Recruiting
Recruiting
Top 10 Recruitment Metrics You Should Know in 2023
Recruitment is a crucial function of human resources, and data-driven insights are necessary to bring in the best talent and optimize the hiring process. Tracking recruitment metrics helps recruiters and talent acquisition teams evaluate how successful they are in finding and retaining top talent. In this post, we'll explain the top 10 recruitment metrics that will give you insight into your recruitment process and help you make smarter hiring decisions. Some of these aren't necessarily critical metrics but they are the most common. 1. Time to Hire: This metric measures the amount of time it takes to fill a job opening from the moment it's posted until the candidate accepts the job offer. A shorter time to hire means quicker access to top talent and improved productivity, while a longer time to hire may indicate market saturation or inefficiencies in the hiring process. 2. Source of Hire: This tracks where candidates come from, such as job boards, referral programs, career websites, or social media. The data can help recruiters direct their recruitment advertising to the most effective channels and build a pipeline of candidates from optimal sources. 3. Offer Acceptance Rate: This calculates the percentage of candidates that accept job offers. A high acceptance rate indicates satisfaction with the job offer and recruitment process, while a low rate could mean a need to improve the company's employer brand or to offer more competitive compensation packages. 4. Cost per Hire: This measures the amount of money spent on recruiting a single candidate. It includes job advertising fees, salaries of recruiters, and other expenses, divided by the total number of hires in a specific period. The metric helps recruiters identify areas where they can cut recruitment costs and optimize their hiring budget. 5. Candidate Experience: This evaluates how candidates feel about their overall recruitment process, including the job application, communication with recruiters, scheduling, and feedback. A positive candidate experience boosts employer branding and helps attract top talent to apply for future positions. 6. Quality of Hire: This determines how well new hires perform in their roles and how well they fit into the company culture. Recruiters can measure the quality of hire by tracking performance reviews, retention rates, and how long the employee stays with the company. A high-quality hire means increased productivity and reduced turnover rates. 7. Diversity Metrics: This examines the diversity of the candidate pool and hiring outcomes. It includes the percentage of diverse candidates for each job opening, the diversity of the workforce, and the retention rate of diverse employees. These insights help companies ensure diversity and inclusion in their talent strategy and improve overall organizational performance. 8. Hiring Manager Satisfaction: This assesses how satisfied hiring managers are with the recruitment process and the quality of candidates presented for interviews. It measures the speed of the recruitment process, quality of communication, and the fit of candidates to the job role and organizational culture. 9. Time to Productivity: This measures how long it takes for new hires to become fully productive in their roles. It includes the time spent on training, onboarding, and the completion of probationary periods. A shorter time to productivity means cost savings and ensures the new employee is making a valuable contribution to the organization. 10. Ratios: These are a set of calculations that highlight the relationship between different recruitment metrics and business outcomes. The most common ratio is the applicant to hire ratio, which measures the number of applicants per job opening needed to make a successful hire. Other ratios can provide valuable insights into the efficiency and effectiveness of the recruitment process. I'll add one more to this list every recruiter should care about. Conversion rate. How many views does it take on a job posting to convert to an applicant? The answer according to Appcast for the entire job board ecosystem is about 5%. Meaning for every 100 visitors to a job only one will apply. Employers would do well by incorporating conversion rates (aka Apply rates) into their monthly metrics report. These recruitment metrics can help recruiters and human resources managers to evaluate and improve their hiring process. They provide valuable insights into different phases such as sourcing, candidate experience, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding. By tracking these metrics, companies can make data-driven decisions based on reliable information and align their recruitment needs with overall business objectives. Don't underestimate the power of analytics in candidate sourcing and the selection process. Use these metrics, analyze the data, and then act promptly to improve the talent acquisition function. These recruitment metrics are definitive and practical indicators of hiring success. Start tracking them today to build a better recruitment strategy!
