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Talent
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09-0570
Table of
Contents
v Foreword
vii Acknowledgments
21 Conclusions
23 References
Dear Colleague:
For each report, a subject matter expert is chosen to be the author. After
the initial draft is written, the report is reviewed by both academics and
practitioners to ensure that the material is research-based, comprehensive
and presented in an easy-to-use format. We also include a “Sources and
Suggested Readings” section as a convenient reference tool.
v
Acknowledgments
The SHRM Foundation is grateful for the assistance of the following
individuals in producing this report:
content Editor
Frederick P. Morgeson, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
Valade Research Scholar
The Eli Broad Graduate School of
Management
Michigan State University
Reviewers
Alison E. Barber, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Management
Michigan State University
Project Manager
Beth M. McFarland, CAE
Manager, Special Projects
SHRM Foundation
Major funding for the Effective Practice Guidelines series is provided by the HR
Certification Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management.
vii
About the Author:
James A. Breaugh
James Breaugh received his Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational
Psychology from Ohio State University in 1977. He holds a joint faculty
appointment at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the College
of Business Administration and in the Department of Psychology. He
teaches primarily graduate-level human resource management courses.
Since 1983, he has been head of the Management Area in the College.
Among the organizations that Dr. Breaugh has consulted with are
Anheuser-Busch, Monsanto Express Scripts, AT&T, Laclede Gas
Company, Busch Entertainment Corporation, Farm Credit Banks, the
Visiting Nurses Association and the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission. His consulting work has involved developing realistic job
previews, creating selection systems, instituting 360-degree feedback
programs, evaluating recruitment strategies, conducting attitude surveys
and validating testing programs.
ix
The thoughtful development of a recruitment strategy is critical
to maximizing the value of your recruitment activities.
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
1
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
Establish
Develop a Carry Out Evaluate
Recruitment
Recruitment Strategy Recruitment Activities Recruitment Results
Objectives
A Model of the In establishing recruitment objectives, department, you will have additional
Recruitment Process HR professionals should make sure to information to improve the recruitment
What does a model recruitment process seek input from others who may have process, and you will also develop allies
look like? By carefully adhering to valuable insight to contribute. For who will support the actions taken by
the steps outlined in Figure 1 and example, an HR manager in charge HR during the process.
making informed decisions along the of employee selection may have
An organization’s employment brand
way, an employer usually can improve information to share about the skills
can help recruit employees—so use
recruitment. Each step is explained in that should be targeted. You should also
it. As explained in SHRM’s Spring
detail below. seek input from functional managers
2008 Staffing Research, titled “The
who will be working with newly hired
Establish Recruitment Objectives. Employer Brand: A Strategic Tool to
employees. These managers will have
The first step in your recruitment Attract, Recruit, and Retain Talent,”3
specific information about each job that
process should be establishing an organization’s brand is “how
should be communicated to applicants.
objectives. Table 1 lists several possible the organization wants prospective
By getting input from outside the HR
objectives to consider in planning a
recruitment campaign. For example,
if your organization wants to fill three
Table 1: Establishing Recruitment Objectives
job openings for customer service
representatives, you might decide that
one objective is a 45-day time frame • Number of open positions to be filled.
for filling these positions. One of • Date by which positions should be filled.
your most important decisions will be • Number of applications desired.
establishing what types of applicants • Type of applicants sought:
you are seeking—specifically, what type – Level of education.
of work experience and skills you are
– Knowledge, skills and abilities.
looking for. Most employers focus on
pre-hire outcomes, such as whether – Interests and values.
2
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
and current employees to see the sponsor college campus events.5 You
company” and should be considered in may also influence a recruit’s view Exhibit 1: Selling Employee
establishing the values you’re seeking of your brand by the way you treat Passion at SFM
in recruits—values that match those prospective employees during the
of your organization. But to use your application process and interviews. SFM is a Minnesota-based
employment brand effectively, it must Figure 2 suggests—based on reports provider of workers’ compensation
be authentic. If it lacks authenticity, from HR managers6—that use of insurance. Although it has only 190
new hires are likely to feel deceived, the employer brand can be quite employees, the firm has competed
creating morale problems and new beneficial. successfully against much larger
employee turnover.4 In addition organizations in hiring claims
Much of what has been written on adjusters, underwriters and other
to describing accurately what
employer branding concerns large specialists. According to Jody
employment with your firm means, it
organizations, such as New Zealand’s Rogers, SFM’s HR administrator,
is also critical that the brand be visible
Warehouse Group, a large retailer using its employment brand—
to prospective recruits.
that uses its web site to publicize its “Employees are the heart of our
There are several strategies for brand, “Start here. Go anywhere.” success”—has been a key to the
communicating your employer brand: However, as shown in Exhibit 1, small company’s recruitment efforts.
highlight the brand on your web site, organizations can also benefit from In recruiting, SFM emphasizes
describe it in recruitment literature or using an employer brand to recruit.7 that its employees are passionate
about their jobs and about working
for SFM. In order to compete
Figure 2: R
ecruitment Outcomes Resulting From Effectively with larger organizations, SFM
Communicating an Employment Brand highlights positive features of
the workplace—for example,
employees at SFM are cross-trained
so they can work on a variety of
tasks, unlike larger organizations,
Recruitment where a new hire typically works
Outcomes in a narrowly defined job. SFM’s
tated • Hiring the right people. small size creates a collegial work
ly S • A greater number of atmosphere where it is easier to get
r ate
cu qualified applicants. to know people. The firm’s small
Ac • Reputation as an
size also allows a single individual to
employer of choice.
