Recruiting

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CHAPTER 3 Recruitment Sources

“I need a customer service rep—fast!” “I’m losing my public relations manager—do you know anyone who can replace her?” “The employment agency I’ve been using keeps sending me unqualified applicants; they just don’t seem to get what I’m looking for!” “We’re getting a ton of resumes in response to our ad for a warehouse supervisor, but no one is qualified!” “Our website is outdated; I’m still getting resumes for a job we filled two weeks ago!” “Our top competitor lost their best technical specialist the same time we did and they hired a dynamite replacement a week later; we still can’t find anyone. What are we doing wrong?” “The labor pool keeps changing and I can’t keep up—are we in an economic upswing or downswing this week? Are we in charge or are the employees? Help!”

Can you relate to any of these phrases? You’re not alone if you can; these are common cries heard these days throughout businesses nationwide. Filling a vacancy or a newly created position poses numerous challenges, but it all comes down to this: Where can you find qualified applicants in the least amount of time for the least amount of money?

Some organizations ignore the multitude of options available and use the same source each time. While this may produce a pool of qualified applicants from which to choose, repeatedly using the same recruitment sources can make you susceptible to charges of systemic discrimination: the denial of equal employment opportunity through an established business practice, such as recruitment. Even though the discrimination may be inadvertent, the disparate effect it produces may develop into a prime area of vulnerability for employers. Relying on the same recruitment source each time a particular position becomes available could have an adverse impact on members of certain protected groups lacking the same access as others to that source. This, in turn, could translate into the inadvertent but no less illegal denial of equal employment opportunity.

Electronic recruitment will be reserved for separate discussion in Chapter 4.

Prerecruitment Considerations

Consider four factors before embarking on a recruitment campaign: how much money is available, how quickly the opening must be filled, whether you need to reach a wide audience, and the exemption level of the available position.

Recruitment Budget

The amount of money allocated for recruitment can greatly affect your options. For example, display ads and search firms can cost several thousands of dollars with no guarantee of attracting a substantial number of qualified applicants. On the other hand, some of the most effective recruitment sources, such as employee referrals, cost very little.

Quick Results Recruitment Sources

Openings can occur suddenly and unexpectedly, usually when employees decide to leave with Arthur, Diane. Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting and Orienting New Employees, AMACOM, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/capella/detail.action?docID=931154. Created from capella on 2019-09-30 19:21:09.

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little or no notice. Being prepared is your best defense. Begin by ensuring that your employee data bank is up to date; this way you can turn to existing staff as an immediate resource, even if it’s an interim replacement until you’ve hired someone permanently. In addition, have an employee referral program in place. Launch it as soon as you know there’s an opening, spreading the word to as many employees as possible. Focus, too, on recruitment sources most likely to yield immediate results, such as applicants who were previously interviewed and assessed. You might do well to turn to your preemployment training pool, if you have one, or consider hiring contingency workers as a stopgap measure.

Broad-Based Recruiting

Some positions are highly specialized and more difficult to fill. To improve the chances of a job match, reach out to as many applicants as possible. Employment agencies and search firms may be helpful in this instance, although they tend to recommend nearly everyone when the requirements are broad. Ads in newspapers and journals can be effective also. Consider advertising in out-of-town publications for hard-to-fill openings, and be prepared to accommodate the travel needs of viable applicants.

Exemption Status

The Fair Labor Standards Act defines exempt employees as workers who are legally precluded from receiving overtime compensation; that is, employers do not have to pay professionals for overtime. The term nonexempt literally means not excused from overtime compensation, or, stated another way, entitled to receive overtime pay. The distinction is significant in that recruitment sources that produce qualified exempt or professional applicants may not work as well for nonexempt applicants. For example, direct mail recruitment, search firms, campus recruiting, job fairs, research firms, and professional associations could produce qualified exempt applicants, whereas high school guidance counselors, government agencies, advertising in the classified section of newspapers, and employment agencies are more likely to yield a choice group of nonexempt applicants.

Of the factors indicated—cost, immediacy, audience, and level—a specific recruitment source may meet some criteria but not others. Employers are advised to explore the ramifications of using each resource in relation to these four factors, deciding which are most important for a given job opening.

Newspaper ads provide a prime example. They are expensive but are more likely to yield immediate results. If they appear in the most likely to be read section of an appropriate paper on the right day of the week at the right time of year and contain the necessary text, newspaper ads will reach a wide audience at the level you’re trying to reach.

Proactive and Reactive Recruitment

After examining the four prerecruitment criteria, consider how aggressive you need to be to fill a particular opening. If immediacy is a primary factor, search out proactive recruitment sources that will make a concerted effort to find employees. Proactive recruitment requires direct involvement on the part of the recruiter. It’s the reverse of reactive recruitment where you wait for applicants to apply, hoping that the best fit is among them.

Arthur, Diane. Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting and Orienting New Employees, AMACOM, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/capella/detail.action?docID=931154. Created from capella on 2019-09-30 19:21:09.

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Some recruitment sources are inherently reactive, by their very nature prohibiting recruiters from aggressively pursuing applicants. Consider one of the most popular recruitment sources, employee referrals. HR provides employees with the job description and a list of requirements and waits to see who among their friends, family, and acquaintances is interested. The onus for referring applicants is on the employees. This is cost-effective and an employee morale booster since employees making referrals resulting in placement are usually rewarded, and it could work if time is not a factor. For example, perhaps you have an employee who wants to retire but is willing to wait until a replacement is found, or maybe a department head is thinking about creating a new position but doesn’t need to fill it immediately. More often than not, however, time is crucial. When an employee resigns, you usually need to move fast, and that means being proactive.