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Recruiting
The Recruiting Coordinator
What is a recruiting coordinator? A recruiting coordinator is an individual responsible for managing the recruiting process, from sourcing candidates (sometimes) to scheduling interviews. They may also be involved in marketing the company’s brand and culture to potential job seekers. The primary responsibilities of a recruitment coordinator include posting job openings on various platforms, screening candidate profiles, conducting interviews, and making offers. Additionally, they are often tasked with organizing onboarding processes and managing employee databases. Recruitment coordinators must possess strong organizational skills and have an understanding of labor laws and regulations as well as knowledge of best practices in the field of human resources. With their expertise in customer service and technical tools such as Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), they help organizations optimize their hiring processes. Ultimately, they play a vital role in ensuring that organizations are staffed with the best possible talent. Recruitment coordinators must possess excellent interpersonal communication skills, as they often act as a liaison between job seekers and employers. They must have an understanding of how to effectively prepare resumes and practice interview techniques so candidates can make the most successful impression on hiring managers. In addition, they need to be proficient in using various recruiting technologies such as video interviewing platforms and ATS tools. It is also important for them to stay up-to-date on new trends in recruitment methods and industry news so that they can provide informed advice when necessary. By offering their services, recruitment coordinators help fill critical positions quickly while simultaneously providing added value during the job search process. Through their efforts, organizations can create a positive recruitment experience for all involved. Therefore, recruiters are invaluable additions to any organization’s human resources department. Overall, the ultimate goal of a recruitment coordinator is to help companies attract and retain top talent by providing efficient and effective recruiting services throughout the entire process of hiring new employees. By streamlining the recruitment process and finding quality candidates, they help organizations meet their strategic goals while remaining competitive in the marketplace. With their expertise in customer service and technical tools such as applicant tracking systems (ATS), recruitment coordinators play an essential role in helping businesses scale up for success. Recruiting Coordinator Job Description The Recruiting Coordinator will play a key role in the recruitment process. Responsibilities include overseeing the entire recruiting cycle, from sourcing and screening candidates to extending offers and onboarding new hires. The Recruiting Coordinator must have excellent interpersonal skills to effectively interact with candidates, hiring managers, and other stakeholders in the organization. The Recruiting Coordinator must be well-versed in current recruiting trends and regulations, including Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) guidelines. They should also have excellent organizational skills to ensure the efficient operation of the recruiting process. You will serve as the primary point of contact for hiring managers and candidates throughout the recruitment process. They will identify and source qualified candidates, review resumes and applications, and coordinate interviews. They will also be responsible for conducting background checks on potential hires, providing feedback to applicants and internal stakeholders, and extending job offers as needed. You will also prepare recruiting reports that track the progress of open positions, monitor budget compliance related to recruiting activities, and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Additionally, they will coordinate onboarding processes for new hires to ensure a smooth transition into the organization. The Recruiting Coordinator must possess excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills in order to be successful in this position. The Recruiting Coordinator should have; At least two years of experience in Human Resources, Recruiting, or a related field. A Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred. Knowledge and experience with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) is also a plus. This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to take their career to the next level and gain valuable experience in the recruiting and Human Resources field. We offer competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, paid time off, 401(k) plan, and more! The successful candidate must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and have strong interpersonal skills. They should be able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously with a sense of urgency and accuracy. If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply today! Will AI Replace Recruiting Coordinators? AI can automate many of the tasks involved in recruiting, such as sourcing candidates, screening resumes, and scheduling interviews. However, AI is not yet able to replace the human touch that is essential to building relationships with candidates and hiring managers. But if that is all your coordinator does their job is certainly at risk. On the flip side, AI is still not able to understand the nuances of human language and culture. This can be a problem in the recruiting process, where it is important to be able to understand the context of a candidate's resume or a hiring manager's feedback. Recruiters will still be needed to interpret this information and make sure that the right candidates are matched with the right jobs. Recruiters will still be needed to provide human touch and expertise to the recruiting process. But the job of coordinating that interaction may be replaced by some sort of virtual concierge that assists each human recruiter. As AI continues to evolve, it is likely to have an even greater impact on the recruiting industry. However, it is important to remember that AI is not a replacement for human recruiters. Recruiters will still be needed to provide the human touch and expertise that is essential to the recruiting process.
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How to Improve Candidate Quality
Recruiting the right talent can be a complicated process, but it doesn’t have to be. It takes a bit of effort and creativity, but improving candidate quality during your recruitment process is possible. Because when you make an investment in good recruiters to fill high-value roles for your organization, you want to guarantee that each hire holds up to the highest standards for their respective positions. That's why we've put together this guide specifically tailored for recruiters and other talent acquisition professionals on how to improve candidate quality through powerful recruitment tactics like targeted advertising campaigns and better job descriptions. Read on as we explore various strategies that will help you attract stronger candidates ready and willing to join your team! Evaluate the job description and employment requirements to ensure they are realistic and relevant As companies seek to attract the best candidates for job openings, it's important that they carefully evaluate their job descriptions and employment requirements. In order to ensure that the criteria set forth is realistic and relevant, a thorough analysis of the role and its responsibilities must be conducted. This means taking into consideration factors such as the current job market, industry standards, and the company's overall goals and objectives. By accurately assessing these factors, employers can craft job descriptions that accurately reflect the demands of the position, while also highlighting the specific skills and qualifications needed to be successful in the role. It's also a matter of being honest about the role. By setting expectations up front you will help to weed out those that aren't the right fit. Spell out a day in the life on each job ad so the candidate knows what to expect from day 1. By doing so, they can both attract and retain top talent, ultimately leading to higher levels of productivity and success for the organization as a whole. Utilize online job postings and reach out to passive candidates through professional networks With the ever-increasing competition in the job market, it is essential to utilize online job postings and professional networks to find the best candidates for available positions. Active