• Increased number of
make an important difference. And
Recruitment Brand referrals of qualified SFM highlights its high retention
candidates. rate as evidence that it is a great
Eff • Lower turnover. place to work. Furthermore, in
ec • Increased number of order to have confidence that the
tive
ly P diverse candidates.
employment brand it publicizes
ub • Higher job candidate job
lici on its web site, at job fairs and at
zed offer acceptance rate.
• Open positions filled campus speaking engagements is
more rapidly. accurate, SFM conducts internal
focus groups and periodically
surveys customers.
Source: Society for Human Resource Management. (2008, April-June). The employer brand: A strategic tool
to attract, recruit and retain talent. SHRM Staffing Research, 2. Source: Kiger, P. J. 2007. Burnishing your
employment brand. Workforce Management,
October 22, pp. 1-8.
3
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
4
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
• Time-to-hire.
• Cost of filling the position.
• New employee retention rate.
• New employee performance level.
• Hiring manager’s satisfaction with the recruitment process.
• Applicants’ perceptions of the recruitment process.
5
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
6
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
expectation of receiving a job offer. Not are hired and begin working—and
surprisingly, researchers have found these individuals are more likely to quit
that people who perceive a greater their jobs than new hires with realistic
likelihood of receiving a job offer have job expectations.19 Instead of inflating
greater interest in a job opening.17 job expectations, you should increase
But this variable should not be viewed their accuracy. Later in this report, two
in isolation. If a position is seen as different approaches- targeting certain
particularly desirable, some individuals types of individuals for recruitment
may apply even if the likelihood of a and providing realistic job information
job offer is small. during the recruitment process- are
discussed.
Accuracy of Applicant’s
Position Expectations. The Applicant Decision-
In order to generate a large applicant Making Process.
pool and ultimately increase the During the recruitment process, a
likelihood that job offers are accepted, prospective job candidate is actively
some organizations make job openings making many decisions, including the
appear as attractive as possible.18 first—whether to apply for a position.
But this recruitment approach can Besides the attractiveness of the
result in problems. For example, as opening and a person’s expectation
they become better informed as the of a job offer, other factors will have
recruitment process unfolds, recruits an effect, including the ease with
who were initially interested may which one can apply for a position.
withdraw after your organization For example, is it possible to paste in a
has expended considerable time and resume on a web site or do applicants
money. Alternatively, some recruits have to fill in a resume template?
with unrealistically positive job
Another decision a prospective new
expectations may not become aware
hire makes is whether to remain a
of what things really are like until they
job candidate. During the course of
7
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
8
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
9
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
strategy failed, executives decided they Mart, Home Depot and Borders. Two recruitment costs, lower training costs
might have more success in attracting commonly raised concerns about hiring and better retention rates.26
former Montana residents to return seniors are absenteeism and higher
If you decide to target seniors in your
home. So RightNow purchased a list of medical costs. As described in Exhibit 3,
recruitment efforts, be sure to consider
alumni from Montana State University. these concerns appear to lack substance
exactly how you will bring openings to
Targeting former Montana residents in some cases. In fact, some data suggest
their attention. Although online sites
proved so successful that six other that hiring seniors can result in lower
Montana firms followed RightNow’s
lead, using lists of Montana State
University alumni to fill job openings.
Exhibit 3: Borders’ Experience With Hiring Seniors
Another geographical factor that could
influence any organization’s decisions In the late 1990s, Borders recognized that a sizable segment of its clientele was
about targeted recruitment is the individuals over the age of 50. In order to reach out to these customers and
unemployment rate. The city of Denver differentiate itself from online book sellers, Borders decided to target seniors
was having a difficult time filling job for recruitment. As of 2005, 16 percent of Borders’ workforce was over the
openings in its police department. When age of 50—up from 6 percent in 1998, when the company started targeting
it heard that the Detroit police had seniors in its recruitment efforts. Initially, the company was concerned that this
announced layoffs, Denver immediately group might have higher medical costs and absenteeism rates. Almost a decade
sent recruiters to Detroit to administer of experience has shown these to be unfounded concerns. Rather, Borders has
its police exam.25 Similarly, when Dallas found that hiring seniors has several advantages. For example, it has found that
was having difficulty finding police seniors are less expensive to recruit and train and that they perform at a higher
recruits, despite the fact that it paid level. With regard to retention, Borders found the turnover rate for seniors to
considerably better than the New York be 10 times less than the rate for those under 30. In order to help it attract and
City police department, Dallas began retain seniors, Borders offers a “corporate passport program” that allows seniors
recruiting NYC police. to work half of the year in one part of the country and the other half at a store in
a different part of the country.
