Talent Makers

Chapter 6: Takeaways

The world has changed from the want-ad days. Don't be a filter feeder, waiting for some applicants to come by. You need a comprehensive plan to attract talent.

Also, don't send one-size-fits-all emails to targeted talent. You need to stand out from the crowd. Great hiring is like great marketing: You need an organized, systematic, and measurable system.

Forget the one-and-done sourcing of the past. It now must be a continuous process, given the high mobility of your best talent. You must be able to attract great talent at will. To do that:

• Take a portfolio approach versus one favorite sourcing method. That means investing appropriately across the continuum.
• Optimize and improve each sourcing channel.
• Try harder in order to stand above the competition.
• Match the sourcing technique to the role being filled.

Measure success using several factors:

• First, look at the quality versus quantity of each of your sourcing channels. This may help to optimize your efforts toward those channels that actually deliver the candidates you end up hiring.
• Next, measure how quickly you find candidates. It allows you to monitor this key indicator over time so you can improve it. Also, this data will allow you to improve the accuracy of future estimates to meet hiring goals.
• Keep track of resources needed to fill roles, and break the numbers out by type of role instead of having one average number. Monitoring this will not only improve forecasts, but can be an indicator of ...