job seekers may apply to advertised openings, but passive candidates who are not actively seeking employment may also be a valuable asset to consider. By reaching out to these passive candidates through professional networks, their skills and talents can be gained, which would otherwise have gone unnoticed. Utilizing online job postings and professional networks can enable recruiters to find top talent, and in the long run, help organizations thrive. Develop a consistent recruitment plan that outlines what you are looking for in a candidate Finding the right candidate for your company can be a challenging task, but having a consistent recruitment plan can make the process much smoother. Your plan should clearly outline the specific qualities and skills you are looking for in a candidate. By doing this, you can attract a pool of applicants who fit the criteria you have set. Once you have established what you are looking for in a candidate, you can begin to develop a well-structured recruitment process that ensures your company can attract and retain the best talent. A consistent recruitment plan helps you to save on time, resources and ensure that you are attracting the right talent. Jodi Brandstetter, a talent consultant based in Cincinnati told me "to find quality candidates, it starts with the intake meeting and using the candidate persona." By going deep with your hiring managers during the intake process and defining the ideal candidate, you'll be ahead of the game. Conduct pre-screening interviews that focus on finding out more about each individual's background, experience and qualities Conducting pre-screening interviews is an essential aspect of the hiring process. These interviews provide employers with the opportunity to learn more about each applicant's background, experience, and qualities. By doing so, employers can determine whether or not an applicant is a good fit for the job and the company. It's important to ask open-ended questions that prompt detailed responses, allowing you to gain insight into an applicant's skills, work experience, and personality. Ultimately, pre-screening interviews play a significant role in the hiring process, helping employers to hire the right person for the job. Many of the big job sites will let you pre-screen applicants before they apply. Leverage this ability when you can. Use effective methods of assessment to identify the most suitable candidates for the job, such as aptitude tests or work samples Hiring the right candidate can make all the difference in the success of a company. Therefore, it's important to use effective methods of assessment to identify the most suitable candidates for the job. Traditional methods like resumes and interviews can overlook key skills and abilities. That's where aptitude tests and work samples can come in handy. Aptitude tests give a holistic picture of a candidate's skills and potential while work samples allow employers to see how a candidate performs in real workplace situations. By utilizing these methods, employers can ensure that they are making a well-informed decision when it comes to hiring the best candidate for the job. Involve current employees in the recruitment process by encouraging them to refer qualified friends or former colleagues for positions Recruiting new employees can be a tricky and time-consuming process. What if there was a way to make it easier and more efficient, while also strengthening relationships between current staff? By involving current employees in the recruitment process and encouraging them to refer qualified friends or former colleagues for open positions, companies can potentially save time and resources while also benefiting from internal recommendations. This approach not only allows for a more diverse candidate pool, but it also fosters a sense of community and teamwork within the workplace. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved, from the hiring managers to the employees who refer their connections. So why not give it a try and see how it can positively impact your recruitment efforts? All of these measures combined can help ensure that a business is making the most out of their recruitment process. All the time and effort spent on recruitment will be well worth it when the right candidate is hired, as it is likely to mean increased productivity, motivation and loyalty amongst employees. Adopting these best practices to the recruitment process may seem like a lot at first, but once established, it can become an incredibly efficient and effective system that continually brings in high caliber candidates who are perfect for available positions. Start small by going through your current job descriptions and setting up a consistent recruitment plan; you won’t regret the results!
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Evergreen Jobs
Many employers have something called ‘evergreen jobs’. It’s a term most job seekers never hear but its quite a common phrase in recruiting circles. An evergreen job listing is a job opportunity that remains open for an indefinite period of time. This type of job listing does not have a set expiration date and can remain active for weeks, months or even years. Evergreen job listings are typically posted by employers who are looking to fill multiple positions or who are looking to hire over the long term. These job postings may also be used by organizations seeking seasonal workers or those offering flexible working hours. By having an evergreen job listing in place, employers can easily find qualified applicants without having to constantly repost job openings. Additionally, job seekers can apply to these listings at any point during their duration and benefit from potentially more competitive salaries and benefits than those offered through limited-time job postings. Challenges Associated with Evergreen Jobs The biggest challenge associated with evergreen job postings is finding the right people to apply. Fewer targeted job postings means less response from potential candidates, resulting in fewer applications overall. This makes it difficult for recruiters to find qualified individuals who are interested in the position. Additionally, evergreen jobs wreak havoc on recruiting analytics as they make it difficult to measure any metrics associated with hiring efforts. Furthermore, recruiters must invest a great deal of time into constantly monitoring databases for applicants and updates to their profiles – this process can be lengthy and arduous if not done strategically. Evergreen jobs may seem like a great fit for someone with the perfect set of skills, but sadly this is not always the case. With many companies being inundated with applications for evergreen roles, finding exactly what you need can be challenging. Moreover, despite the increasing popularity of matching technology and the promise of tailor-made solutions for all applicants, unicorns continue to be rare when it comes to filling these types of jobs. Unfortunately, this often leads to disappointment and discouragement amongst job-seekers who don’t hear back from potential employers. Therefore, it’s important to stay positive in these situations and remain resilient while also remembering that evergreen jobs are still worth pursuing; as they offer valuable opportunities to gain experience long after an initial position has been filled. Strategies For Improved Processes There are several strategies that companies can use to improve the process of finding and hiring talent from evergreen jobs postings. The most important thing is emphasizing transparency in communication with candidates regarding their status of application or interviews. Automated software should also be used for sourcing talent from open job listings or databases as this will help speed up the process significantly. Social media and networking sites can also come in handy when looking for qualified candidates from non-traditional sources. Online assessments are another helpful tool as they allow recruiters to compare candidate qualifications quickly and prioritize those who are most suitable for the role being offered. Conclusion Recruiting talent from an evergreen job pool presents unique challenges due to its extended duration but these challenges are not insurmountable if companies utilize certain strategies like improved communication, automated software solutions, social media networks, online assessments, etc., which will all help streamline processes while still providing quality results in terms of finding the right people for each position being offered. By following these steps, companies should have no problem attracting qualified applicants who meet their requirements despite having an evergreen job posting open indefinitely.