Aiming for Seniors. Seniors have
Sources: Freudenheim, M. (2005, March 23). More help wanted: Older workers please apply. New York Times,
drawn considerable attention from p. A1. Marquez, J. (2005, May). Novel ideas at Borders lure older workers. Workforce Management, p. 28.
many organizations, including Wal-
10
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
11
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
12
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
generated from industry- or position- with sites on a social network such as at public universities whose students
specific boards were found to have a LinkedIn to bring a job opportunity are not quite as selective in choosing
higher level of skill, better educational to the attention of all their contacts, employers.
credentials, but less work experience. who might in turn further publicize
Ideally, you should build a continuing
the job opening to their contacts and
Of course, no one type of job board relationship with universities that
so on. Although research has yet to
fits all situations. A recruitment yield a good pool of applicants—this
formally compare the advantages of
manager should consider the pros and includes fostering a good relationship
using a social network site versus other
cons of each type of job board and with the placement office, which
recruitment methods, the use of such
determine if its use will be beneficial. can result in your campus interview
sites appears to hold considerable
In conducting such an evaluation, schedule being displayed prominently.
promise. In addition to bringing job
consider the likelihood of reaching Being viewed positively by students
openings to the attention of individuals
targeted candidates, the likelihood of and faculty is also important. In order
who are not actively looking for a
generating interest in the job opening to develop a strong relationship with
job, by using a social network site,
and the relative cost-per-hire of using these campus constituencies, consider
an employer may be able to examine
different types of job boards. interacting with student organizations,
prospective employees’ own sites to
sponsoring campus events,
Social Networks. Although not learn more about them.
underwriting scholarships, getting to
widely used yet, social networking
College Recruiting. The topic of know key faculty members, providing
sites have begun to attract attention
college recruiting has been well- co-op and internship opportunities,
as a means for recruiting employees.
addressed in several HR publications,40 funding equipment purchases or
Typically, social networking involves
so only four issues will be discussed hosting campus receptions. All these
one of two strategies.37 In the first
below: selecting campuses, creating activities will help students view your
strategy, an employer places an
a positive campus presence, student organization more positively and may
advertisement on a site. For example,
internship programs and the influence create a higher quality pool of job
Verizon Communication, Inc., began
of recruiters. applicants and a higher percentage of
experimenting with recruitment
job offers being accepted.42
advertisements on Facebook in In selecting campuses at which
2007.38 These ads, which Facebook to recruit, you should, of course, In recent years, more and more
calls “sponsored stories,” allow an determine whether the campus offers employers have viewed internship
organization to bring job openings to relevant majors and a sufficient number relationships with campuses as
the attention of individuals, especially of students in those majors to make a particularly beneficial.43 An internship
recent college graduates, who may campus visit worthwhile. You should provides an opportunity for you to
not be reached as easily through other also consider student quality and assess a student directly—including
methods. diversity. You may want, for example, his or her interpersonal skills,
to recruit at historically black colleges. dependability, intelligence and poise—
The second recruitment strategy
Other factors worth considering are over a period of time in a variety of
is more targeted.39 Some social
the number of new hires yielded situations. It also allows a student to
networking sites have features
from a college in past years and how get a good view of what working for
that allow an employer to search
these individuals performed.41 By your organization would be like.44 If
for individuals who have listed
carefully analyzing past recruitment done well, with careful selection, fair
qualifications, work experience or a
results, you may determine that treatment and meaningful tasks, an
geographic location the employer
certain colleges have a much greater internship program can result in a high
is seeking. People who appear to
payoff than others. For example, a less percentage of interns continuing on as
be good job candidates can then be
prestigious employer may discover employees.
contacted directly. Alternatively, an
that it makes more sense to recruit
employer could use its own members
13
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
The recruiters your organization for mortgage banker positions, the students in one study turned
uses can have a big impact on the Quicken Loans recruiters visited stores down invitations for a site visit due to
effectiveness of your efforts, although like Best Buy and restaurants like late timing.51 Recently, the Internal
this impact will be less significant if T.G.I. Friday’s. Recruitment managers Revenue Service reported that by
students being recruited have had bought merchandise and ordered moving up the start date of its campus
internships with your organization. Of meals in search of individuals who recruiting, it was able to fill jobs more
course, recruiters who are perceived stood out because of their enthusiasm easily and with better-quality recruits.52
as personable, knowledgeable and and rapport with customers.48 Cabela’s,
Good timing is important not only
trustworthy will positively influence a retail chain known for hunting,
at the start but also during the entire
job candidates.45 fishing and camping merchandise, took
recruiting process. For example,
another unique, aggressive approach
When selecting recruiters, remember delays in responding to requests for
to find job candidates. Because the
that they will be viewed by applicants information from recruits, setting
firm wanted to hire people with in-
as signals about your organization. up site visits and making job offers
depth knowledge about its products
For example, an enthusiastic, highly can have detrimental effects.53 In one
who were excited about the outdoors,
professional recruiter conveys that study, such delays were found to have
it focused on its own customers as
your firm has much to offer, whereas a the greatest influence on the most
prospective employees. In the process,
poorly prepared recruiter may be seen sought-after applicants.54 Of course,
Cabela’s found that many of its new
as reflecting an organization that is not some delays are unavoidable, but
hires were not looking for a job until
well run. As evidence of the potential ideally you should stay in touch with
the company took the initiative to
impact of recruiters, in one study, 16 of all job applicants, letting them know
recruit them.49
41 individuals mentioned poor treatment where things stand.
