all assessments, assignments and/or requirements to complete an application prior to the 1st touch point It can be a video chat, brief phone call or even through a conversational texting/or messaging platform. The goal is to vest our time to show conviction and express interest in someone’s candidacy. Once that conversation has taken place, if an application or assessment is necessary to move forward, that’s when it should be administered. 2. The more flexibility that can be shown the better the outcome Even if your company has a no flexibility policy, if you like what you see on paper, would strongly urge setting up a conversation to gain a better understanding of what a candidate is looking for and/or interested in pursuing; Even if it’s not the right person, you’re setting a precedent of being more open to possibilities. External perception is critical to building a positive candidate experience and keeping the company’s reputation intact. At the very least, you may receive a referral from that candidate for welcoming the opportunity to connect. Would suggest eliminating any language on a JD or in your online marketing verbage that draws a hard line. When speaking with a candidate, find out what flexibility means to a person and try to offer alternatives to satisfy those requirements. Whether it has to do with hours, benefits, work environment, remote vs onsite or compensation, there are many ways to meet in the middle that both parties would be amenable to. All companies have non-monetary benefits that can be a mutually beneficial substitution that doesn’t go against the grain (eg. extended vacation times, alternative work weeks, etc.) Don’t deny a great candidate because they ask for flexibility and your policy speaks to the contrary. Oftentimes, the word ‘flexibility’ is flexible in how it’s defined by both parties. Explore and discuss context before saying no. 3. Bird-in-Hand, avoid Greener Grass In current market conditions, the hiring cadence must be swift. Unfortunately, we no longer have the liberty to recruit and interview multiple candidates weeks apart to ensure we’re getting the opportunity to meet all available talent before making a decision. Try and pre-define a hiring time frame on your active roles and stick to it. The worst case scenario is the team interviews a candidate that is deemed a good fit, and then waits to find another candidate to compare to, just for purposes to compare, losing out on the initial candidate.