Dan Medlin is a talent acquisition manager with 24 years of experience in human resources and recruiting. He has expertise in strategic talent acquisition, global recruiting, applicant tracking systems, and employer branding. Some key aspects of his proposed strategic talent acquisition re-engineering include conducting a recruiting system assessment, developing a defined recruitment business process, integrating a best-in-class applicant tracking system, building the company brand, and initiating a broad candidate sourcing strategy.

1. Strategic Talent Acquisition Re-engineering
Dan Medlin
Mobile: +1 512 750 6740
E-mail: dmedlin1@yahoo.com

2. Dan Medlin
Talent Acquisition
Manager



Education: Master of Education, Counseling and Career
Guidance, Texas State University
Years Experience: 24
Scope of Role:
• Setting the vision for successful talent acquisition;
•
•
•
•
•
•
and motivating, leading and training the HR
team, locally and globally to engage with and
deliver on that vision.
Oversight of all staffing and personal attention on
Priority role recruiting efforts.
Improving talent-pipeline development, through
connections with universities, trade
groups, professional associations and networking
groups.
Managing implementation of, training on, access to
and use of applicant tracking systems and related
technologies needed for global recruiting.
Managing agency/headhunter relationships and
agreements, controlling cost and driving
performance.
Managing global recruiting data and reporting
Driving the improvement and communication of
our Global Employer Brand
Competencies:
• Staffing/Recruiting: Significant (15 years) experience in
corporate, agency and independent headhunting, both
local, national and global. 12 million+ Linkedin network.
• HR Generalist: 5 years HR Generalist experience throughout 15
years in HR/Recruiting, including Payroll, Comp, Benefits, ER and
legal compliance
• Global Exp: Travel to and support remotely
UK, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Algeria, China, Korea, Ta
iwan and Singapore.
• Training: 10 years early career in management role within Higher
Education included training and teaching experience. Ongoing
delivery of training and public speaking throughout HR career.
Key Successes 2010 - 2014:
 Implemented enhanced structured, behavioral interviewing
based on new Samsung core values
 Reduced Days to Fill by 17% in one Quarter and filled 92 positions
in first 2 Quarters with Samsung.
 Developed a GE Energy / Wayne global Recruiting Business
Process and trained global team on strategy.
 Filled 222 requisitions at an average of 60 days per requisition
over 14 months using an agency in only 23 instances. Potential
cost savings = $1.15million.
 Enhanced Wayne’s access to and use of top tier technologies
needed for global recruiting. On-boarded Sweden and China to
ATS. Added capability for global staffing throughout Asia, Europe
and North Africa.
 Managed agency/headhunter relationships and agreements.
Obtained global agreements lowering cost in Europe from 30%
average fee to 20% average fee.
January, 2012

3. After implementing Strategic
Talent
Acquisition Re-engineering you can expect to:
Reduce cost and time per hire and increase efficiency
Establish your company brand as an employer of choice
Secure and retain the best talent
Increase employee engagement
Achieve a better candidate and hiring manager experience
Improve and sustain company productivity
Increase market presence, sales, growth, and profit!

4. The Essential Components of a comprehensive
Strategic Talent Acquisition Program :
 A full Recruiting System Assessment to identify





leaks, barriers, time-wasters and quicksand
A Defined Recruitment Business Process that is Predictable
and Sustainable
Integration of a best-in-class Applicant Tracking System
Company Branding for more effective employment
marketing
Well defined job descriptions which provide legal
compliance and effective marketing
A data repository with portal access to recruiting process
forms and documents as well as policies, to prevent
duplication or inconsistencies
and…

5. The Essential Components of a comprehensive
Strategic Talent Acquisition Program :
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pipelining/Succession Planning to maximize the utilization
of current internal talent and incoming candidates
A BROAD candidate sourcing strategy that includes full use
of traditional and next generation (Web 2.0) techniques
and tools
An overall integration of pro-active recruiting strategies
Training of ALL stakeholders and key players on the traits
and behaviors necessary for successful recruiting
Standardized, Legal and Repeatable
screening, interviewing, assessment & selection processes
Metrics & Reports for ongoing analysis to insure ongoing
success

6. What is
A Recruiting System Assessment?
•
Assess the current model of your talent
acquisition business process
• Identify Leaks, Barriers, Time-Wasters and
Quicksand
• Analyze the cost and Return on Investment
of your current strategy
• Generate process maps and deliver
recommendations for efficiencies.

