In a blog post for the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), I recently wrote about how talent is the most important aspect of your 2013 planning. I’m not just referring to new talent, but to the talented people within your human resources organization who can source and recruit the right employees for your company. It’s important for companies to understand that it’s hard to put together a complete team of sourcing and recruiting professionals who can cover all the areas you need. Most companies just do not have the internal resources to do it all.
Here are some examples of the types of tasks and resources needed to source and recruit candidates in 2013.
For sourcing candidates:
- Social Media Usage/Commitment: You need a team of people skilled at leveraging social media with a commitment to keep it going. A few tweets and a Facebook or LinkedIn company page are not going to do it. It must be a focused, sustained effort.
- Job Board Management: Job boards still have their place, and there are many to sift through. Knowing which ones to use and how to best use them takes time and understanding.
- Passive Candidate Strategies: Many of the candidates with in-demand skills have jobs today. Some are looking for new opportunities, but many are not. You have to know where to look and how to engage them.
For recruiting candidates:
- Networking Skills: Using some social media outlets and effectively networking with the talent community are two different things. Social media is just the tool. Your people make them really work for you.
- Applicant Tracking System Expertise: Leveraging technology is a skill too. Applicant tracking systems are a costly investment. Having individuals who can really use the system make the difference between it being a sunk cost and actually receiving value from it.
- Sales/Brand Knowledge: A recruiter should be a brand ambassador (the first one potential employees will be exposed to) who can effectively sell your company. Everything about the candidate’s experience speaks to your brand in the marketplace and either adds or detracts from your ability to recruit.
These are just a few of the skill areas that are going to be required as we continue in a tight job market in 2013. It will likely take a combination of internal and external resources to cover all of the areas. That’s why talent, specifically the HR talent and resources you have access to, will be integral to your success in 2013.