by recruiters as a reason for deciding that Clearly, there is no single best
an employer they initially favored was recruitment method. Rather, you The Recruitment Message
no longer a good fit, and an identical must develop your own ideal methods
number cited recruiters as a reason for by answering two questions: What Your recruitment message, or job
changing their initial impression of poor characteristics are you seeking in new advertisement, can have a major
fit to a positive one.46 employees and what types of people will impact on whether people apply for or
be attracted to what your organization accept jobs with your organization and
Seeking Job Candidates in Unusual whether new recruits remain after they
has to offer? The answers should lead
Ways. As already mentioned, are hired. Because of this, the topic
you toward a collection of recruitment
employers can benefit from seeking of shaping a recruitment message has
practices that will bring you a strong set
out prospective job candidates who are received considerable attention. This
of candidates for any job.
not actively looking for a job. Focus report highlights three questions about
groups revealed to Cisco that people the recruitment message:
it would like to hire spent nonwork The Timing of
time at art fairs, home-and-garden Recruitment Actions • D
oes the message present
shows and microbreweries, so the information important to your
Both academic research and
company used this information to target group?
practitioner reports suggest that
make informal contact with potential the timing of recruitment actions is • Is the information specific?
recruits.47 Quicken Loans used an important. For example, employers
outreach program that involved that interview earlier in the year on • Is the information realistic?
visiting other businesses. Finding that college campuses attract more and Obviously, certain information in any
job fairs, help-wanted advertisements better quality applicants compared recruitment message is essential—
and the company web site did not with employers that interview later.50 including details about duties, location
produce enough qualified candidates And approximately 50 percent of and benefits. However, if you are
14
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
targeting certain types of people, you If you have job applicants with realistic use targeted recruitment, as discussed
should be sensitive to their unique expectations, studies suggest you will above. You may also use realistic job
information needs. Many seniors see lower turnover, better performance, previews (RJPs).
apply only for part-time positions. higher job satisfaction and greater trust
Although RJPs are frequently discussed
Similarly, parents with young children of the organization. To get applicants
in terms of a one-time event, such as
may be interested in the possibility of with realistic expectations, you can
providing job applicants with a booklet
working from home.55 There is some
evidence that blacks are more attracted
to employers that portray blacks in
supervisory roles in photos, but whites Exhibit 4: New York City’s Use of a Realistic Message
in the same study were not affected in Recruiting Caseworkers
by the roles of employees in photos.56 In past years, the average caseworker in New York City’s Administration
Some of the unique information needs for Children’s Services Department (ACSD) remained in the job for two
of targeted recruits can be addressed in years, which included five months of training. To address this high turnover
later stages of the process, but in some rate, which is expensive and also increases the work load of the remaining
cases, potential recruits will not even caseworkers, the ACSD tried to increase the number of people applying for
apply for a position if they do not have the job. It decided to provide applicants with a better understanding of what
the particular information they need, they were getting into. The Department placed ads in 500 subway cars. To
such as the option of part-time work. increase the accuracy of job expectations, one of its sales pitches was:
Specificity is the second key dimension of “Wanted: Men and women willing to walk into strange buildings in
the recruitment message. Even a cursory dangerous neighborhoods, be screamed at by unhinged individuals—perhaps
review of job advertisements and web in a language you do not understand—and, on occasion, forcibly remove a
sites demonstrates that many employers child from the custody of parents because the alternative could have tragic
fail to provide specific information. consequences.”
Consider the different effects on job
seekers of (a) being informed that Compared to filling other jobs, this is clearly a challenging recruitment
compensation is “competitive” versus situation. However, New York City’s approach seems to be working. The
knowing the salary range for a job; (b) first month after it began running ads, inquiries were up about 200 percent.
assurances that an organization “values In addition to blunt ads, the city shows applicants for the caseworker
its employees” versus being informed position a video that highlights the more difficult aspects of the job.
that no one has been laid off in the last The pitch for caseworkers is intended to be realistic, not negative, so the
10 years; and (c) reading that benefits importance of the position is also emphasized:
are excellent versus being told that a new
“Our job is to keep children safe. You have to be able to walk into someone’s
employee gets three weeks of vacation to
home and get them to talk to you. You have to cope with unknown and
start. More specific information can lead
troubling situations, and figure out the truth. It’s all about how to protect a
some people not to submit applications,
child. It’s tough—but it’s worth it.”
but these would be people unlikely to
accept a job offer anyway. On the other New York City recruiters do not have illusions about how much impact
hand, specific information also may their realistic job preview approach can have. The department commissioner
result in adding people to the applicant noted that even though they are providing a clear picture of the job, it is still
pool who might otherwise not have difficult to gauge how a new worker will react when faced with breaking up
applied. a family.