7. The Recruiting System Assessment
should identify:
Inefficiencies
(Leaks)
Barriers
Time-Wasters
Quicksand

8. Sample Issues identified
New
Requirement
Defined
No template Job
Order
format, creating
from scratch
each time
Assess
Current Talent
Pool
Job Order
Written
TimeWasters
No pipeline of
existing talent
with searchable
skills, lost
opportunity to
promote, possib
le turn-over of
un-promoted
talent
Inefficiencies
(Leaks)

9. More Sample Issues
Identify and
Screen Qualified
Candidates
No access to
or awareness
of
appropriate
testing
strategy
Assess Skills of
Best Qualified
Candidates
Barriers
Interview Top
Qualified
Candidates
Seeing lots
of great
candidates
but can’t
make a
decision
Select Most
Qualified
Candidate
Quicksand
Why this happens:
• Unclear requirements
•Last minute change in needs
• Lack of pre-determined screening questions
•Lack of adherence to screening plans

10. Recruiting System Assessment:
How it’s done
Executive and Management Briefings
 Meet with the executive leadership of your organization to develop a
clearly defined and communicated strategy that illustrates the brand
message, target candidates, primary sources, and desired talent profiles for
the future growth of your organization.
 Survey senior managers and key stakeholders to gather input on what is
working and not working with the current talent acquisition strategy.
 Meet with your HR and recruiting staff to gather details on the current
recruiting processes, policies and practices as well as to define metrics for
future assessment

11. Recruiting System Assessment:
How it’s done
 Review all corporate recruitment policies, process documents and related
material.
 Review all current recruiting forms and tools
 Review and document all technology employed in the recruiting process
throughout the organization.
 Applicant Tracking System
 Web Search Tools
 Document Repository
 Analyze your Candidate Sourcing Strategy
 Analyze your current corporate Brand for attracting and retaining
employees

12. Recruiting System Assessment:
How it’s done
Run the program!
One cannot truly KNOW where the
leaks, barriers, time-wasters and quick-sand
are
until one EXPERIENCES the program, through
it’s full lifecycle

13. Recruiting System Assessment:
How it’s done
Recommendations for Success
 Prepare a comprehensive report on your current state of affairs and
recruiting readiness.
 Include both the current and desired models, including
leaks, barriers, time-wasters and quicksand; and the appropriate
responses
 Assess your current state of competiveness in your industry and
develop a vision of your potential.
 Develop a slate of prioritized recommendations, listed as (A)
critical, (B) necessary and (C) optional.
 Develop a budget / estimated cost, recommended vendors (as
appropriate) and expected timeline for implementation.

14. Recruiting Business Process
Developing, Defining, Integrating and Managing a
Recruitment Business Process that is
Predictable, and Sustainable

15. The Recruiting Lifecycle - Philosophy
Whole Life – Full Lifecycle
Always recruiting
“From the day we begin to market a position and source
candidates, to screening, interviewing and selection, to
hiring, orientation and training, through performance appraisal and
career growth, and even through the process of separation and
outplacement, we must continue to cultivate a positive
relationship, know and be known with our candidates, market the culture
and strong points of our company, identify and accentuate the
candidate's knowledge, skills and strengths and inspire above-andbeyond performance.”
-Dan Medlin, PHR

16. Recruiting LifeCycle - Illustrated

17. Sample Recruiting Framework
Qualified
Candidate?
New Requirement
Defined
Job Order Written
Assess Current
Talent Pool
No
Source New
candidates
Past
Candidates
Employee
Referrals
Job Fairs
Internet Web 2.0
Promote
Employee
Networking
Advertising
New
Candidate
Sourcing
Yes
Candidate
Tracking
System
Identify and
Screen Qualified
Candidates
Assess Skills of
Best Qualified
Candidates
Interview Top
Qualified
Candidates
Select Most
Qualified
Candidate
Negotiate
Salary and
Benefits
Make offer to
Most Qualified
Candidate
Acceptance by
Most Qualified
Candidate
Onboarding