Proactive recruiters start looking for a replacement as soon as they learn of an opening. They expand their recruitment pool to encompass other than traditional recruiting sources and aggressively go after applicants. When you’re in control of who’s being targeted, you’re more likely to find qualified applicants and choose the one who makes the best fit. With direct mail recruiting, for example, employers contact specific applicants known to have certain skills and knowledge. While the response rate is usually low, around 2 percent, at least you know that those responding are viable options.

Another example of proactive recruitment is preemployment training that provides a supplemental workforce of people who have been recruited through conventional means and trained in job- and industry-specific matters. They are then placed in a standby pool. When there’s an opening, employers can turn to this supplemental workforce and select a suitable applicant. While there’s no guarantee that the person who would make the best fit will remain in the pool waiting to be offered a job, the odds are in your favor during times of high unemployment and if you provide the person with an incentive.

Professional associations and inter-HR networking can also provide employers with an opportunity to proactively recruit. Direct contact with potential employees or communication with others in your field can often put you in touch with qualified applicants.

Special Interest Groups

Taking a shotgun approach to recruitment in terms of who will be drawn in by whatever source you’re using may result in a qualified applicant pool, but certain special interest groups may need to be targeted directly in order to minimize inadvertent violations of certain equal employment opportunity laws. This approach is also likely to produce a more diverse pool of applicants, thereby potentially enhancing productivity and profitability and increasing your global appeal.

Begin targeting special interest groups by developing a keener insight into the characteristics of the generations as identified in Chapter 2. Then consider those recruitment sources most likely to appeal to members of the following select employment groups:

Older Workers

Many Mature and Baby Boomer workers who are eligible for retirement are instead opting to stay actively employed. Some seek part-time jobs to supplement Social Security and other

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sources of income, while others compete for positions with the same verve and energy as applicants who are considerably younger because their identities are so closely connected with their work. Still others need to continue working full-time because they can’t afford not to.

Because older workers are statistically shown to be more likely to come aboard with a strong work ethic, are more reliable and loyal, have higher retention rates, and bring with them invaluable experience, employers are wise to seek them out for hire. The only reported possible disadvantage to hiring members of the Mature and Baby Boomer generations is their failure to keep up with technology, but that is becoming less and less of a factor as our lives become increasingly electronically connected.

Employers can take a proactive approach to hiring older workers by using these and other similar recruitment sources:

• Advertise in sections other than the classified, i.e., television or sports sections, to reach older adults who are not actively looking.

• Advertise on radio and television shows that have demographics of Mature-and Baby Boomer–aged listeners and viewers.

• Approach senior citizen community centers. • Ensure that your marketing materials show older people, both as employees and as recipients of your products or services, and distribute these materials in locations frequented by older workers.

• Participate in open houses and career fairs sponsored by organizations such as American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the Veterans Administration (VA).

• Partner with professional organizations that attract older workers. • Rehire retirees who have industry-specific experience. • Sponsor open houses and second-career fairs specifically for older adults. • Try Forty Plus, a nonprofit organization that offers support to executives and professionals seeking jobs.

• Turn to company-sponsored alumni groups. • Use language in job ads that encourages older workers.

Youth

It’s challenging to write about nonelectronic recruiting sources for Millennials since they are so intrinsically linked with web-based recruiting sources. Still, there are other ways to recruit young workers:

• Approach businesses that are known for hiring seasonal help and ask about their top former workers.

• Conduct job fairs that identify benefits and perks likely to appeal to young workers. • Work with colleges and set up on-campus recruitment drives.

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• Contact various branches of the armed services since some young people opt for the military as an alternative to college.

• Find out where Millennials like to hang out, e.g., local coffee shops and bars, and distribute company-related literature there.

• Encourage young employees working for you to refer their friends. • Ensure that your marketing materials show young people, both as employees and as recipients of your products or services.

• Look to businesses—including your own—that offer internships, and consider recent participants.

• Prepare company brochures that emphasize new technology, training, and promotional opportunities as well as geographic alternatives.

Women

There are a number of recruitment sources that specialize in placing women. Some are generic, several are linked to certain professions, and others reflect women of specific ethnicities:

• Association for Women in Mathematics • Association for Women in Science • Black, Indian, Hispanic and Women in Action • Business and Professional Women, Inc. • National Association of Professional Asian American Women • National Coalition of 100 Black Women • National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science • National Organization for Women (NOW) • National Women in Management, Inc. • Society of Women Engineers • Women Employed • Women in Science and Engineering • Women in Technology International

Recruiters seeking to increase the number of women in their workforce can also share job openings with pediatricians’ offices and schools. Many women will also be drawn to employers offering not only the usual benefits but on-site or off-site child care and flexible hours.