Sources: Santora, M. (2008, March 3). To recruit caseworkers, a dose of reality. New York Times, B3.
Many organizations have tried to Mooney, J. (2008, April 20). The faces of those who knock on difficult doors. New York Times, B1.
convey realistic—not only positive—
information, as shown in Exhibit 4.57
15
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
16
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
• M
ake sure that key individuals are In addition to conducting research translate commonly used recruitment
available during the visit. on recruitment activities, your metrics into language they understand.
organization should stay abreast of If you can document that replacing the
• P
ay attention to details, such
the experiences of other employers. use of job boards with an employee
as meeting the candidate at the
For example, you may be able to referral program saved $500 per
airport or greeting him or her at
learn from other employers who are hire and increased the percentage of
the front door.
successful in attracting individuals who minorities and women hired by 15
Job candidates will probably have are not actively looking for positions percent, then you will make a strong
questions about the surrounding (see Table 6). This can save you time impression. Showing that effective
community—including medical and expense in coming up with ways to recruitment techniques affected the
facilities, schools, churches and recruit such passive candidates. turnover rate, as in Exhibit 5, or
potential employers for a spouse—so employee performance may be even
Perceptions of the Hiring Manager
don’t ignore these concerns.61 more impressive to non-HR managers.
and Other Non-HR Segments of
Managing the Recruitment the Organization. Among the most Unique Challenges for Smaller
Operation. If you are responsible for important recruitment metrics are Organizations. Although most of
managing the recruitment function, the perceptions of the hiring manager the issues addressed in this report are
you know the importance of rigorously and other managers outside the HR relevant for any HR professional who is
and continuously evaluating various department.62 Given this fact, it is responsible for employee recruitment,
recruitment activities. Your research critical that these managers be involved smaller firms often confront unique
can make you aware that recruiting in planning the recruitment process challenges in filling jobs.63 Figure
at certain colleges or placing job and, as far as possible, in carrying 6 presents four common problem
advertisements in certain professional it out—by giving talks on college situations that smaller employers face
periodicals does not make sense. You campuses, for example. It is also critical and possible actions they can take
may also realize that certain recruiters that the recruitment manager be in to make the transition from these
are excellent in terms of filling constant communication with other problematic situations to desired
positions with high-quality individuals managers during the recruitment situations.
or that employee referrals generate the process. A very effective way to
Some actions your organization
most suitable candidates at a far lower convince non-HR managers of the
can take to become more visible
cost than other recruitment methods. value of the recruitment function is to
to prospective job seekers include
participating in job fairs, which
Table 6: How to Reach Targeted Individuals Who Are Not Actively frequently generate a large audience,
Looking for Positions and working closely with educational
institutions. A close relationship with
• Use employee referrals.
the director of a college placement
• Use radio and television advertisements. service may mean that he or she will
• Ask newly hired individuals for the names of potential recruits. call a job opening to the attention
• S
end direct mail to members of relevant mailing lists, including professional associations of job-seeking students. In terms of
and clubs. increasing the attractiveness of your
• Place billboard ads in relevant locations. organization, working for a smaller
• Ask individuals who declined job offers for the names of recruits. firm can have real advantages, as
• Contact former employees. shown in Exhibit 1, but you must
communicate these advantages to
• Visit places of business and recreation that targeted individuals frequent.
prospective applicants. And in terms
• Use social networking web sites.
of increasing the number of job
17
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
Communicate unique
Less attractive place to Increased attributes of working
work than larger employers attractiveness for a small firm:
•F amily atmosphere
•G reater impact
•W ork variety
•C
ontact customers
•C
ontact former
employees
•E
mployee referrals
Fewer applicants Increased number
than larger firms of applicants
Make applying easier:
• Develop web site that
accepts resumes
•A llow resumes to be
e-mailed
Move quickly in
making job offers
18
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
applicants, three potential actions may To increase the percentage of job offers
be effective. First, a smaller employer accepted, move quickly to extend job
can actively seek out candidates, as in offers because many applicants will
the examples of Cabela’s and Quicken prefer a certain offer over uncertainty.
Loans above. A small employer also can Another way a smaller firm can
make it easier to apply by making sure find good recruits is working with a
resumes can be submitted electronically. temporary agency to turn temps into
Creating an applicant-friendly web site permanent employees.
need not be costly. You may be able to
hire students at a local college to do
the work inexpensively. A third way
a smaller employer can increase the
number of applications received and
the number of job offers accepted is
by targeting individuals with fewer job
opportunities. Look at people who are a
bit less qualified in terms of GPA, have
less work experience or have another
characteristic (such as their age) that
makes them less attractive to other
employers.