18. Recruiting Lifecycle Processes
Requirements Gathering and Job Posting:
Sourcing and Pipelining:
• Take a thorough job order – ask 3 more questions
• Use traditional and next gen tools and
• Start date, budget, job description, requirements
• Check your database FIRST before posting a
and preferences
• More information will be presented in the Job
Posting discussion under Candidate Marketing
strategies
Cross-Polinization:
• Always consider internal talent
FIRST – promotes company morale
and culture
•
More information will be presented
in the section on Candidate
Marketing strategies
techniques
job on the web
• More information will be presented in the
section on Candidate Marketing strategies
Screening, Interviewing and
Selection:
• Follow your timelines and hold
each other accountable
• Work the requirement until it is
closed
• More information will be
presented in the section on a
Standardized Selection Process
Hiring and Orientation:
• Move through any background
checks, drug tests or credit checks quickly
and with full disclosure – be prepared
with all forms and procedures
immediately on selection.
•
•
Keep rolling out the red carpet
Schedule an Orientation within 2 weeks
of start date, if not on first day

19. Keys to Success - Know your Business
 Understand your company needs, projections, future
development, culture, trends and recruiting
competiveness.
 Meet and build relationships with EVERY hiring manager
 Understand all open requirements in the organization and
the priority of various recurring openings
 Engage key internal talent in the recruiting, interviewing
and selection process, but not to the point of slowing the
process to a crawl.

20. Business Process SCRUM Meetings
 Daily (at beginning), then Weekly status meetings
 Virtual meetings as needed
 Executive Queries
 Hiring Manager interviews
 Team checks
 Roles and Responsibilities
 Accountability
 Agile Processes

21. A Best-in-Class
Applicant Tracking System
tailored to your needs
Tight Budget Solutions
Best in Class applications
What your ATS should and should not do
Cost vs. Quality

22. Tight Budget Solutions
Best in Class and Full
Service Applications:
 Inbox Recruiting:
 Best in Class
• MS Office:
Outlook, Excel and
Word
• Custom SQL Server
System
• MS Access
• ACT Gold
• CATS
 Brass Ring
 Taleo
 PeopleSoft (Oracle)
 Full Service
 ADP Virtual Edge
 Hiredesk
 PeopleClick/Authoria

23. Your ATS:
What should it do?
What should it NOT do?
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .

24. Cost vs. Quality
 A Rose by any other name…
 No test drive, no sale
 Show me the carfax
 Ask your gen-Y’rs to try it
 Ask your Boomers to try it
 Don’t buy features you will not use (and if they can’t adjust the
price or drop features you can’t use – keep looking)
 Do buy features you are going to need… now and soon down
the road (and if they can’t tell you how soon they will integrate
“planned” features you will need in the future – keep looking)

25. Build your Company Brand for more
effective recruiting
•Boost your existing brand
•Leverage internal marketing, sales and PR
relationships
•Enlist employees in your recruiting network
•Create the public image you want

26. EMPLOYER / COMPANY BRANDING
 Employer branding reflects an organization’s strategy to
intentionally create a specific perception of employment at
the company.
 Employment branding is important for companies that
desire a competitive edge in recruitment and employee
retention.
 Employment branding helps to define corporate
culture, cultivate company values and strategically deliver
an organization’s message.
 There are many reasons for employment branding and
few, if any, reasons against it, so employers are justifiably
interested in developing employment branding strategies.

27. The Key Branding Questions
 While there are many ways to develop them, effective
employment branding strategies will require some
variation on the following questions:
 Are you an employer of choice?
 What are the selling points of your company?
 Why would a candidate CHOOSE to work for you?

28. Documenting your Brand
 Develop a brief statement on your history, industry, products/services.
 Describe the industry experience, business prowess and personality of








your top leaders.
State the core principles / values of your company.
Provide the vision statement of your company
How do you want your company culture described?
How do various levels of employees describe working at your
company… do you have some quotes, testimonials, results from
employee surveys?
What “quality of life” perks come with employment at your company?
In what ways is your company involved in the communities where you
have a presence?
Generally, where do your compensation ranges fall against market
rates?
Provide a high-level description of your benefits package.

