For those of you who live in the great state of Nebraska like me, you may answer this question with a resounding both. For many others the response is a simple neither. Maybe if I ask the question in a different manner it will elicit another response all together. When thinking about the talent needs of your organization are you "farming" for people all the time or waiting for "the kill" when the opportunity arises?
We all have a responsibility to our respective organizations to be on the look out for great talent. With the unemployment rate at a high and even higher when underemployment is factored in, it's more important than ever to become a "farmer". There are so many opportunities each day to interact and network with our next superstars. The challenge many of us face is that we don't have the right equipment to effectively farm.
Think about it, if you were asked to go out and harvest your crops and then given a riding lawn mower you would laugh hysterically and refuse the job. So why is it then, that we expect our recruiting teams to farm for candidates but don't give them the right equipment to do it effectively? This is a question I have pondered for quite some time.
When did recruiting stop being about the engagement and connectivity with candidates and organizations and become so focused on the administration of the process? I'll tell you my opinion of when it changed. When organizations in the Talent Management industry created applicant tracking systems that will do everything short of wash your car. Let's face it, even the name applicant "tracking" systems sets a tone for what recruiting has become. We have done a disservice to our recruiters and increased the complexity of the process in many instances.
It is time for us to change the way we think about recruiting and get back to the basics. We need to refocus our efforts on candidate engagement and socialization. Stop using RFP's that have 250 different requirements of which 40% have no relevance to your process. Instead, start thinking about all the things candidates, recruiters and hiring managers need to successfully engage with one another.
I know, it's not that simple right? Why isn't? When was the last time you took a good hard look at your ATS and your process and realized all the unused, yet paid for functionality included? Maybe you have chosen not to go down that road because you're afraid of the results. Maybe you are one of the lucky ones who effectively uses all the bells and whistles provided to you. Or just maybe, it's time to rethink the equipment you use so you can be more efficient, effective and engaged with the talent you want in your organization. I am sure your recruiters and hiring managers would appreciate it as would your candidates.
I agree that the ATS is usually an administrative, not strategic, tool. Many companies use the ATS to identify their open positions, who applied for the job, who was interviewed and a lot of other things that are documentation to defend the hiring decisions. These companies spend millions of dollars in order to acquire or retain customers. Some of those customers will navigate to the company web site to learn more about the company or what it would be like to work there. But that is where the STOP sign often appears. "We do not accept unsolicited resumes. You must apply for a specific, open position." But the ATS doesn't have to be only administrative. Imagine for a minute that a Nobel Prize winner tells your organization "I want to work with you." Would you turn that person away and say to come back when there is a specific opening?
ReplyDeleteLook for ways to become strategic, even if others see your tools as administrative.