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Strategies for a Candidate Market
In today’s market, even with some layoffs, candidates still have many options when it comes to jobs and the companies they choose to work for. This puts employers in a tight spot as candidates now hold more leverage when it comes to negotiations. As such, hiring in this candidate-driven market requires a different approach that ensures candidates are attracted and retained. The first step is understanding exactly what candidates are looking for, which involves researching their skill sets, motivations and salary expectations. Once a thorough understanding of candidates is established, you can start crafting job postings that will appeal to them. Be sure to include all details about the position including responsibilities and salary range so candidates know what they’re getting into before applying. Once applications start rolling in, review candidates thoroughly to ensure the best candidates are selected. Use interviewing techniques that focus on candidates’ skills and experiences, and don’t be afraid to ask probing questions that get past surface level answers. When it comes time to make an offer, consider offering incentives such as work-from-home opportunities or flexible hours. These types of benefits can attract top talent and help keep them engaged with the company over a longer period of time. Additionally, provide candidates with a clear timeline for when they can expect news of their hiring decision so they don’t feel lost in limbo. Finally, once candidates accept an offer and join your team, ensure onboarding is smooth by providing comprehensive training programs and ensuring new hires have the support they need to be successful in the role. Candidate-Driven Hiring Tips “We are seeing an unprecedented volume of new positions from businesses worldwide in January,” says Kathleen Steffey, CEO, and Founder of Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search. The volume of hiring has returned to pre-pandemic levels and employers are having to compete for top talent like never before. This surge brings about new challenges for employers that have plans to grow their headcount in 2023. “2022 labor constraints have forced hiring managers to be more creative in their hiring decisions. The path for 2023 has no projected change in sight,” says Steffey. Below are 6 effective hiring strategies that will increase your chances to recruit the best candidates while retaining your current team. 1. Move Quickly It’s important to keep your candidates engaged especially during a candidate-driven market. Despite all the tech layoffs there is no such trend in the blue collar and hourly job markets. Employers need to keep candidates updated throughout the hiring process and respond promptly. If candidates are left in the dark, you may miss out on your next best employee. Focus on speed of hiring by removing barriers to apply. 2. Focus on Retaining Your Existing Team Retention is such a large part of a successful recruiting strategy when there’s a shortage of best-fit candidates. Let your current team know how much you appreciate them and recognize their efforts. Figure out what benefits matter to them most and work to help meet their needs. 3. Tap into the right talent pools Talent pools might be getting larger, but the number of quality candidates is getting smaller. Additionally, top candidates are getting choosier and know they have plenty of options. 4. Consider remote working Many employees have become accustomed to the flexibility and work/life balance that comes with remote work. If you’re able to offer a remote position, not only will this be a selling point of the job, but it will also increase the number of potential candidates who can apply. A hybrid approach can also be influential. 5. Be mindful of your interview process Interviews should be used to attract top talent, not send them away. Companies with long, in-depth interview processes lose out on top talent, especially leadership-level candidates. 6. Consider Temporary Staffing Hiring employees on a Temp Staffing basis can reduce the risk of turnover and eliminate high training and salary costs. Not only can you choose how long you want the temp contract to last, but you also have the flexibility to terminate the contract immediately. As more candidates take advantage of the current job market, employers need to be aware of these trends and change their own recruiting and hiring practices if they want to compete. By following these steps, you can ensure candidates are attracted, retained and fully onboarded in a candidate-driven market.