Minorities

The term minority as used here is intended to encompass a broad spectrum of ethnic groups including, but not limited to, African Americans, Hispanics (e.g., Puerto Ricans, Cuban and Mexican Americans, and people originally from more than twenty additional Central and South

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American nations and Spain), Asian Americans (e.g., Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino Americans), and Native Americans. Many will be drawn to employers offering not only the usual growth opportunities and benefits, but also a multicultural or diverse environment. As with women, there are numerous organizations that specialize in placing minorities. Some are broad-based, while others specialize according to occupation and/or ethnicity:

• American Association of Blacks in Energy • American Coalition of Filipino Veterans • American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) • American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) • Asian American Leadership Empowerment and Development (LEAD) • Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE) • National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) • National Association of Asian-American Professionals • National Black MBA Association

Applicants with Disabilities

People with disabilities are considered the single most underutilized labor resource. One of the primary reasons has to do with how we perceive them. Many of us are locked into an image of someone in a wheelchair. In reality, the term disabled encompasses a broad spectrum of impairments. Categories include visual, hearing, and speech impairments; heart disease; developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy; mental illness; acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–positive status; and limitations resulting from accidents. Experts say that each of us has a 20 percent chance of developing a disability during our working lives.

Another reason commonly cited for failing to actively pursue applicants with disabilities is cost. Laws stipulate that employers must make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities, unless such accommodation results in undue hardship. In determining whether a given accommodation would result in undue financial hardship, the law assesses the overall size of an organization, the nature of its business, and the type of the required accommodation.

Recruiting people with disabilities requires a proactive approach, beginning with establishing relationships with agencies that represent or train people with disabilities before openings occur. Here are some specific resources that may be helpful:

• Disabled American Veterans • Kennedy Institute—Support Employment Program • Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) • National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) • National Federation of the Blind • National Organization on Disability

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• Operation Job Match • President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities • Technical Vocational Institute—Special Services • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services • U.S. Department of Labor—Office of Disability Employment Policy

The Unemployed

Being laid off, downsized, or excessed no longer has the stigma attached to it that it once had. The economy is in turmoil as an increased number of businesses buy one another out, merge, dissolve, or consolidate, making all employees vulnerable.

Recruiters are starting to view this group of workers as a viable recruitment source. By partnering with similar businesses that are undergoing major reorganizations, a growing number of employers are creating win-win scenarios: downsized workers find new employment, and recruiters fill their openings with experienced people ready to hit the ground running.

Recruiting unemployed applicants requires proactive thinking. Businesses need to establish ties with companies with similar employee pools well before there are signs of trouble, agreeing on how a shift in employers could take place. Having a formal transition program in place at both locations is ideal, complete with counseling services made available to displaced workers.

Interns

Interns are often viewed as contingency or temporary workers, retained for a limited period of time or for specific assignments instead of as members of a special interest group eventually available for full-time hire. If you’re inclined to see interns this way, you could be robbing your organization of valuable future talent. Hiring former interns has many advantages. They know your organization and what’s expected of them; you, in turn, are familiar with their style of work, strengths and areas requiring improvement, work ethics, and interpersonal skills. One could say that you’ve had a chance to try one another out before making a commitment. The primary disadvantage of hiring interns is time. Interns are often students who work for businesses during the summer, performing tasks that relate to their major course of study. If they first come to you as freshmen or sophomores, you’ll have to be patient and wait two or more years until they graduate before you can bring them on board as full-time employees. The wait, however, may be worth it.

Former Employees

Employers used to adhere to strict “no rehire” policies, but in an erratic economy former employees are rapidly becoming a viable recruitment source as employers increasingly contact former employees, striving to convert former employees into new hires.

In some instances, rehires are brought in at a higher level or as in-house consultants, earning more salary and benefits than they did the first time around. This can send a negative message to a company’s current workforce—that the best way to get ahead in an organization

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is to leave it and then come back. If your organization wants to recruit former employees for rehire, carefully review their

work history before making contact. Delve deeply into reasons for termination: Was it voluntary or forced? Look at their past performance reviews, identifying any problem areas, and talk with their former supervisors to review their skill sets. Also, explore what they’ve been doing since leaving your company.

Traditional Recruitment Sources

Traditional recruitment sources are methods for finding employees that are easily recognized, conventional in nature, acceptable to most types of organizations, and appropriate for filling a wide range of positions. Before embarking on a traditional recruitment campaign, remember to consider the four factors discussed earlier in this chapter: how much money is available, how quickly the opening must be filled, whether a wide audience must be reached, and the exemption level of the available position. In addition, carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each source before proceeding.

Here are some of the most commonly used traditional recruitment sources. Exhibit 3-1 provides key advantages and disadvantages for each source.

Advertising

Advertising, whether in newspapers or professional publications, remains one of the most popular and effective nonelectronic means for soliciting applications. Careful planning of content, timing, and location is likely to generate a large targeted response, often resulting in hiring.

To increase your chances of finding top-notch applicants through advertising, apply these ad placement strategies:

• Capture the job hunter’s attention through the location of the ad, an appropriate job title, graphics, use of white space, and the placement of a logo.

• Provide just enough information to pique the job hunter’s interest so that the job hunter establishes a connection between your needs and her skills.

• Design your ad to be the last one a job hunter wants to read, using language that creates an image of how great employment with your company would be.

Be sure the language in your ads doesn’t violate equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws and regulations. Such language would include an age preference using terminology such as young man or mature woman; using certain other subjective terms, such as attractive; or stating a preference for either gender. With regard to the latter, it is important to note that masculine or feminine terms do not automatically constitute an EEO violation. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a policy statement regarding sex- referent language in employment advertising, noting that terms such as patrolman or meter maid have become “colloquial ways of denoting particular jobs rather than the sex of the individuals who perform those jobs.” The statement continues with “the use of sex-referent

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language in employment opportunity advertisements and other recruitment practices is suspect but is not a per se violation of Title VII.” (Title VII is part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.) The EEOC goes on to urge employers to clearly indicate their intent to consider applicants of both genders whenever sex-referent language is used. Including a statement confirming nondiscriminatory intent such as “equal employment opportunity employer, male/female” is recommended.