19
A very effective way to convince non-HR managers of the
value of the recruitment function is to translate commonly
used recruitment metrics into language they understand.
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
Conclusions
21
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
References
1
Needleman, S. A. (2008, December 23). Avoiding the ax: Where the jobs are.
Wall Street Journal, Section D, pp. 1, 5.
brand: A strategic tool to attract, recruit and retain talent. SHRM Staffing
Research, 2.
7
Kiger, P. J. (2007). Burnishing your employment brand. Workforce
Management, 86 (18): 39-45.
8
Crispin, G., & Mehler, M. (2006, September). The candidate experience:
Black hole or north star [A CareerXroads Whitepaper on Staffing Strategy and
Process].
9
Carlson, K. D., Connerley, M. L., & Mechan, R. L. (2002). Recruitment
evaluation: The case for assessing the quality of applicants attracted. Personnel
Psychology, 55, 461-490.
10
Overman, S. (2008). Measuring what matters. Staffing Management, 4.
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Minton-Eversole, T. (2008, December). Quality measurement: Key to best-
in-class talent acquisition. HR Magazine, pp. 64-65.
12
Gerdes, L. (2008, September 15). The best places to launch a career.
BusinessWeek, p. 36.
13
Cadrain, D. (2006, August). Recruitment process problems need not remain
a mystery. HR Magazine, p. 26.
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14
Zimmerman, E. (2006, September 17). New strategies for police recruiters. New York Times, Section 10, p. 3.
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Rynes, S. L., & Cable, D. M. (2003). Recruitment research in the twenty-first century. In W. C. Borman, D. R. Ilgen &
R. J. Klimoski (Eds.), Handbook of Psychology: Industrial and Organizational Psychology, vol. 12, (pp. 55-76). Hoboken,
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Guthridge, M., McPerson, J. R., & Wolf, W. J. (2008, December). Upgrading talent: A downturn can give smart
companies a chance to upgrade their talent. The McKinsey Quarterly.
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Breaugh, J.A., Macan, T. H., & Grambow, D. M. (2008). Employee recruitment: Current knowledge and directions
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Psychology, 23, 45-82.
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Billsberry, J. (2007). Experiencing recruitment and selection. Chichester: UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
19
Allen, D. G. (2008). Retaining talent: A guide to analyzing and managing employee turnover [SHRM Foundation’s
Effective Practice Guidelines]. Alexandria, VA: SHRM Foundation.
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Boswell, W. R., Roehling, M. V., LePine, M. A., & Moynihan, L. M. (2003). Individual job-choice decisions and the
impact of job attributes and recruitment practices: a longitudinal field study. Human Resource Management, 42, 23-
37. Rynes, S. L. Bretz, R. D., & Gerhart, B. (1991). The importance of recruitment in job choice: A different way of
looking. Personnel Psychology, 44 (3): 487-521.
21
Ployhart, R. E., Schneider, B., & Schmitt, N. (2006). Staffing organizations: Contemporary practice and theory. New
York: Routledge.
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Breaugh, J.A., Macan, T. H., & Grambow, D. M. (2008). Employee recruitment: Current knowledge and directions
for future research. In G. P. Hodgkinson & J. K. Ford (Eds.), International Review of Industrial and Organizational
Psychology, 23, 45-82.
23
Pulley, J. (2006, July-September). When the grass wasn’t greener. Staffing Management, 32 (3). Weaver, P. (2006, July).
Tap ex-employees’ recruitment potential: Staying connected to ex-employees can pay staffing dividends. HR Magazine,
51, 89-91.
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Spors, K. R. (2007). For a company in a remote location, ex-residents offer a promising labor pool. Wall Street Journal,
p. B4.
25
Zimmerman, E. (2006, September 17). New strategies for police recruiters. New York Times, Section 10, p. 3.
26
Freudenheim, M. (2005, March 23). More help wanted: Older workers please apply. New York Times, A1. Marquez, J.
(2005, May). Novel ideas at Borders lure older workers. Workforce Management, p. 28.
27
Smalley, S. (2007, March 29). Boston lags in recruiting police. Boston Globe, B1.
28
Overman, S. (2008). Use the best to find the rest. Staffing Management, 4, pp. 2-6. Society for Human Resource
Management (2008, July-September). Online technologies and their impact on recruitment strategies. SHRM Staffing
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Breaugh, J. A. (2008). Employee recruitment: Current knowledge and important areas for future research. Human
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Cascio, W. F. (2003). Changes in workers, work, and organizations. In W. C. Borman, D. R. Ilgen & R. J. Klimoski
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(Eds.), Handbook of Psychology: Industrial and Organizational Psychology, volume 12, (pp. 401-422). Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hansen, F. (2006, June 26). Employee referral programs, selective campus recruitment could touch off bias charges.