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How to Hire Faster
When hiring, one of the most important elements for success is speed. It’s vital to ensure that you have the right candidate in place as soon as possible to ensure that your team can hit its goals and objectives. Unfortunately many companies seem to get bogged down in their own hiring processes. If that’s the case in your organization its time to address the issue. Speed is the new black. Today’s applicants don’t like to wait and yet too many companies still have “slow to hire” mentalities. I recently spoke to a retail outlet executive who told me they recently were able to cut their time to offer from 3 weeks to 3 days. That’s music to my ears. How can you hire faster? Check out these tips; 1. Reassess your hiring platform – There are a number of hiring platforms available on the market that make it easy to find and contact potential candidates quickly. These platforms also save time by automating certain parts of the hiring process, such as screening resumes or conducting initial interviews. If your current HR tech stack doesn’t allow to optimize its time to change it. 2. Use job postings to weed out the unqualified – Having an effective job listing isn’t just about aesthetics—it also directly impacts your recruitment process by making sure you are attracting the right kind of talent for your open positions. A clear job description helps attract more qualified candidates who have experience relevant to what they will be doing on the job. It also helps improve response rates from interested individuals who are eager to apply because they understand exactly what will be expected of them in their new role. Finally, having an effective job listing means less time spent interviewing unqualified individuals who don’t have the necessary skills or experience for the position. 3. Pre-screen applicants – If possible, pre-screen applicants before inviting them to interviews. This means asking simple questions such as why they are interested in the job or what their experience is with the hiring keywords. This will help you quickly eliminate those who don’t meet your hiring requirements and get closer to finding the perfect candidate faster. 4. Encourage referrals – Ask your current team members if they know anyone that would be a good fit for the position you’re hiring for. Not only will this save time as you won’t need to conduct as many interviews, but it also creates an easier hiring process for potential candidates since their referrals have already vouched for them. Software like Erin Ap exists to help optimize this process. 5. Be transparent about the hiring process – Make sure potential candidates know how long the hiring process will take and what steps are involved, so they can decide if it’s a good fit for them. This transparency also helps to reduce any delays in hiring as applicants already know what to expect from start to finish. I recommend adding content to your career site to break it down for them. 6. Streamline hiring documents/onboarding – Have all necessary hiring documents ready before beginning the search for a new employee. This will allow you to move through the entire hiring process faster as applicants can sign and submit documents right away. Digitize the onboarding paperwork for them. By following these tips, you’ll be able to hire people faster and more efficiently in order to keep your team on track. In today’s candidate-driven market, job seekers rule the hiring process and if yours is taking too long, top talent will turn to your competition to get employed faster. If your leadership is still not convinced, show them the money trail. Its costing you money to leave positions unfilled. Calculate turnover costs so you can quantify that stat. The “time to fill” number is now just as important as the quality of hire. A slow hiring process is just bad for business, and it can have a detrimental affect on your existing employees such as lower performing hires, and replacement hires that take longer to ramp up/train. If you care about the candidate experience and the morale of your recruiting team, take steps immediately to make your hiring process faster.
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What does a recruiter do?
What does a recruiter do? This is a question that many people have, but don’t know where to find the answer. A recruiter is responsible for finding and hiring the best employees for a company. They work with both job seekers and companies to match the right person with the right job. If you are interested in becoming a recruiter, or just want to learn more about what they do, keep reading! In this blog post, we will discuss the role of a recruiter and some of the things they do day-to-day. As a recruiter, your job is to find the best candidates for open positions at your company. To do this, you will work with both job seekers and companies. You will get to know a lot of people and learn about different types of jobs. This knowledge will help you match the right person with the right job. You will spend most of your time meeting with candidates and companies. During these meetings, you will get to know the candidates and their skills. You will also learn about the company’s culture and what they are looking for in a new employee. After you have met with a candidate, it is up to you to decide if they are a good fit for the company. If you think they are, you will help them through the interview process. At the end of the day, your goal is to find the best candidates for the open positions at your company. This can be a challenging and rewarding job. Many recruiters love to work with people and help them land their next job. You may also get into helping people prep for interviews, negotiate salary and craft a resume. Internal vs External Recruiters There are two types of recruiters that companies use to fill their open positions: internal and external. Internal recruiters are employees of the company who are responsible for finding qualified candidates to fill vacant positions within the company. External recruiters, also known as staffing agencies, are third-party companies who work with businesses to find qualified candidates for specific job openings. So, which type of recruiter is right for your business? There are pros and cons to using both internal and external recruiters. Internal recruiters may have a better understanding of the company culture and values, which can be beneficial when trying to find candidates that will be a good fit for the organization. External recruiters often have a larger network of contacts and may be able to reach a wider pool of potential candidates. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of each type of recruiter before making a decision for your business. Consider the specific needs of your organization and the type of candidate you are looking for when making your choice. When trying to decide whether to use an internal or external recruiter, there are a few things to take into consideration. Internal recruiters will generally cost less than external recruiters, but they may not have the same network of contacts. External recruiters may be more expensive, but they Both internal and external recruiters can be beneficial to your organization, depending on your specific needs. Consider the type of candidate you are looking for and the needs of your organization when making your decision. Recruiters Do Not Help Candidates Find Jobs They serve the employer. If internal their job is to help the hiring manager find the right match with job applicants. If external, their job is to help their client (employer) sources, screen and suggest candidates for them to hire. They are paid only by the employer who hires them. A common misconception is that recruiters help people find jobs. A better way to think of it is to say they help match candidates with employers on a skill based level. As I mentioned above many recruiters love the work they do. Its a needed and noble profession to help others find their dream job. Characteristics of a good recruiter include assertiveness, extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic, confident and willingness to learn. Ancillary Recruiting Roles The primary types of recruiters fall into one of two categories–internal and external. But there are ancillary roles to consider as well. Sourcers: The job of a Sourcer is to look for candidates online and then pass those leads onto recruiters who will then qualify them. Sourcers specialize in things like Boolean search strings and are adept at internet research. Recruiting Coordinator: Coordinators help keep the process moving by keep candidates scheduled and on track during the hiring process. They are generally responsible for setting up and coordinating interviews and candidate communications. Recruitment Marketing: The job of Recruitment Marketers is to ensure a steady flow of candidate leads into the ATS. This involves handling the career site messaging, job advertising and other forms of talent promotion. According to Indeed the average recruiter salary is around $52,064 per year. That’s generally for internal recruiting roles but even external recruiters can make six figure salaries by placing people inside companies. That is more lucrative since they typically get approximately 20% of the hires annual salary as compensation for finding them. Some recruiters go on to become heads of Talent Acquisition or even CHRO’s. Source: Indeed
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Effects of Pay Transparency in Recruiting
With each month, more states are joining the trend of passing pay transparency laws. Primarily, these laws require job postings to include pay ranges publicly. As of January 1, 2023, Washington and California will join the fold, widening the number of employers responsible to pay transparency laws. With laws already passed and likely more legislation to come, employers need to consider how to be ready for changes in the law. Compliance with new regulations will help employers remain at low risk for future legal action. Employers outside of current pay transparency laws may consider reviewing their current policy and adopting an official approach to remain attractive to candidates in the current job market. One thing is true, all employers planning to implement a pay transparency policy need to consider the ramifications and construct a compliant plan. Identifying Gaps in Pay Employers facing pay transparency requirements must address existing salaries and examine gaps, considering how transparency could affect employee morale and sentiment. Employers should remember that employees discussing salary amongst themselves is considered protected activity. Executives may want to hire a compensation expert to conduct a pay audit. A subject matter expert from a non-biased third party could help identify where perceptions about unfair pay may lie. Following the identification of potentially unfair gaps, market benchmarking should be done for the positions. Understanding where the minimum, maximum, and mid pay range stands for the local job market assists in pointing to whether current employees are over, under, or averagely paid. Of course, other factors are at play and should be considered including tenure, skillset, and value to the organization when conducting a compensation review. Address Pay in Recruiting Process In a recent survey by Indeed, 75% percent of 1,500 job seekers say they would be more likely to apply for a job if the salary range was listed in the job posting. Depending on the state, there may be different requirements when it comes to pay transparency for job postings. Many states require employers to be transparent if a job seeker asks for salary information during the application process while others require it to be made clear in the job posting itself. Some states require additional information to be posted including benefits, retirement plant, bonus structure, and other company offered perks. Job seekers have the ability to be more selective now than ever before. As employers strategize on how to attract top candidates, they should consider how being transparent about pay will impact the candidate perception of the organization. Organizations providing clarity up front with salary ranges can send a powerful message about company culture and show equity as an important value. In today’s competitive market, showing candidates from the start of the hiring process that the company values treating employees fairly when it comes to pay not only widens the hiring pool, but it can result in longer tenure. Pay Transparency Communication is Key Keeping the doors of communication open when it comes to a new policies or changes to hiring practices is vital. In order to build trust with employees, share with them who will be affected, when changes are taking places, how decision were made, and why the change is occurring. Planning a communication strategy is often an after thought when it should be at the forefront. Employees headed towards disengagement, recently coined ‘quiet quitting’, often start down that path with some form of feeling distrust. When organizations trust their employees and communicate openly, their workforce is empowered to engage in a meaningful way. Stephanie Mauney is a freelance writer and content curator specializing in Human Resources
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Great Ways to Attract Healthcare Talent