Campus Recruiting

Students are generally attracted to companies that enjoy a good reputation, are successful, will look impressive on their resumes, have shown a past interest in their school, and keep up with technological change. To gain students’ attention, many employers are replacing traditional company recruitment brochures with technological tools that go beyond providing the standard company history, products, services, customers, work environment, culture, and answers to typical questions. Students today are looking for information telling them what life is like in the company, how people treat one another, and if the company has received any bad publicity recently. This offers students a comprehensive sense of what working for the company would be like.

Exhibit 3-1. Key Advantages and Disadvantages for Traditional Recruitment Sources

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Some organizations are conducting online, interactive chat sessions, or webinars, with students who are majoring in subjects that are of particular interest to the hiring company. Others are posting videos on the web with content that specifically targets Millennials, including career opportunities. This approach allows businesses to reach out to students without leaving their offices; it also lets students know that they are technologically savvy.

Professor programs are another method of school recruitment. Professors identify students who are high-potential applicants and take information about a company back to their students after meeting with management and observing employees at work. A variation of the professor program is when company executives teach courses at selected schools, giving them direct access to students with demonstrated potential.

Many businesses limit themselves to a handful of target schools, developing relationships with them and identifying future employees as early as a student’s sophomore year. These target schools are generally selected based on the quality of their academic programs, the school’s reputation, and the diversity of the student population.

Employers unable to compete for top students from prestigious colleges are urged to recruit from lesser-known schools that may be just as strong in academics and programs. For many jobs, even at a managerial level, a person’s educational credentials may take a back seat to other skills and job-related knowledge not necessarily acquired through formal education.

Contingency Workers

Contingency workers are those who put in less than a full forty-hour week without comprehensive benefits, carrying portable skills from job to job. Their work is literally contingent, or dependent, on an employer’s need for them. Most hold one or two assignments within a six-month period. Contingency assignments are available in virtually every field and

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profession. Part-timers, temps, freelancers, contract employees, and consultants all fall under the “contingency” umbrella.

People accept contingency jobs for a variety of reasons. Teachers during school vacations, peripheral workers such as retirees who no longer want to work full-time, those having child care or elder care responsibilities, college students, and displaced workers may seek contingency assignments for additional income. Others look to contingency work as a path to long-term employment. Some take temporary assignments to improve skills or gain exposure to a particular work environment. Many enjoy the flexible work schedules that can accompany contingency assignments. Still others accept contingency work as a stopgap between full-time jobs.

Companies generally hire contingency workers when they’re pressed to fill an opening in a hurry or to provide a service for a specified period of time.

Increasingly, the courts are examining the relationship between companies and their contingent workers. Enforcement Guidance: Application of EEO Laws to Contingent Workers Placed by Temporary Employment Agencies and Other Staffing Firms, prepared by the EEOC, helps employers address the application of federal employment antidiscrimination statutes to individuals placed in job assignments on a contingent basis. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is also interested in your relationship with contingency workers. Employers are urged to review the IRS’s “twenty-factor test” to determine if individuals are properly classified as contingency workers.

Direct Mail

Companies use direct mail campaigns to target specific individuals. The first step is determining whom to contact. Since the expected response rate is low—between 0.5 and 2 percent—you will need several different mailing lists. List information may be obtained through professional associations, business directories, and trade groups. Direct Mail List Rates and Data, published by Standard Rate and Data Service, Inc., can offer additional assistance. You may also opt to hire the services of direct mail specialists or consultants to help plan and implement your mail campaign. Obtain a copy of the Mailer’s Guide from the local post office for guidance on most efficiently sending your materials.

Your letter should contain a clear, brief, easy-to-read message. The first sentence should inform the reader of your purpose and interest. Include information about the requirements of the job, its duties and responsibilities, and its benefits. Try to anticipate any relevant questions an applicant might ask and provide brief answers. Also, ask for a referral. In the event your initial prospect is not interested in the position, she may know of someone who is.

Employee Referrals

One of the most expeditious, cost-effective, and morale-boosting recruitment sources is a company’s own employee referral program. This method entails “spreading the word” as soon as a position becomes available. The manager in charge of the department with the opening tells her employees to tell people they know who might be interested in applying. Employees, especially those proven to be valuable and reliable human resources, can often lead their company to prime applicants.

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To maximize the effectiveness of this method, employers offer incentives of varying worth to employees who refer individuals who are ultimately hired and complete a predetermined period of employment with a satisfactory performance evaluation. These are usually cash awards, ranging from one hundred dollars for nonexempt hires to several thousand dollars for top-level executives. In addition to cash bonuses, some employers offer savings bonds, gift certificates, and merchandise. For especially hard-to-fill openings, employers have been known to grant trips and cars.

Employee referral programs generally translate into a win-win for all concerned: Employees respond favorably to the incentives, and employers spend considerably less than they would for other recruitment sources such as advertising or employment services. Just avoid using employee referrals exclusively so as not be accused of systemic discrimination.

Employment Services

Employment services include agencies and search firms. Agencies generally recruit for nonexempt and some exempt jobs, while search firms typically handle professional openings with a minimum salary figure.