29. Benchmarking your Brand
 Have you benchmarked your company against your
competition for various classes and types of
employees with regard to your company
culture, perks, compensation and benefits?
 If yes, how do you fare?
 If no, how do you think you fare?

30. Showing off your Brand (pt 1)
 In an interview with a new candidate who is visiting
the HQ…
 what features of the facility should every candidate be
shown?
 who are key people they should meet?
 where should interviews be held?
 what accommodations can be offered to roll out the red
carpet?

31. Showing off your Brand (pt 2)
Using Social Networking Tools
 Linkedin Profile
 Facebook page
 Twitter
 Active management
 Recruit networkers in the organization
 Guidelines for proper social networking

32. Promoting the Employer Brand
 How is the message spread? - IT’S A VIRUS!!
 In all your communications, especially discussion-board posts
and bloggings, provide hyperlinks to company website(s) and
press releases to increase viral networking
 “Re-Tweet”, blog about and discuss Press Releases, public news
or blog posts that contain positive information about the
company
 HR Generalists, specialists and recruiters should take lead in
online networking and promotion of the Employer Brand
 Whenever we identify other employees on networking sites, we
should connect 1:1 to increase our network strength.
 Employees with strong online networks (especially employees
in sales, marketing, etc.) can be coached and encouraged to
spread the consistent Employer Brand message.
32

33. Initiating a BROAD
Candidate Sourcing Strategy
Using traditional and next generation techniques and tools, including best
practices in:
Well-defined Job Descriptions (legal and effective)
Sourcing
Web mining
Job posting
Networking with User Groups
Hosting and Attending Events
Job Fairs
Targeting passive candidates

34. Changing the Mindset….
Posting Job
Openings
Passive
Proactive
Waiting for
Applicants
Screening
and Selecting
One
Net
Hire
Targeting Talent
Networking and
Pipelining
Corporate
Farmer
Agency
Hunter
Referrals and
Marketing /
Branding
Candidate
Pipeline

35. Building the Pipeline….
University
Visits
Networking
Database
Searches
All
candidates
apply
online, feed
ing into the
ATS
Marketing
Candidates in
the Pipeline (ATS)
Referrals

36. Job Postings
 Draw in candidates to pipeline
 Sell Company – add sizzle
 Thorough, but no red tape language
 Nice-to-have vs. Must-have
 Post the compensation range
 Detail the benefits
 Sell the longevity
 Include EEO and VETS compliance statement
 No discriminatory language: implications toward
age, race, gender, etc.

37. CANDIDATE SOURCES
 Internal promotions or lateral moves
 Referrals
 College, University and Trade School recruitment
 Professional Associations
 Web Sites/Job Boards
 Other Web Resources
 Web Mining

38. Cross Polinization
 Consider internal candidates first
 Consider training and promoting from within first
 Consider relocations across the enterprise vs. the cost
of hiring and training locally
 Every candidate/resume has potential value, as a
future hire or to refer elsewhere within the
organization or to vendors, partners or business
network contacts

39. Referrals
 References
 Referrals from Placed Candidates
 Ask for 3 names from every start
 Outplacements
 2nd choice candidates

40. Professional Associations
 Software User Groups
 MeetUp groups
 Linkedin Groups
 PMI chapter
 IEEE Association
 Credentialing groups
 Tech Groups
 Management, Marketing and
Finance Networking Groups
 Colleges/Universities
 Trade Schools
 Training Firms
Sources for both passive and active
candidates, as well as referrals.

41. Major Web Resources
Job Posting / Candidate
Social and Business
Database Sites
Networking Sites
 Monster
 LinkedIN
 CareerBuilder
 FaceBook
 HotJobs
 Xing
 Indeed
FREE Job Posting / Candidate
Database Sites
 State Workforce Commission
 American Jobs
 CraigsList

42. Utilize the ATS
Fully utilize the rich features of your Applicant Tracking
System
 Candidate Database
 Searches and Agents
 Auto-Notifiers
 Screeners and Filters

43. Web Mining
 Googling
 Conference Websites
 Associations
 User Groups
 Diversity Groups
 Blogs, Chat groups
Social and Business
Networking Sites
 LinkedIN
 Naymz
 Plaxo
 Xing
 Twitter
 FaceBook

