Succeeding With Recruitment In The Digital Age

“plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose”

Overview

• 80% is in the preparation.• 10% is in the perspiration.• 5% is in the selection.• 3% is in noise generation.• 2% old fashioned lady luck.

Employer Preparation

• The most important document of all is a Job Description.

• In a perfect world this document should be used throughout an organisation.

• From internal sign off to recruitment. • Briefing third parties; selection process

followed by induction and subsequent reviews.

Offer Of Help

• We feel so strongly that Job Descriptions are central to success we’ve created this site www.job-description.co.uk.

• Please do check out the services on offer, some are free to use and others are at a modest cost.

• For the first 100 people who make contact through our quick enquiry form we will send you a free copy of a digital book on creating a Job Description.

The Package

• It is vital that this is constructed with a view to making it competitive, both nationally and internationally.

• Internet research will indicate what is appropriate and we have access to global comparators that we are happy to make available to clients.

• Packages need to have headroom for negotiation.• All the normal stuff is essential (contract of employment,

pension, healthcare, cars, accommodation, flights, claimable expenses etc.)

• Candidates must be able to assimilate information easily and quickly. We advocate transparency.

Who Are You?

• All markets go through cycles but the stronger the employment market the higher the need to broadcast who you are.

• We maintain we all need to be marketing at all times and it is essential candidates have easy access to information about their future employer.

• Even better if this information can explain how the role fits within the corporate structure.

Now What?

• As an Employer you do have choices.– It is believed that up to 2 out of 3 larger

corporates have some form of in-house recruitment, usually pitched towards the lower recruitment activities.

– 8 out of 10 of these same companies also use third party recruiters, mainly for senior executive and technical roles.

Mixed Views

• Some commentators believe the Digital Age is ringing the death knell for traditional recruitment and head hunters.

• Others prefer the flexibility of Outsourcing to Recruiters and Head-hunters when the need arises rather than running in-house operations.

• Running a mixed approach works for others.

What Is Your Organisation?

• Our advice is don’t be inflexible.• It is the result that counts, not the method.• Whichever route you go down try to ensure

your preparation right.• If third parties are to be involved then you

need to get two other things right:– Communication – Selection

Communication

• 86% of new clients need our help with their communication. In other words their information is either incomplete or inadequate.

• They have not got their preparation right.• Try turning your thinking on its head.• If you don’t know clearly who you want to hire

- how can a third party help you?

Communication 2

• If you do not have an internationally competitive package lined up and marketed how will you know if it will attract candidates?

• If you fail to market your company within your package the chances of successful recruitment will fall dramatically.

• Remember 80% of recruitment is in the preparation.

• There is no substitute for good quality communication with both Suppliers or Candidates.

Selection 1

• If you are recruiting in-house you still need to ask yourself - is this the best route?

• If you engage with third parties ask yourself why you have selected them?

• Are you going for specialists within the category for which you are recruiting?

• Are you going for niche head hunting skills?

Selection 2

• Maybe generalists with a great network might be the answer?

• Do you need an International Recruitment Agency switched on to the Digital Age?

• There is no right or wrong answer, ask yourself the questions and then seek the right solution for your business.

But This Is All “Old School”

• Yes, exactly – nothing new here so far!• However, the digital age has not changed the

fundamentals of recruitment at all.• If you don’t build sound foundations you will

be in trouble both in-house or externally.• So where does all the digital age “stuff” come

into play?

Digital Age

• It helps with communication in that you’ve got an excess of tools to use.

• It helps with the noise generation that permeates our lives today.

• It reduces the element of Lady Luck that still plays a part in recruitment.

• Successful recruitment is part science, part art with a little luck thrown in.

Social Media Landscape

Social Media Networks

• What does it all mean?• There are a plethora of tools to reach out to

the market place but they don’t tell you when and how to do it.

• Social Media should be part of your essential marketing mix.

• Social Media does not replace your existing marketing strategy – it should complement it.

What Do Candidates Want?

• You need to get inside the mind of the target audience and what they want.

• A lot of recruiters have a blind faith in Social Media and Social Recruiting and ignore the fundamentals.

• Digital communication is like any other form of communication, it has to be proportionate and appropriate.

Guiding Principles

• Most of us are lucky enough to have two eyes, two ears and one mouth – we all need to use them in proportion – rather than just “shouting” through digital mediums

• Your brand is in the hand of the weakest link. The messages sent out can be a double edged sword if they are not in line with your brand values.

Application Of Common Sense

• Do you really think a Global CEO is really hanging out on Twitter?

• Is Facebook likely to find you a Finance Director?

• Will LinkedIn be a good place to prospect for Motor Mechanics or Butchers?

• They all have there uses but they need to be used appropriately.

Learn From Your Mistakes

• You will make mistakes, so will we, but we need to learn from them.

• In the digital age it is imperative to measure the effectiveness of actions and to adjust accordingly.

• Think age, lifestyle, career level, interest groups and then reach out appropriately.

The World Is Changing

• We need to be thinking back from 2020 not forward from now on.

• Mobile communications are radically changing our lives.

• Africa largely missed the PC era moving straight on to mobile.

• Did you know there are more mobiles than people on the planet?

What Does This Mean For Recruitment?

• As it is believed that 25% of people now rely on their smartphones for recruitment opportunities, the need for a mobile website for recruitment of the under 30’s is vital.

• As every year passes the need to go mobile will increase as technical innovations will continue to deliver alternative means of sourcing candidates.

Review

• 80% preparation. We have emphasised the need for the maintenance of traditional foundations in terms of preparation.

• 10% perspiration. Whether in-house or external recruitment is hard work, but it is a process.

• 5% (some would argue higher) is the selection process. Here we are trying to emphasise that preparation is the key. Get that right and choosing the right path is easier.

Review

• 3% -The digital age is about noise generation and relies wholly on the effectiveness of traditional preparation and perspiration.

• “Shouting” through social media won’t bring results. You need to engage with your audience the same as through a newspaper/TV ad and very often “less” is “more” effective.

Results

• Whilst some Recruiters and Head-hunters claim to be able to deliver results every time, we make no such claim.

• We promise that if you deliver the detail that we need i.e. the job description, the package on offer and information about your company, we will quickly assess the situation and advise whether we can help.

Results

• However hard we work on your behalf we will not always deliver.

• Moreover, whilst we believe in making our own luck – Lady luck does play a part.

• We are dealing in a human capital, not inanimate goods and the chemistry has to be right.

“plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose”

So although digital media and mobile has come into play there are still some fundamentals that remain the same, don't be fooled by thinking that just switching to digital media will do it all for you, you still need to have the basics in place.

Connect With Us

• We are on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.

• We are particularly active on Facebook with International Pages- see below.

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