There are two primary reasons employment services are so popular with employers. First, these services have access to a large labor pool and can readily scout the market for qualified applicants. This includes seeking out applicants who are seemingly content with their current jobs. Second, they often fill positions more quickly than a company can on its own.

The most significant reason for not retaining an employment service is the cost. Before agreeing to register an opening with either an employment agency or a search firm,

consider these five guidelines:

1. Be certain that the service will evaluate applicants and refer only those who meet the standards you’ve stipulated. Too often, agencies merely forward resumes to a client without first screening the applicant.

2. Be firm about the job’s requirements and refuse to consider anyone who doesn’t meet them. Forward a copy of the job description to avoid misunderstandings.

3. Require a written agreement detailing the fee arrangement. Some search firms will refund a percentage of the fee if employees placed because of their efforts are terminated within the first three to six months of work.

4. Be selective in determining which employment services will receive your business. Meet with and interview representatives in advance to make certain that they clearly understand your objectives. Establish their degree of knowledge in the specific field for which they will be recruiting, and make certain you feel comfortable working with them. Ask for information regarding their methodology, experience, and track record. Don’t hesitate to ask for references to gauge their reputation in the field. Also be sure that the person you meet is the one handling your account.

5. Be clear in stating, in writing, that you are an equal opportunity employer and share information about your organization’s affirmative action and diversity programs. Clearly stipulate that you expect them to comply fully with all employment laws (they are bound by

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Title VII) and that you will terminate your relationship if they should violate these laws. Once you have decided to work with a particular employment service, encourage their

representatives to learn as much as possible about both your organization and job openings. The more information they have, the better able they will be to meet your needs effectively and expeditiously.

With thousands of placement agencies and firms in the United States, an employer can afford to be selective when choosing the one that best meets its needs.

Former Applicants

Previously rejected applicants could become excellent future employees. There are often several qualified applicants for one opening; choosing one does not necessarily mean all the others are unqualified. If a similar position opens up, checking back with them could lead to hiring with little effort on your part.

A simple database can help you log and keep track of all applications received. Retrieve applicants according to the job for which they originally applied, areas of expertise, relevant education, and areas of interest.

Upon contacting former applicants, be sure to update their records. What have they done since applying to your company? Have they added to their skill set? Do they have additional, applicable educational credentials? Whom can you contact for an update on their work? A new round of interviews will be necessary, even if you were part of the initial interviewing process.

Consider being proactive by keeping in touch with viable former applicants even when you don’t have suitable openings. Periodically follow up with them so that when a suitable opening comes along, you don’t have to take the time to reestablish contact and update your records.

Government Agencies

Government agencies are valuable recruitment sources for entry-level and other nonexempt openings. Many organizations, like welfare-to-work agencies and local nonprofits such as those serving individuals with disabilities, provide basic life skills and job training to their clients. In addition, they may offer English as a second language (ESL) training and help those who have not graduated from high school to acquire their general education development (GED) certification. Some nonprofit agencies also provide short-term mentors to new workers to help them as they settle into their jobs with your company.

There is usually no cost to employers for any of these services. In fact, businesses may be entitled to additional savings. If, for instance, a company hires someone transitioning from welfare to work, they could save in federal income tax per employee. Contact the IRS for qualifying conditions and required forms.

An additional benefit to recruiting via government agencies is that clients are usually unemployed and therefore eligible to begin work immediately.

Job Fairs

Job fairs allow recruiters to interview several applicants in a short period, usually one or two days. Businesses typically hold their own job fairs, either on company premises or at various

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geographic locations. Some recruiters prefer to attend specialized job fairs, such as those targeting applicants in specialized fields such as engineering, or focusing on placing members of specific groups, like women, minorities, or people with disabilities.

Whether conducting their own job fair or attending someone else’s, recruiters typically conduct a series of brief interviews during the fair so they can maximize the number of applicants they see. Once they’ve established mutual interest, arrangements are made for applicants to come to their place of business for in-depth interviews.

If all goes well, you may hire several people for what it would cost to hire one employee using an employment service.

Job Posting

Job posting is an internal recruitment process whereby existing staff members can apply for openings before recruiters explore outside sources. Employees are provided with a succinct job description identifying the job’s department, location, exemption status, salary grade and range, work schedule, requirements, primary duties and responsibilities, and working conditions. A closing date by which time all applications must be submitted is also provided. The standard deadline is generally from one to two weeks. Some employers require interested employees to receive permission from their existing managers before applying; others request notification, and still others respect the confidentiality of the process until a decision has been reached. A sample job posting form appears in Appendix A, and a sample job posting application form is shown in Appendix B.

Employees who apply for jobs via job posting are considered in the same way as any outside applicant. If a qualified applicant is found, arrangements for a starting date in the new position are made between the existing department head, human resources, and the new department head. Two weeks is usually allowed for finding a replacement to fill the position being vacated.

Some organizations have a policy of posting all openings; others post only nonexempt positions. Some steer clear of job posting altogether. Reasons offered for this include the following:

• Managers may want to promote someone they’ve been grooming, and thus don’t want to consider anyone else.

• Managers may resent employees who apply for jobs outside their department, tending to take such a move personally.

• Losing an employee to job posting may mean waiting a long time for a replacement who may not be as qualified.

• Some companies prefer to bring in “new blood” rather than recycling existing employees.