44. Online Networking….
7 Basic Rules for Successful Online Networking
1.
Choose the right tools






Linkedin is #1 in the world for business professionals who are networking
Facebook is considered mostly social, but is the #1 tool for reaching millennials
Xing, Viadeo, Naymz, Meetup, and others are helpful if you can manage the time
Use YouTube to release approved video content – “day in the life” or “community impact”
Twitter is an essential tool for fast messaging to your network
Wordpress is an excellent site for an external blog.
2.
Create and complete your profile, with photo and your professional summary and title. Use language from
the Branding info provided by the company. Connect / Hyperlink your profile to the company profile and
company affinity groups.
3.
Search and find people you know, professionally and socially, and get connected. Search and find all coworkers and get connected.
4.
Make recommendations of good professionals you know. Get 3+ recommendations for your professional
career from past managers and peers
5.
Join groups related to your interests, your location and the business of our company. Join groups where
you can find candidates we need.
6.
Be a “good citizen”: (kind, helpful, positive, avoid controversy)
7.
Stay active as time permits: (participate in discussions, keep connecting, “meet” potential candidates and
send them info on the company.

45. How do I RECRUIT on Linkedin ???
 It begins with having a good network
 Market job in your status update
 Search your network for matching candidates and send them
an intro to the job and a link to the job posting
 Ask your network for referrals by sending the same content.
 Join the right groups
 Most groups have an internal job board and you can post an
intro to the job and a link to the job posting there, FOR FREE.
 Target groups that are geographically and professionally
aligned to the job.
 Buy a Linkedin posting for prominent jobs, or “hard-to-fill”
jobs.
 Cost ranges from $35 to $199 USD – reasonable.
 Postings are good for 30 days
 Good response rates are expected
 Set the Applicant Routing on the job posting to the GE Career
site so that applicants apply there and instruct them not to
email you directly.
Your posting should
link to the company
profile for consistent
branding.
45

46. Passive Candidates
 Competitors’ Talent
 Corporate Directories
 Conference Attendance Lists
 Card Drops
 Company hit lists from clients and candidates
 The party invitation
 Private happy hour
 Networking lunches

47. Plan for Succession by Pipelining
current talent and incoming candidates
Build and fill an efficient entry level pipeline
Develop leadership and technical pipelines

48. Your Talent Pipeline
 Utilize that ATS
 current talent and incoming candidates
 Self register all current employees
 Scrub your data
 Build and fill an efficient entry level pipeline
 Develop leadership and technical pipelines

49. Cross Polinization
 Consider internal candidates first
 Consider training and promoting from within first
 Consider relocations across the enterprise vs. the cost
of hiring and training locally
 Every candidate/resume has potential value, as a
future hire or to refer elsewhere within the
organization or to vendors, partners or business
network contacts

50. Leadership Development
Create Time in Workflow and
Work Week to connect with
team to:
• Mentor
• Guide
• Advise
• Equip
• Resource
How am I
mentoring
this team?
Eng 1
Escalate
issues and
requests as
needed
Eng 2
Team
Lead
Eng 1
Eng 1

51. Promotion Plans
Senior
Manager
• Increase opportunities for
advancement
• Provide additional challenges
for better talent
• Increase engagement and
retention
• Allow for more hiring at lower
levels
New Leaders will:
Manage
People
Build
Technology
Improve
Processes
Manager
New Layer
Project
Lead (Eng 3)
Manager
Technical
Lead (Eng 3)
Team Lead
(Eng 3)
Engineer 3
Engineer 3
Engineer 3
Engineer 2
Engineer 2
Engineer 2
Engineer 1
Engineer 1
Engineer 1

52. Traits And Behaviors
for successful recruiting
become a
STAR
(Strategic Talent Acquisition Resource)
Dedicated Recruiters
HR team
Hiring Managers
Interviewers

53. Dedicated Recruiter STARs
What you need to do:
•Sell your company brand
•Know your business (technology, processes, future)
•Eliminate unmatching candidates fast and bring in matching
candidates just as fast
What you need to be:
•A good salesperson … Enjoy selling … good humor and conversation
•Smart, able to grasp complex concepts quickly and train others
•Strong sense of URGENCY

54. Salesperson
Mediator
Coach
Match-Maker
Advocate
Curious
Process-Driver
Problem-Solver
Sense of
Urgency
Root-Cause
Recruiter
DNA

