Strategies to Attract the Best
Jaqi Ross
IRS Manager, Media Branch
Sourcing and Branding: The Talent Acquisition Lifecycle




IRS’s Annual Strategic Recruitment Marketing and Advertising
Campaign attracts highly qualified and diverse candidates into the
application process for each of the IRS projected occupations to
allow IRS to select and fill all available positions.
Improves the IRS’s competitive position as an employer of choice in
relation to both other government agencies and private employers of
workforces with similar competencies and experience to
occupations.
At the same time, demonstrates the highest possible return for the
investments made.
Recruitment Strategy

• Supports and balances all
  division needs
• Enables local participation
• Enhanced with strong
  partnerships
Recruitment Strategy

• Improves target setting and
  planning
• Develops strong strategic
  source management
• Develops effective
  marketing and media
• Develops candidate tracking
  system and processes
• Develops clear performance
  and ROI measures
Recruitment Strategy

• Consistent corporate
  messaging is a critical
  success factor
Strong Strategic Source Management

Goals accomplished:
• Deep relationships built with
  sources
• Diverse set of flexible
  resources that can be
  revamped up or down to
  meet variable recruiting
  needs
• Centralized recruiters
  managing institutional
  relationships, administration
  and logistics of recruiting
• Service-wide representatives
  used as the “Face of the
  IRS” to candidates
Initiatives

• College and university recruitment
  program
• Recruiting program with
  professional associations
• Recruiting program with IRS
  employee organizations
Initiatives

• Leverage non-traditional intake
  channels to aid in recruiting
• Referral program to encourage all
  employees to become “IRS
  recruiters”
• Collaborate with other IRS
  divisions to utilize representatives
  at recruiting events
Executive Participation

Agency executives
support recruitment
through a variety of
activities at 97 schools.
• Service on university
  on advisory councils
• Participation in
  executive-in-residence
  programs
• Mentoring students
• Judging competitions
• Appearing as guest
  speakers
Effective Marketing & Media

A single, standardized set of IRS marketing
materials incorporates:
• Consistent brand message:
  –    One of the world’s leading financial institutions
  –    The IRS, a great place to work
  –   You can make a difference!
  –   “Count on Me”
• Clear value propositions
  for early and mid-career
  candidates as well as
  opportunities
Strategic Outreach to Targeted Demographics

• Students &
  early career
• Mid-career
• Veterans
• Disabled
• Other under-
  represented
Games: Effective Engagement Tools
Social Media: Effective Engagement Channels

Goals and Initiatives:
• Ability to maintain relationship with candidates from beginning to
  end of recruiting process


                                                                 Facebook Account
                                                                 Created Aug. 2009
                                                                 Feb. 2010: 97 Fans
                                                                 Nov. 2010: 1,603 Fans



                                                                 Twitter Created (3) Accounts
                                                                 Over 600 followers
                                                                 October: 36,313 impressions




                                                                •Regular Avatar Gatherings
                                                                • Professional Meetings
                                                                • General IRS Info- Tax Forms
                                                                • 49.5% make up 18-34 yr olds.
Measuring Social Media Effectiveness

Online tools:
– Google Analytics
– Webtrends reports
– Social Mention
– Twellow
– WeFollow
– Mr. Tweet
– Bit.ly
– Tweetreach




All traffic is driven to       Facebook: # of fans / Fan posts / Org. Posts / replies /
jobs.irs.gov careers website   Twitter: # of Followers / Tweets / Mentions / Retweets / Replies
becomes the anchor and         LinkedIn: # of People in Network / Inquiries / Contacts
information clearinghouse.     Second Life: # of Visits / Interactions
Effective Candidate Tracking

• Link successful
  applicants and excellent
  employees to recruiting
  sources for continuous
  improvement
  – Evaluate needs and
    enhance technology
    solution for tracking
    candidate contacts
  – Put processes in place
    for regularly contacting
    candidates in pipeline to
    solicit applications
Effective Candidate Tracking

• Link successful
  applicants and excellent
  employees to recruiting
  sources for continuous
  improvement
  – Evaluate needs and
    enhance technology
    solution for tracking
    candidate contacts
  – Put processes in place
    for regularly contacting
    candidates in pipeline to
    solicit applications
Effective Candidate Tracking