Promoting or transferring employees from within offers several advantages:

• It usually creates an opening at a lower, easier-to-fill level. Arthur, Diane. Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting and Orienting New Employees, AMACOM, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/capella/detail.action?docID=931154. Created from capella on 2019-09-30 19:21:09.

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• The company saves considerable time and money by transferring someone already familiar with the organizational structure and methodology.

• The process boosts employee morale. • Hidden talent may be uncovered.

The success of a job-posting system depends largely on how well it is designed and monitored. Consider stipulating the following as conditions: (1) employees must be with a company for at least one year; (2) they must be in their current position for at least six months; (3) the maximum number of jobs for which they may apply within one year is three; (4) they must have received a rating of satisfactory or better on their most recent performance review. These guidelines may mitigate the problem of the “revolving door” employee who opts to apply for virtually every job posted.

Military Outplacement

While lacking in general business skills, former military personnel often come with hands-on experience in a variety of tasks, tend to have a strong work ethic, and understand organizational structure. They also have a background of providing support, both up and down the chain of command, and prior training in teaming as well as managing. In addition, the physical fitness requirements of military service tend to transform veterans into healthy employees. This can mean reduced costs for health care claims and fewer workdays lost to illness.

According to the 1991 Defense Authorization Act, the office of the secretary of defense must provide employment assistance to separating military service personnel. Originally dubbed the Defense Outplacement Referral System (DORS), the program is now known as Job Search and is linked with America’s Job Bank. Job Search offers a no-cost referral program for companies registering at http://dod.jobsearch.org/register.

There are several other programs that can facilitate your company’s publication of job openings and recruitment from the ranks, including the Retired Officers Association, the Army Career and Alumni Program, the Non-Commissioned Officers’ Association, and Transition Assistance Online.

Networking

Consider this scenario: Tess works for a public relations firm and is having trouble finding an entry-level assistant who fits in with her corporate culture. She attends a PR association meeting and mentions her plight to Tony, a colleague from another firm. Tony comments that he recently received a resume from Rob, a friend of his son’s, who is about to graduate from college and wants to work in PR. Tony forwards Rob’s resume to Tess, who calls him in for an interview and ultimately hires him.

This cost-effective expanded form of networking is an example of how recruiters would do well to broaden their scope of contact. Talk to people all the time and tell them what you’re looking for in the way of skills and traits. Get the message out there, because you just never know.

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http://dod.jobsearch.org/register

Open Houses

Organizations hosting an open house generally run ads in numerous geographic locations, as well as post notices on their company websites. These ads announce a recruitment drive for specific dates at varying sites. Unless the company is well-known, a description of the company’s product and reputation are included, along with highlights of its benefit package. All available jobs are listed as well. On the advertised date, company recruiters gather to greet and interview interested applicants. As with job fairs, recruiters want to maximize the number of applicants they see during their open house event; therefore, arrangements are made for in-depth interviews with qualified applicants at a later time.

Outplacement Firms

Companies generally retain outplacement firms to help select employees find new jobs following termination because of workforce reductions or other factors unrelated to job performance. In addition to serving as an effective source for those seeking guidance in finding new employment, outplacement firms can also assist employers who, while cutting back on staff in some departments, may need to hire in others. Most of these firms are staffed with generalists who do not specialize in placing people in particular occupations or fields. Therefore, they may know of a number of applicants meeting a variety of job specifications. In addition, the immediate availability of job seekers referred by outplacement firms can be a big plus.

One disadvantage of interviewing outplacement firm referrals is that these applicants may not provide a clear overview of their intangible qualities. The traumatic experience of losing a job and the stress of having to market oneself, added to the pressure of finding new employment, can greatly impact an applicant’s self-image. This in turn can affect how prospective employers perceive the applicant.

Professional Associations

Joining a professional association gives you an opportunity to network with colleagues from other organizations. For HR specialists this can mean exchanging information about the market in general and specific job openings in particular. If you have either interviewed or reviewed the resume of some viable applicants, you can share this information with your professional colleagues, assuming you have the applicants’ permission to do so. Hopefully, your colleagues will do the same for you. This cost-effective, effortless exchange could result in new hires.

A variation on this technique is to join professional associations in those fields related to your recruitment responsibilities. The associations’ membership directory, mailing list, placement service, and publications could provide the names of your company’s future employees.

Radio and Television

There are two main advantages to using radio or television advertising to fill an opening. First, you will appeal to a large audience in a short period of time. Second, you can reach and tempt prospects not actually looking for a job. This can be a real plus when you have hard-to-fill positions.

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In the past, employers have tended to shy away from radio and television advertising primarily because of the cost. But while still ranked among the more expensive recruitment sources, the media, especially radio, has become more financially accessible. The growth of independent radio stations and cable television has created greater opportunities for employers with limited budgets.

Proponents of radio advertising emphasize that radio often reaches people when “their guard is down,” that is, when they are not necessarily thinking about job hunting. For example, they may have the radio on while getting ready for work in the morning or sitting in traffic, commuting to and from their jobs. Companies looking for applicants in particular fields should research what music, talk shows, news, or sports these individuals are likely to prefer and run ads on those stations.

Television advertising receives high marks from supporters because aspects of the job can be demonstrated as well as described. Done well, this can encourage job seekers to respond.

Research Firms

Research firms may be described as abbreviated full-service executive search firms, providing about one-half the services. Their primary function is to provide organizations with information about potential high-level professional employees; the interview and evaluation is then up to the employer.