When I first took over talent acquisition of a large health system, I was shocked at how traditional the recruitment process was for nursing and other ancillary healthcare roles within the health system. I had come from another industry that was at the forefront of recruitment technology and recruitment marketing, and I felt like I had taken a time machine backward! My systems were dated, my processes seem antiquated, and I was surrounded by hiring managers who felt like they were entitled to talent. As in, talent should be begging them for the job, not the other way around. Because of this perfect storm of awful recruiting practices, we were spending millions of dollars on agency nursing and Locums. The first thing I did was call my CFO and scheduled a private meeting. I was prepared to ask for an enormous increase in our talent acquisition budget, more than double the previous year. I had all the data and charts and I walked in confidently. I sat down and before I could say anything, he said, “Tim! Thanks for coming, I was going to set this meeting up myself to go over your budget with you for next year! We need to find a way to cut 15%!” I felt sick to my stomach! It’s classic healthcare. There’s a mission to save lives. You don’t save lives by spending money on non-life-saving expenses. Or, this was how it was traditionally looked at across all non-revenue healthcare functions, and still is at many healthcare systems across the country. Thankfully, though, we are also seeing many examples of modern healthcare systems that understand the value of having an amazing talent attraction engine, and how being world-class at Talent Acquisition can actually save a healthcare system valuable dollars that can be spent on patient care. I’ll be honest, the CFO and I became very good friends. I found in him a partner who understood if we are paying agencies millions of dollars to properly staff our health system, we are paying a super-premium to have that done. If we do this properly ourselves, we can save 30-40% of that cost which is simply agency profit. The problem we had was a leadership team that didn’t trust that Talent Acquisition could do that! Healthcare Talent Acquisition Pro Tip #1 – Find an executive champion that “gets it” when it comes to the value proposition great talent acquisition can bring to an organization. The first thing I had to do was fight to get properly funded if I wanted to change. Working harder is not a sustainable talent acquisition strategy for success! But, it’s the main strategy used by the majority of healthcare talent acquisition teams. The problem isn’t that you can’t work harder, it’s that it still only gets you so far, and eventually, you just burn out your best people and you end up worse off. I found my “extra” money in the spaces where we were having to spend more money because we weren’t able to recruit well on our own, then my team and I had to prove that little by little we could make a dent into our agency spend, by having better processes, better technology, and utilizing modern recruiting strategies. Healthcare TA leaders will understand, though, that unit managers don’t want to give up their agency folks! It’s a crutch that they’ve come accustomed to relying on over time and those agency resources are hard to give up. Healthcare Talent Acquisition Pro Tip #2 – Start small with the leaders that have the most pain. Don’t try and eat the elephant in one bite! I had to use a bit of informal leverage and a little formal HR power to get a couple of nursing managers to play along with me. With my new CFO champion, I called a meeting with two nursing leaders to “propose” a test “we” were going to try with their units to eliminate agency spend altogether by properly staffing their units. Of course, they were skeptical because it had never happened before, but when the CFO and HR guy are sitting across from you, it’s hard to say “No!” The key was that we weren’t eliminating agencies first and leaving them short-staffed. We were first going to “overstaff” them while they had agency and allow them to properly onboard and train, and then little by little ween them off of agency. We had to prove to them we could get them the “permanent” corporate staff first, allow them to transition, and show them the value of having full-time staff versus agency nurses. In the first year, moving unit to unit, in “test” mode. We were able to eliminate half of our agency spend, while only increasing our TA budget by a few hundred thousand dollars. We saved well over a million, we spent about two hundred thousand. The CFO and CEO were super happy. Talent acquisition had the resources we needed, on an ongoing basis, and we continued to go after the rest of the agency spend. The goal was never zero agency spend, as there will always be some capacity, short-term needs for agency. The problem I see in every health system, is we are using agency for full-time staffing, not emergency staffing. Healthcare Talent Acquisition Pro Tip #3 – >Set a laser-like, narrow vision of what you want to do, measure it, and report the outcomes widely. Make sure everyone knows what you are doing and why. We had a culture where leaders in the health system just assumed that talent acquisition couldn’t help them, so they ran to agency to help them with their needs. Again, working with finance, we put a stop to the ability of leaders being able to request agency assistance. The only way an agency would get its invoices processed is if they were approved by talent acquisition. We had to know where the money was being spent and why! We had to know where we were failing in talent acquisition, no matter how hard it was to see. This one simple process change, while not popular with leaders, immediately gave us great insight into where and how much was being spent on agency and where our biggest problems were. We also found out that roughly 10-20% of agency spend had nothing to do with talent acquisition failure, but because we had leaders who had fallen in love with their agency resources and didn’t want to give them up! We had candidates for those jobs, but leaders were telling us “No” simply because they didn’t want to lose their trained agency nurse. I often speak to talent acquisition leaders in healthcare who will say, “Tim, I don’t have the capacity to take on agency!” and my reply is always, “yes you do!” It’s a giant bucket of money being spent and the majority of that spend is a direct correlation to talent acquisition failure! It can’t be ignored! Plus, every single dollar you can cut from that spend is a TA win! How did we cut agency spend and hire more nurses? First, I’m using “Nurses” as the main role, but let’s be honest, this is about all positions we hire for in healthcare. It’s just that nursing makes up such a large portion of the hiring we do, but all of the strategies and tools I talk about work