• Link successful
  applicants and excellent
  employees to recruiting
  sources for continuous
  improvement
  – Evaluate needs and
    enhance technology
    solution for tracking
    candidate contacts
  – Put processes in place
    for regularly contacting
    candidates in pipeline to
    solicit applications
Questions & Discussion

Innovative ways to hire faster and better

  • 1.
    Strategies to Attractthe Best Jaqi Ross IRS Manager, Media Branch
  • 2.
    Sourcing and Branding:The Talent Acquisition Lifecycle IRS’s Annual Strategic Recruitment Marketing and Advertising Campaign attracts highly qualified and diverse candidates into the application process for each of the IRS projected occupations to allow IRS to select and fill all available positions. Improves the IRS’s competitive position as an employer of choice in relation to both other government agencies and private employers of workforces with similar competencies and experience to occupations. At the same time, demonstrates the highest possible return for the investments made.
  • 3.
    Recruitment Strategy • Supportsand balances all division needs • Enables local participation • Enhanced with strong partnerships
  • 4.
    Recruitment Strategy • Improvestarget setting and planning • Develops strong strategic source management • Develops effective marketing and media • Develops candidate tracking system and processes • Develops clear performance and ROI measures
  • 5.
    Recruitment Strategy • Consistentcorporate messaging is a critical success factor
  • 6.
    Strong Strategic SourceManagement Goals accomplished: • Deep relationships built with sources • Diverse set of flexible resources that can be revamped up or down to meet variable recruiting needs • Centralized recruiters managing institutional relationships, administration and logistics of recruiting • Service-wide representatives used as the “Face of the IRS” to candidates
  • 7.
    Initiatives • College anduniversity recruitment program • Recruiting program with professional associations • Recruiting program with IRS employee organizations
  • 8.
    Initiatives • Leverage non-traditionalintake channels to aid in recruiting • Referral program to encourage all employees to become “IRS recruiters” • Collaborate with other IRS divisions to utilize representatives at recruiting events
  • 9.
    Executive Participation Agency executives supportrecruitment through a variety of activities at 97 schools. • Service on university on advisory councils • Participation in executive-in-residence programs • Mentoring students • Judging competitions • Appearing as guest speakers
  • 10.
    Effective Marketing &Media A single, standardized set of IRS marketing materials incorporates: • Consistent brand message: – One of the world’s leading financial institutions – The IRS, a great place to work – You can make a difference! – “Count on Me” • Clear value propositions for early and mid-career candidates as well as opportunities
  • 11.
    Strategic Outreach toTargeted Demographics • Students & early career • Mid-career • Veterans • Disabled • Other under- represented
  • 12.
  • 13.
    Social Media: EffectiveEngagement Channels Goals and Initiatives: • Ability to maintain relationship with candidates from beginning to end of recruiting process Facebook Account Created Aug. 2009 Feb. 2010: 97 Fans Nov. 2010: 1,603 Fans Twitter Created (3) Accounts Over 600 followers October: 36,313 impressions •Regular Avatar Gatherings • Professional Meetings • General IRS Info- Tax Forms • 49.5% make up 18-34 yr olds.
  • 14.
    Measuring Social MediaEffectiveness Online tools: – Google Analytics – Webtrends reports – Social Mention – Twellow – WeFollow – Mr. Tweet – Bit.ly – Tweetreach All traffic is driven to Facebook: # of fans / Fan posts / Org. Posts / replies / jobs.irs.gov careers website Twitter: # of Followers / Tweets / Mentions / Retweets / Replies becomes the anchor and LinkedIn: # of People in Network / Inquiries / Contacts information clearinghouse. Second Life: # of Visits / Interactions
  • 15.
    Effective Candidate Tracking •Link successful applicants and excellent employees to recruiting sources for continuous improvement – Evaluate needs and enhance technology solution for tracking candidate contacts – Put processes in place for regularly contacting candidates in pipeline to solicit applications
  • 16.
    Effective Candidate Tracking •Link successful applicants and excellent employees to recruiting sources for continuous improvement – Evaluate needs and enhance technology solution for tracking candidate contacts – Put processes in place for regularly contacting candidates in pipeline to solicit applications
  • 17.
    Effective Candidate Tracking •Link successful applicants and excellent employees to recruiting sources for continuous improvement – Evaluate needs and enhance technology solution for tracking candidate contacts – Put processes in place for regularly contacting candidates in pipeline to solicit applications
  • 18.