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Anonymous. (2008). How to make your website work harder and better for hiring. HR Focus, 85, pp. 3-5. Needleman,
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S. E. (2007, March 24). Now playing; Picture yourself here. The Globe and Mail, B16.
Cober, R. T., Brown, D. T., & Levy, P. E. (2004). Form, content, and function: An evaluative methodology for
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Steel, E. (2007, October 9). Job search sites face a nimble threat. Wall Street Journal, B4.
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Jattuso, M. L., & Sinar, E. F. (2003). Source effects in Internet-based screening procedures. International Journal of
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Society for Human Resource Management (2008, July-September). Online technologies and their impact on recruitment
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Needleman, S. E. (2008, February 12). Need a new situation? Check the Internet. Wall Street Journal, p. B6.
38
Sherman, E. (2008, March 17). New ways to network for a job. Advertising Age, TW6.
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Boswell, W. R., Roehling, M. V., LePine, M. A., & Moynihan, L. M. (2003). Individual job-choice decisions and the
40
impact of job attributes and recruitment practices: a longitudinal field study. Human Resource Management, 42, 23-37.
Breaugh, J.A., Macan, T. H., & Grambow, D. M. (2008). Employee recruitment: Current knowledge and directions
for future research. In G. P. Hodgkinson & J. K. Ford (Eds.), International Review of Industrial and Organizational
Psychology, 23, 45-82. Rynes, S. L. Bretz, R. D., & Gerhart, B. (1991). The importance of recruitment in job choice: A
different way of looking. Personnel Psychology, 44 (3): 487-521.
Gerdes, L. (2008, September 15). The best places to launch a career. BusinessWeek, p. 36.
41
Collins, C. J. & Stevens, C. K. (2002). The relationship between early recruitment-related activities and the application
42
decisions of new labor-market entrants: A brand equity approach to recruitment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 1121-
1133. Turban, D. B. (2001). Organizational attractiveness as an employer on college campuses: An examination of the
applicant population. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 58 (2): 293-312.
Breaugh, J.A., Macan, T. H., & Grambow, D. M. (2008). Employee recruitment: Current knowledge and directions
44
for future research. In G. P. Hodgkinson & J. K. Ford (Eds.), International Review of Industrial and Organizational
Psychology, 23, 45-82.
Chapman, D. S., Uggerslev, K. L., Carroll, S. A., Piasentin, K. A., & Jones, D. A. (2005). Applicant attraction to
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organizations and job choice: A meta-analytic review of correlates of recruiting outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology,
90 (5): 928-944. Rynes, S. L. Bretz, R. D., & Gerhart, B. (1991). The importance of recruitment in job choice: A
different way of looking. Personnel Psychology, 44 (3): 487-521.
25
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
46
Rynes, S. L. Bretz, R. D., & Gerhart, B. (1991). The importance of recruitment in job choice: A different way of
looking. Personnel Psychology, 44 (3): 487-521.
47
Cascio, W. F. (2003). Changes in workers, work, and organizations. In W. C. Borman, D. R. Ilgen & R. J. Klimoski
(Eds.), Handbook of Psychology: Industrial and Organizational Psychology, volume 12, (pp. 401-422). Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
48
Taylor, W. C. (2006, April 23). To hire sharp employees, recruit in sharp ways. New York Times, B3.
49
Taylor, S. (2007, July-September). Luring shoppers as employees. Staffing Management, 3.
50
Turban, D. B., & Cable, D. M. (2003). Firm reputation and applicant pool characteristics. Journal of Organizational
Behavior, 24 (6): 733-751.
51
Rynes, S. L. Bretz, R. D., & Gerhart, B. (1991). The importance of recruitment in job choice: A different way of
looking. Personnel Psychology, 44 (3): 487-521.
52
Matthews, R. G. (2006, October 10). It’s taxing to recruit top law grads to IRS, but a new push betters returns. Wall
Street Journal, B1.
53
Boswell, W. R., Roehling, M. V., LePine, M. A., & Moynihan, L. M. (2003). Individual job-choice decisions and the
impact of job attributes and recruitment practices: a longitudinal field study. Human Resource Management, 42, 23-
37. Rynes, S. L. Bretz, R. D., & Gerhart, B. (1991). The importance of recruitment in job choice: A different way of
looking. Personnel Psychology, 44 (3): 487-521.
Rynes, S. L. Bretz, R. D., & Gerhart, B. (1991). The importance of recruitment in job choice: A different way of
54
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Barber, A. E. (2005). The hiring challenge: Recruitment in small firms. In J. W. Tansky & R. L. Heneman
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(Eds.), Human Resource Strategies for the High Growth Entrepreneurial Firm (pp. 99-113). Greenwich, CT:
Information Age Publishing.
27
Effective recruiting will improve your applicant pool, the
quality of the people you hire and even the performance
and retention of these new employees.
28
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
Albright, W. D., & Cluff, G. A. (2005). Ahead of the curve: How MITRE
recruits and retains older workers. Journal of Organizational Excellence, 24(2):
53-63.