After determining the specifications of an available position, research firms target those companies likely to have employees meeting the job requirements. They then go on to identify specific potentially qualified employees, relating this information to the client company. Contacting well-established persons within a given industry to request personal recommendations of potential employees is a variation on this procedure.

At this point, most research firms terminate their services, although the client company may ask the firm to make the initial contact with the targeted applicants. The purpose of this phase is to clarify qualifications and to determine mutual interest.

Research firms are most useful when a company is looking for a cost-effective way to recruit top-level professionals or when they want more hands-on involvement in the interviewing process.

When evaluating the services of a research firm, consider whether the company services a wide range of industries or specializes in one particular field. Also determine its success rate and reputation. Ask for references from satisfied clients to determine the extent to which the research firm provided client companies with applicants whose qualifications reflected the job’s specifications. In addition, find out how long it took for a firm to produce the applicants and how many job offers were extended to applicants as a result of the research firm’s efforts.

Innovative Recruitment Sources

Innovative recruitment sources are less conventional than traditional sources. Some may be considered quirky or unusual, appealing only to certain work environments during specific market conditions, while others are gradually making their way over to the traditional side of the ledger. Often they’re used when traditional recruitment sources don’t yield the results needed in terms of quality applicants or timelines. As with traditional sources, it’s advisable

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to review the four prerecruitment factors discussed earlier: how much money is available, how quickly the opening must be filled, whether a wide audience must be reached, and the exemption level of the available position. Following are some of the more popular innovative recruitment sources. Exhibit 3-2 offers key advantages and disadvantages for each source.

Airplane Banners

Imagine a picturesque summer day; you’re at the beach, enjoying the sun and surf. The furthest thing from your mind is work, current or future. Then you hear the sound of an engine; you follow the sound upward and see a banner lazily trailing behind a plane, advertising jobs.

The scene could just as easily be a sporting event or a concert, anywhere where tens of thousands of would-be employees might congregate. Contact companies like AdsThatFly.com, Airsign.com, and Heli-Banner (http://www.aerial-media.com/heli-banners) about flying your ads.

While airplane banners certainly are attention-getters, many object to them as being intrusive and unprofessional.

Banners and Signs

Your business can use banners and signs as successful recruitment tools if it occupies a separate building that’s located on a main street. Drape a banner across the front of your building or post a sign inviting customers, clients, and passers-by to stop in to inquire about employment opportunities. The banner or sign can simply state that there are jobs available, or it can list the openings, which would require you to prepare a new banner or sign each time a different job is added. Unless your business has brand-name recognition, identify your product or service in a few words. Be sure to specify how interested applicants should contact you.

Exhibit 3-2. Key Advantages and Disadvantages for Innovative Recruitment Sources

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http://www.aerial-media.com/heli-banners

Banners and signs are real “you never know” recruitment sources. The investment is minimal and the payoff could be substantial. On the other hand, they can look carnival-like, leaving would-be employees to wonder if they should take such come-ons seriously.

Billboard Advertising

Since most people view billboards while driving, they’re limited in the amount of time they have to take in details. As such, an effective billboard ad needs to catch one’s eye immediately, offering a minimal amount of information. This usually limits a company to a sparsely worded statement about employment opportunities, an enlarged logo, company name, and contact information in an easy-to-recall format.

Billboard ads seem to work most effectively for lodging, restaurants, and airlines, and they generally target nonexempt-level workers.

Bumper Stickers

Bumper sticker ads offer little space for your message and there isn’t much one can do to make the stickers visually outstanding. Also, unless someone is stuck in traffic directly behind a car sporting a bumper sticker, there’s very little time to read what’s written. For these reasons,

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companies that advertise on bumper stickers usually include little more than a generic statement about employment opportunities and note, in large letters, their easy-to-remember contact information.

If company employees are willing to place this inexpensive form of advertisement on their cars’ bumpers, employers may get some viable nonexempt applicants. Consider this a variation on employee referrals and offer bonuses to any employee whose bumper sticker results in a new hire.

Bumper sticker ads may be viewed as an act of desperation by job seekers and therefore not taken seriously.

Company-Sponsored Social Events

If your organization goes in for huge social events to celebrate special occasions, such as picnics on Independence Day, encourage employees to bring family and friends. Then set up a “job opportunities” table with a list of openings and brochures. This form of recruitment requires an investment of only some additional food and one or two employees willing to answer questions from interested applicants.

Competitions

Competitions ask a selected number of interested applicants to spend the equivalent of anywhere from a couple of days to a week or more competing for a job. Sometimes the job is an executive position, but it could also be a low-end professional opening. During the competition, applicants learn new skills and then apply them to simulated job-related tasks under the scrutiny of selected company human resources and departmental representatives. In addition to their ability to learn and perform specific tasks, contenders are evaluated on relevant intangible skills, such as problem solving, ability to interact with others, decision making, and communication. Anyone may drop out or be eliminated at any time. At the end, one person is awarded the coveted prize: a job.

While competitions per se are new, they bear a close resemblance to job tryouts, a process used by some businesses before extending a job offer to see whether a person will fit into a corporate culture. Even though applicants enter into job tryouts or competitions voluntarily, companies need to be careful about the matter of money. Can you have people working for you for a week without paying them? As long as the participants are learning new skills, employers are not likely to be required to pay them, as it is considered education. Compensation may be required, however, when it comes to actual work performed. Talk with an attorney before proceeding.