55. Recruiter Whiteboard
Job Number
Location
Title
Hiring
Manager
Top
Candidates
Action
To-Do
1431685
Shanghai
Software
Engineer
LeiLei
Multiple
Keep on COE
– 30/week
1423573
Moscow
TRS
Manager
Peirce
Elena,
Sergey
Video
Interviews
1423995
Moscow
Regional
Sales
Manager
Tracey
Vladimir,
Andrei
Video
Interviews
1480165
Austin
VP
Operational
Excellence
NHT
Frank, Ricky,
Ignacio
Onsite
interviews
1475761
Austin
Lead
Software
Engineer
Turner
Andersen
Offer
A physical whiteboard is useful to have in front of your eyes throughout the
day to remind you of your priorities. You might also rely on your ATS Open
Jobs screen, but I prefer to have both.

56. Daily Recruiting Team
SCRUM Meeting
•Daily / regular status meetings
•Review of openings and assignments
•Hiring Manager feedback
•Teamwork requests
•Back up requests
•Roles and Responsibilities
•Commitments and Accountability
•Agile processes needed

57. Daily Mantras
•
If the hiring manager does not know that you worked on
his job today, then your work is not done today.
• The compensation conversation begins with the first
candidate call, and continues until the offer is accepted.
• Address Red Flags early
• High maintenance candidates will be high maintenance
employees
• Always Be Closing
• Time kills deals

58. HR team STARs
What you need to do:
•Keep the Process Moving
•Get it all down – log your notes, get the data – get it in the ATS
•Roll out the Red Carpet
What you need to be:
•Detail Oriented
•Methodical
•Chronological
•Happy to be part of the process!

59. Hiring Manager STARs
What you need to do:
•Select top talent for your team
•Know your business (technology, processes, future)
•Eliminate unmatching candidates fast
What you need to be:
•Cautious but sure of your needs
•Aware of all the company’s lines of business and ventures
•Strong sense of URGENCY – be ready to move on a good candidate

60. Interviewer STARs
What you need to do:
• Ask open ended questions
• Listen and be patient
• Smile, connect with candidate
You are the front door to the company
What you need to be:
• Patient
• Not Self-Centered
• Interested in the best interests of the company
Hiring Managers must screen and select potential interviewers based on these criteria

61. Legal Compliance – do’s and don’ts in the interview
Do:
 Once the list of job-related interview questions is created, use it consistently




for all applicants for the same position.
Try to first put the applicant at ease with introductory and welcoming remarks.
Ask open-ended questions which focus on behavioral descriptions rather than
simply "yes or no" questions (i.e. have them describe a work situation in which
they handled stress well rather than just asking if they can "handle stress
well").
Listen; don't do all the talking.
Stay away from questions that have more to do with personal lifestyles than
job experience - phrase the question so that the answer will describe on-thejob qualities instead of personal qualities - if the question is not related to
performance on the job, it should not be asked.
Copyright © 2008, Society for Human Resource Management

62. Legal Compliance – do’s and don’ts in the interview
Don’t Discuss:














Age
Arrest record
Association with present employees (unless brought up by candidate)
Bankruptcy and credit affairs
Citizenship
Disability
Driver's license
Educational attainment – accept as pertaining to posted job requirements and what candidate lists
on resume
Emergency contact information - unnecessary at the application stage
English language skills - only ask if it is a requirement of the job
Height and weight
Marital status/name changes/spouse/children
Organization or club membership
Race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
Copyright © 2008, Society for Human Resource Management

63. Behavioral Interviewing
 Behaviors and Traits defined
 Behaviors  Traits -
 Questions that net behaviors and questions
that net traits
 Open – Ended Questions

64. Let’s Get Real … Specific
 Ask about and document specific examples of what
the individual has done and the results achieved.
 Be wary of responses that contain little substance.
 Vague statements (fluff)
 Opinions
 Theoretical or future-oriented statements
 “would do,” ”would like to do,” “would have done”