across healthcare roles from salaried to hourly. #1 – We used our Recruiting Super Power! We immediately ramped up our “Alumni” and “Boomerang” hiring. Roughly 30% of new hires, across all jobs, leave within six months. It’s for all the reasons you can think of around fit, culture, etc. This is about the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and we were going to welcome our past employees back with open arms. In fact, not just welcome them. We were going to pursue them with vigor! No one was going to love them as much as us. While we wouldn’t get them all back, we were going to some of them back! We used a combination of mediums to message our former employees. We texted them updates about new stuff going on at the health system, promotions, projects, awards, etc. We all love hearing the “gossip” of our former employers, and we played into this desire to want information. We sent emails, send snail mail to their homes, we made periodic phone calls. We built an entire communication plan around keeping in contact with former, high-valued employees. The greatest superpower a recruiter has is to make someone feel wanted. We made our former employees feel very wanted! #2 – We started texting nurses! When I first started at the health system none of my Nurse Recruiters would text a nurse. They only sent emails. When I asked them why don’t you text these nurse candidates, they chuckled and said, “Tim, you don’t understand, nurses don’t want to be texted!” So, we went on a field trip! That field trip over to one of our hospitals and visited one of our Med-Surg Units and spoke to actual nurses who worked for us and I asked a few questions: Tim: “How much time do you get to sit down and check email throughout the day?” Nurse: “OMG! Almost never. Maybe a few minutes and then it’s only my work email.” Tim: “Yeah, I know you guys are running constantly! If I had to reach you, during your shift, what would be the best way to contact you?” Nurse: “Oh, just text me! That’s really my only communication all day I get.” End of the field trip. Nurses are very busy people with full lives. They don’t check LinkedIn. They rarely check their email. If you want to reach them, you have to reach them in the way they communicate and that’s by text message. #3 – We turned on the Programmatic Job Advertising engine. Marketing works. We all get marketed to non-stop all day long. When we are online. When we are watching TV. When we are watching TV and online at the same time!/p> It turns out, most of us in talent acquisition isn’t very good at marketing and job advertising. We tend to just post jobs in the same places we always have, regardless of how great they work or don’t work. We do this primarily because we don’t know there are other options. This is how you were trained, so we just keep doing it. Traditional job advertising is fairly inefficient. You post a job on a job site, hoping a candidate you want will visit that job site and see your job and apply to that job. Only about 15% of people are actively looking for a job at any time, so 85% of people are not actively looking, meaning they probably aren’t going to job sites. Programmatic job advertising is basically letting artificial intelligence put your job ad in front of candidates where they are on the internet versus where you think they might be if they were looking for a job. An example of this could be a Nurse is reading an article on a site about a new nursing technique and innovation and programmatic technology would serve up your job ad to this nurse on that site the moment they just happen to be reading that article! It’s amazing and scary technology all at the same time! We see healthcare organizations that test programmatic job advertising spend less and get more applicants than what they were doing prior to using only traditional job posting methods. #4 – We owned the Nursing programs in our area! We made the conscious decision that no other health system was going to do as much as we would at our local nursing programs, pharmacy programs, doctoral programs, physical therapy programs, etc. We were going to donate resources, time, etc. We were going to be the flagship partner for these educational institutions so when students thought of where they wanted to go work, it was going to be us, every time. We sponsored Nursing school awards programs with scholarships and funding for ceremonies, etc. Besides sponsoring we made sure our nursing executives showed up and mentored. We worked with school staff to help them get our nursing leaders as frequent speakers for their classes and programs. We also instituted two programs to show our commitment to new grads. We would sign up nurses prior to graduation and pay for tuition, etc. And we also started a tuition repayment plan. Both plans were built on the same premise. Come work for us for a certain period of time, and we’ll pay for your school. Of course, the health system can only take so many entry levels, but we wanted to get in early and get our pick of the best and brightest. #5 – We did some gorilla marketing! Sometimes you still have to go old-school when it comes to marketing to candidates and we put up billboards around our competition with our employment branding messages and easy text to apply messages. I wanted to let every healthcare worker in our area know, constantly, they had another option after a long, hard, frustrating day. And we were that option! We hired rolling billboards on Nursing Week to drive by their campus with messages of appreciation of their efforts and profession, with us highlighting our “Nurse of Year” professionals, etc. I wanted them to think, “why doesn’t my health system appreciate me like that?!” We worked with our young nurses to support after-hour networking and wine parties where they could invite former classmates who worked at other systems to stay connected. We offered up awesome speakers for continuing education where we of course invited our nurses but also sent invites out to “all” nurses in the area to learn and grow. Recruiting nurses and healthcare workers, in general, is always hard, and it’s extremely hard now and what looks like will be hard well into the future. We can no longer just post our jobs and pray and hope someone will apply. We must actively pursue candidates and show them there are great options for them to prosper and succeed. We do this through great messaging and marketing and having the tools that will allow us to reach healthcare workers in the way they want to be communicated with. There is no one silver bullet when it comes to being great at nurse recruiting, but when we use all the silver bullets we have together, we can be much more effective in attracting and hiring great talent.
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