Customers, Clients, and Guests

One increasingly popular innovative recruitment source is encouraging customers, clients, and guests to become employees. This is especially helpful for small businesses that, over time, develop relationships with their clientele and get to know a great deal about them. These regulars, through interaction with company employees, learn the product, understand the culture, have an understanding of what it’s like to work there, and are thus able to make informed decisions about being an employee.

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The one real negative to hiring customers, clients, or guests could be that if the customer- turned-employee applies for a job and is either rejected or doesn’t do well once hired, that person is unlikely to continue to frequent your business.

Fast-Track Training

Fast-track training, often offered by community colleges and completed in one to six months, enables individuals to acquire specific skills and make themselves more marketable. Attendees include students, those who are unemployed seeking training for new jobs, employees wanting to improve existing skills, and those with minimal work experience seeking specialized abilities.

Proponents say that these practical, accelerated programs meet the needs of both businesses and job seekers. Critics argue that these crash courses offer little to support long- term advancement and can’t provide skills like critical thinking.

Kiosks

You see them at airports, shopping malls, or in large stores: kiosks where customers can interrupt shopping to apply for a job. These businesses view all customers as potential employees and want to make it as easy as possible for them to fill out applications. Most of these are web-enabled, making the process quick and easy.

A variation on the web-based kiosk theme is to have company representatives stationed throughout or in front of their stores, clipboard and applications in hand, ready to approach would-be employees. Sometimes sales associates actually include a job application in your bag along with your purchase and receipt. Their attitude is, “it couldn’t hurt.”

This approach may generate many applications, but companies have no way of monitoring their quality.

Medical Offices

Some employers focus on attracting members of specific groups into their workplace by posting job openings in medical offices. These include offices of gynecologists, obstetricians, and pediatricians to attract women, doctors specializing in geriatrics to draw older workers, and physical therapists to entice those with physical disabilities. Fliers are usually left with the receptionist so that anyone interested can contact the employer.

This is a cost-effective, easy way to reach out to targeted populations, but the approach hasn’t been shown to generate a high volume of applications.

Movie Ads

You get to the movies in plenty of time to grab a tub of popcorn and a drink. You find a seat and settle in, ready for the show to begin. Imagine, now, in addition to clips of upcoming shows, you see your company’s name on the screen advertising job opportunities! Recruitment ads at movie theaters are a proactive way to target captive, unsuspecting audiences. The amount of information is kept to a minimum, usually just the company name, easy-to-remember contact information, and either a list of openings or a statement about job opportunities. Some employers try to link their promotions to specific movies and anticipated types of viewers;

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others go for the shotgun approach and just run their ads, regardless of what’s showing.

On-Site Recruitment

On-site recruitment is limited to the types of businesses that attract large numbers of people to their locations each day and can be quite effective, especially for nonexempt-level positions. For example, railroad companies may place pamphlets that describe employment opportunities on car seats; airlines might do the same with seats on planes; department stores might attach fliers to packages at cashier stations; and fast food chains or family restaurants might describe job openings on tray liners and table tents.

The brief message, which usually describes the benefits of working for the company, is often framed in bright, eye-catching colors and graphics. Pictured, too, may be people reflecting diverse traits and characteristics. Interested applicants are invited to visit, call, or go online for an application.

Preemployment Training

Preemployment training ensures the hiring of those applicants “guaranteed” to possess the basic knowledge and skills needed to perform a given job. This is typically accomplished through a program that offers, free of cost to participants, various skills training. These individuals are not necessarily being trained for specific jobs, nor are they being offered employment. The emphasis is on preparation, so that if and when jobs do become available, the trained individuals will be considered first. Employers benefit by having an available workforce of skilled individuals from which to choose, without wasting time screening untested applicants. In addition, once hired, program graduates need not devote the first several days, or in some cases weeks, to learning their jobs. Participants benefit by acquiring marketable skills and being first in line for employment opportunities. Of course, there’s no guarantee the trained workers won’t take what they’ve learned and apply it elsewhere.

Summary

Before embarking on a recruitment campaign, consider four factors: how much money is available; how quickly the opening must be filled; whether you need to reach a wide audience; and the exemption level of the available position.

Next, consider how aggressive you need to be to fill a particular opening. If immediacy is a primary factor, search out proactive recruitment sources that will make a concerted effort to find employees. Proactive recruitment requires direct involvement on the part of the recruiter. It’s the reverse of reactive recruitment, where the recruiter waits for applicants to apply, hoping that the best fit is among them.

Taking a shotgun approach to recruitment in terms of who will be drawn in by whatever source you’re using may result in a qualified applicant pool. Certain special interest groups, however, may need to be targeted directly in order to minimize inadvertent violations of certain equal employment opportunity laws. This approach is also likely to produce a more diverse pool of applicants, potentially enhancing productivity and profitability and increasing your global appeal. Begin targeting special interest groups by developing a keener insight into the characteristics of the generations as identified in Chapter 2. Then consider those

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recruitment sources most likely to appeal to members of select employment groups, such as youth, applicants with disabilities, and former employees.

Numerous recruitment sources will yield excellent applicants. Decide from among dozens of traditional and innovative sources. Traditional sources are easily recognized, acceptable to most types of organizations, and appropriate for filling a wide range of positions. Innovative sources are less conventional, generally appealing to certain work environments during specific market conditions, and used when traditional recruitment sources don’t yield the results needed.

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