Stars of the big screen

Hiring the right employees is more important than ever, making a good screening process one of vital value for your organization, says Stephen A. Lowisz.

“Managers often rely only on 'feel' and their intuition without truly understanding the competencies candidates possess or lack.”
-Stephen A. Lowisz

Since the economic downturn, how are companies seeking to rebuild their capabilities as volumes begin to increase?

Stephen A. Lowisz. Although the economy seems to be showing signs of life, many companies are being extremely cautious with committing permanent resources to their recruiting organization. It seems there are two major trends occurring: 1.) Organizations of all sizes are looking at contract recruiters and other contract firms in order to have the flexibility to scale up or down as their hiring needs dictate. 2.) Due to the broad appeal of social media, companies are continuously looking for ways to leverage these tools as a way to attract a larger candidate audience. A number of larger organizations have even diverted dollars earmarked for permanent recruitment staff to social media initiatives.

Hiring the right person is mightily important, but how can an organization ensure they are screening their candidates effectively?

SL. Although there are many factors that affect an organization's ability to hire the right candidate, the two main ingredients are the recruiter and the hiring manager. 

The role of the recruiter is to identify, qualify and present the best candidate to their hiring manager. Too often, companies fail to realize the effect metrics have on this process. Quality of hire is usually identified as being most important, yet is seldom properly measured. Instead, the recruiter is held accountable to traditional metrics like time to fill, cost per hire, and positions filled. Bonus programs based exclusively on these measures often result in candidates that are the easiest to recruit, not the best for the role. We need to remember that what gets measured gets done.

The hiring manager serves as the ultimate authority in selecting the right candidate for the right seat on their bus. Managers often rely only on 'feel' and their intuition without truly understanding the competencies candidates possess or lack. Without defining the specific competencies for each position, managers often compare candidates to each other, and not to the requirements of the role. Comparing one bad candidate to another often results in picking from the lesser of two evils - missing the best candidate.

How much emphasis should a company place on a candidate's social media presence? Is it ethical to make a hiring decision based on such information?

SL. Social media can be a double-edged sword in the candidate recruiting process.  Obviously it is inappropriate and illegal to utilize information identified through social media or other means to discriminate candidates based on race, sexual orientation, religious views, etc. - much of which can be found on an individual's Facebook page. 

On the other hand, there have been many cases in which a potential candidate posts inappropriate content that may cause an employer to stop and question their integrity. Recent situations include: 1.) Candidate posting inappropriate pictures of themselves taken at their current place of employment. 2.) Candidate boasting about the number of office supply items they have successfully taken home that were the property of their employer.

Unless ruled illegal by a court of law, I see no problem with taking into consideration the non-discriminatory items, which may be found on a candidate's social media presence to make a final hiring decision - especially in the case of equally qualified candidates.

How will the recruitment process evolve throughout 2011? Are there any great trends on the horizon?

SL. 2011 and beyond will bring with it many trends that will impact the recruiting process.  A few of these include: 1.) Renewed focus on the 'candidate experience'.  With the advent of social media, the way you treat one candidate could impact the way your organization is perceived by thousands of potential candidates. 2.) Location-based, preference-driven recruiting tools. How would you like to walk by an electronic billboard in your local mall that picks up your presence and displays career opportunities specific to your field and preferences?

About

Stephen A. Lowisz, is an author, educator and President & CEO of Qualigence International, a recruitment research & professional search firm he founded in 1999. With more than18 years of experience in the recruitment industry, he has led both sourcing & staffing engagements for companies located throughout the world.