Now don’t get me wrong, I am stoked to have the new addition to the team, but I always feel a little defeated when we use an agency when we could have acquired the same individual through other means.
Yesterday I wrote a blog about my #1 Big Take away from the LinkedIn Talent Connect conference, so as promised, here is my second big take away from Talent Connect: Tips to Maximize Recruiting Programs. One of the break-out sessions I attended was called Relationships Matter: Develop a Productive Employee Referral Program. The panel was facilitated by Kara Yarnot of Meritage Talent Solutions and included contributions from Teresa Keeler of Owens Corning, Becky Mohr of SapientNitro, Julie Barker of Appirio and Jennifer Rice of Cisco.
The information provided by this group was very informative, and whether your company is getting started with an Employee Referral Program, or you are hoping to be the introducer of some innovative ways to switch-up your plan, I think the following information is beneficial. Below, in no particular order, were some great ideas I took away, and thought I would share with you.
1.
Use Technology to Connect with
Talent by Leveraging Employee Contacts: There are several platforms in existence now (I am posting the
list and links below) that will pick up
key words in your job, match them to the LinkedIn profiles of people connected
to your employees, and recommend that the employee refer the candidate. Your
employees have to opt-in to this, so it is not for everyone, but would certainly
be a helpful way to avoid the frustrating situation I explained above.
2.
Non-Employee Referral Programs: People who do business with your
company (customers, vendors, and even competitors) all know great people.
Vendors typically get to know your company culture very well. What if you
incentivized them for making a referral? Great idea, just be sure to check with
your finance department first.
3.
Recruiting is Everyone’s Job: While Talent Acquisition teams
can do their best to source candidates, identify quality talent, and post jobs
on every site imaginable, there are interactions that every hiring manager has
on a day-to-day basis with people in the public. I remember when I lived in San
Diego and was hiring entry-level talent; I would always keep my eye out to see
who was really good at what they were doing. I frequently handed out my
business card to counter-people, wait staff, and pretty much everyone who I met
who I could see as a potential fit for my company. Was it my job to do guerilla
recruiting? Not exactly, but I like to think I’m somewhat of a talent hound,
and so anywhere I go I keep my eyes open. Encourage your managers to do the
same. Their next customer service or entry-level employee may be someone they
are already having interactions with every day, they just have to keep their eyes
out.
4.
Open Communication to Referral
and Referrer: Many times
when I communicate with candidates who have been referred I will circle back
with the referrer so they know I made the connection. Even if someone is not a
fit for a particular role, but they were referred from an employee I will send
them a personal message. Just because they are not qualified for a role doesn’t
mean that something else won’t be a fit for them in the future. Communicate
openly and build the relationship, so there is an opportunity for future
conversations.
5.
Recruiting on the Company
Scorecard: While this
approach varied by company, the key take away was that managers were informed
about new or hard-to-fill positions. By including Talent Acquisition in the
manager’s meeting, teams are able to contribute additional ideas for sourcing
talent and sharing jobs, and finding the candidate became a collaborative
effort.
Check back tomorrow for take away #3 from LinkedIn Talent Connect.
For more information on Employee Referral Systems visit:
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