65. Open Ended, Behavioral Questions
 Behavioral Interviewing: Goal is to elicit actual behaviors –
past efforts that relate to the job.
 Ask Open-Ended questions
 Begin with:
 Tell me about a time when you…
 Give me a specific example of a project in which you…
 Probe with:
 Tell me more about that example
 I’d like to hear more about that project
 Take notes, but give visual (nods) and verbal (ah) cues that
you are listening and want to hear more
 Be prepared to interrupt when the story goes off track

66. Behavioral Interviewing
 Truth-Test 1: 3 versions of the same
question
 Truth-Test 2: Candidate ownership of
responses
 Truth-Test 3: Ranking, rating and weighing

67. Successful Interviewer
 Bleed your company colors
 It’s not about you, it’s about the candidate
 It’s about the Questions
 Mirroring and Matching
 Open Ended Questions
 Questions that avail much
 Columbo techniques

68. Closing Skills
 Getting off the bunny trails
 Pre-closing techniques for candidate buy-in
 Locking down the dollars
 Pre-offer language, what to say and what not to
say

69. SELECTION
 Prepare to make a choice
 Contribute to the selection… and what it
costs if you don’t
 Speed-to-market demands

70. Initiate and maintain a Standardized
Selection Process that helps you:
•Establish legal, repeatable processes
•Screen, interview, assess, and HIRE

71. Legal and Repeatable
 Equal Opportunity
 Up Front with Candidates
 Eliminate Fast
 Follow your processes
 Train every person in the system
 Document all of your safe-guards, all of your QA

72. Legal Issues Related to Pre-Hiring
Background Checks
• If you decides not to hire a candidate because of a background report, you must give the
candidate a pre-adverse action disclosure that includes a copy of the report and a copy of their
rights.
• There is some information that cannot be disclosed under any circumstances. School records
are confidential and cannot be released without the consent of the student. Candidates must
pre-authorize a request to check their educational experience.
• You cannot screen out a candidate who has filed for bankruptcy, however, bankruptcies are a
public record.
• Laws vary by State on checking criminal history. Generally, you may ask about FELONY
CONVICTIONS within the past 10 years and verify this information through a criminal
background check.
• Employers cannot request medical records and may not make hiring decisions based on an
applicant's disability. You may only inquire about ability to perform a certain job. The same
holds true for Worker's Compensation.
• The military will disclose name, rank, salary, assignments and awards.
• Driving records are not confidential either and can be released without consent.

73. Speed to market demands
• Touch candidates 72 hours from application
• Phone Screen selected candidates ASAP
• Schedule F2F interviews with selected candidates within 5
business days of Phone Screen
• Schedule 2nd interview with selected candidates within 2
business days of 1st F2F.
• Conduct Reference checks immediately on all candidates
selected for 2nd interview (or, on all candidates given 1st
interview)

74. Screening
• Use your applicant tracking system – log all notes, fill in all
•
•
•
•
•
fields
Select matching candidates early and move them forward
fast
Conduct an initial phone screen with every matching
candidate, no matter how painful.
Gather the basics, but ask many open-ended questions
Let your candidate talk – it can be revealing
Remain legally compliant

75. Assessments
•Never assume the resume is accurate
•Check certifications, education and references
•Test every candidate on their technical skills
• Have technical staff develop your test, or use common tests on the web
such as BrainBench
• Do not ask candidates to do work for you – make tests relate to solutions
different, yet similar from your company’s solutions
•Sample sources of Technical Assessments on the Web
• Brainbench.com
• Proveit.com,
• International Knowledge Management (www.ikmnet.com),

76. Locking Down Candidates on Compensation
Locking Down Candidates on Compensation
Job
Requisition
Screening
•Compensation study run against market data and internal equity
•Determine Job Level / Grade, Incentive Eligibility (if any), and secure approval from Compensation
•Budget and ranges are agreed so that recruiter can negotiate with selected candidates
•Acquire precise information on current compensation and benefits
•Discuss candidate expectations for future compensation
•Assess whether candidate should be pursued further based on data
•After candidate sees company and understands the job, clarify compensation again… current and expected.
Interviews
Follow-up
Offer
•While interviews are ongoing with other candidates, continue to communicate with top candidates
•Ask top candidates about other opportunities they are pursuing and projected compensation with those other opportunities
•When near time to make offer, open a conversation about the offer you expect to extend (“float the offer”) to get candidate feedback
•Pre-negotiate salary (with no obligation on either side) and discuss details such as benefits, perks, hours
•HR authorized to make offer within pre-determined range – no additional approvals necessary.
•Extend the offer with the best terms possible according to pre-negotiating discussions.
•Leave room in offer to offer a little more on salary or benefits if needed.
•Close the candidate and secure a start date as soon as possible.

77. Pre-Selection Reference Checks

Please describe your professional relationship with the candidate

How long have you known the candidate?

What job did the candidate perform?

What can you tell me about the candidate’s knowledge and performance in this
position?

In your opinion, what are the candidate’s three most important strengths?
1.
2.
3.

What were the candidate’s key achievements while reporting working with
you?

What would be an area you feel the candidate could improve and develop for
future career growth? (weaknesses)

Would you like to add anything else?

If an appropriate position were available within your organization, would you
recommend the candidate for hire or re-hire?
77

78. Pre-Hiring Checks and Balances
If you do:
 Background Checks
 Drug Tests
 Credit Checks
Resources Available:
 www.skillsurvey.com
 www.hireright.com
 www.choicepoint.com
 www.hire-safe.com
 www.infocheckusa.com
It Must Be:
 Post-Offer
 Bona Fide Need
 Candidate
Authorized
Timeline
 Candidate authorizes on application
 Submit for checks within 24 hours of offer
 Demand your provider provide results
within 3 business days, or switch

79. Selection
• Move fast
• Prepare to make a choice
• Interviewers present immediate feedback – it is the most reliable
and actionable information.
• Either the recruiter or the Hiring Manager must gather feedback
from each interviewer immediately, document and log that
feedback and compare it to previous feedback
• Have the offer letter drafted and ready to execute for every 2nd
interview

80. Chart essential Metrics
•To gain valuable candidate feedback
•For ongoing analysis/process improvement
•And discover trends that help/hurt your
efforts

81. Metrics for Success
 Vacancy Rates as a percentage of totals
 Annualized Voluntary Turn-over
 Voluntary Turn-over as a percentage of total
 Average tenure for voluntary turn-overs
 Requisitions Closed per Month
 Internal Transfers
 Cycle Times for Recruiter Review, Background checks and
Manager Review
 Total Cycle Time for Hiring
 Total Cost per Hire

82.  Success with Key or Critical Positions vs. All Positions
 To be defined as a “key” or “critical” position, the requisition
should provide a “yes” answer to at least 3 out of the
following 5 questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Does this position report to a President, VP or Director?
Does this position have more than 10 direct reports?
Will this position be working on a mission-critical product, event or
service?
Will this position directly impact the bottom-line P&L of the company?
Does this position require skills that are in high demand in the target
market-place?

83.  “Quality” of hire
 Measured by a questionnaire sent to the hiring manager 30
- 60 days after the start date.
 The questionnaire will ask the HM to quantify his/her
satisfaction with the skills, experience, fit and potential of
the candidate hired, in comparison to other candidates
considered in the process.
 HM Process Satisfaction
 using the questionnaire referenced above, we will ask the HM to
quantify his/her satisfaction with the recruiting process, and solicit
comments for future improvements.

84.  Diversity of hire
 Determined by each region’s diversity goals
 Usually reflected as the degree to which the hired candidate
differs from the gender and ethnic make-up of the region in
which they have been placed.
 Can also be a simple Y or N… Is this a Diverse Hire?

85.  Over/Under Salary:
 We will calculate a direct dollar figure for how much the
hiring salary was under or over the target salary on the
requisition.
 This measurement will tell us
 how effective we are in identifying the right talent at the right cost,
 how effective we were in setting expectations for the level of talent
we needed for the position, and
 how effective we are in determining the market pricing on a role.

86.  Offer to Acceptance Ratio:
 We can also track the number of counter offers or rounds of
negotiating we have to complete before securing
acceptance of a target candidate
 The goal is typically 1:1 on each req.
 The closer to 1:1 we are, the better we’ve done in answering
all questions during the process and making a direct match
between what the job can offer and what the candidate
requires.

87.  Do we know our Headcount Needs for 2014, 15, 16?
 Do we know the talents / skills we will need going
FORWARD…?
 How can we begin now to answer these questions and
start cultivating internally and pipelining externally, that
talent?