This empirical study found that job information and organizational information
provided on an organization’s web site influenced intentions to apply for a job.
This influence was both direct (the specific type of information provided) and
indirect (applicants viewed information provided as signaling what other aspects
of the job and the organization would be like).
29
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
apparent. Generalizing from these applicants, maintaining applicant status job offers without having a realistic
findings, it appears that including and influencing job choice. For each understanding of what a position
supervisory-level minorities as part of these stages, she reviews empirical involves.
of a recruitment team (for example, research. This research suggests
Boswell, W. R., Roehling, M. V.,
at a job fair) or as part of a site visit particular organizational actions that
LePine, M. A., & Moynihan, L. M.
team is likely to be important for an are likely to be beneficial.
(2003). Individual job-choice decisions
organization that is committed to
and the impact of job attributes and
diversifying its workforce.
recruitment practices: A longitudinal
Barber, A. E. (2006). The hiring
field study. Human Resource
challenge: Recruitment in small firms. In
Management, 42, 23-37.
Avery, D. R., & McKay, P. F. (2006). J. W. Tansky & R. L. Heneman (Eds.),
Target practice: An organizational Human Resource Strategies for the High This longitudinal study examines the
impression management approach to Growth Entrepreneurial Firm (pp. 99- influence of several recruitment-related
attracting minority and female job 113). Greenwich, CT: Information Age variables on job candidate decision-
applicants. Personnel Psychology, 59, Publishing. making. Results demonstrate that
157-187. the decisions made by graduating
This chapter provides an overview of
college seniors were affected by several
This article provides an excellent several recruitment topics from the
aspects of the site visit (flexibility in
review of empirical research that has perspective of a small firm. Among the
scheduling, how organized it was, the
addressed the relative effectiveness topics covered are recruitment sources,
professionalism of the host, the quality
of different approaches for recruiting conveying a recruitment message and
of the accommodations). Actions
minorities and females. In particular, evaluating a recruitment effort. Several
following a site visit (prompt follow-
the authors addressed the influence recommendations are offered for
up to applicant inquiries, a timely job
of minorities and women being improving the practices of small firms.
offer) were also linked to reactions of
portrayed in recruitment materials,
recruits.
the wording of EEO statements, and
recruiter demographics. The article Billsberry, J. (2007). Experiencing
includes specific recommendations for recruitment and selection. Chichester,
Breaugh, J.A. (2008). Employee
employers. For example, the merits of UK: John Wiley & Sons.
recruitment: Current knowledge and
recruiting at predominantly minority
Five chapters of this book describe actual important areas for future research.
and female institutions are highlighted,
experiences of job applicants during the Human Resource Management Review,
as is the use of minority and female
recruitment process. These experiences 18(3): 103-118.
recruiters.
involve both positive and negative
This review article introduces a model
interactions. Recruits described situations
of the recruitment process and discusses
in which they were treated with respect
Barber, A. E. (1998). Recruiting academic research that supports it. Past
and situations in which they were
employees: Individual and research studies on various recruitment
treated poorly. Many of the interactions
organizational perspectives. Thousand topics (such as the use of employee
described suggest that job seekers view
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. referrals, realistic job previews,
interactions during the recruitment
recruitment advertising) are critiqued
Readers interested in a somewhat process as signals of what working for an
and areas for future research are noted.
dated but excellent review of academic organization would be like. The book
research on the recruitment process provides a sense of the importance of
should find this book informative. applicant perceptions of fair treatment
Barber differentiates the recruitment during the recruitment process. It also
process into three stages: generating suggests that many applicants accept
30
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
Breaugh, J. A. (2010). Improving Cober, R. T., Brown, D. J., & Levy, activities currently conducted by
employee retention through the use P. E. (2004). Form, content, and organizations have value.
of realistic job previews. In R. Watkins function: An evaluative methodology
& D. Leigh (Eds.), Handbook for the for corporate employment web sites.
selection and implementation of human Human Resource Management, 43, Collins, C. J., & Stevens, C. K.
performance interventions. New York: 201-218. (2002). The relationship between
John Wiley & Sons. early recruitment-related activities
The authors of this paper analyze the
and the application decisions of new
This chapter describes in detail: (a) corporate web sites of almost 100
labor-market entrants: A brand equity
past research on realistic job previews organizations. In particular, they
approach to recruitment. Journal of
(RJPs), (b) why RJPs are thought examine the form of the web site (the
Applied Psychology, 87, 1121-1133.
to reduce employee turnover, (c) use of pictures and attention-getting
conditions under which RJPs are likely elements), its functionality (the ease of This study examines the relationship
to have maximum impact, (d) different navigating) and the content provided between early recruitment-related
types of RJPs, and (e) specific steps for (information about salary, culture). activities (sponsorship of college
developing an RJP. Practitioners who The authors conclude that all three events, word-of-mouth endorsements)
are considering incorporating an RJP web site dimensions are important and subsequent application decisions
as part of their recruitment process to job seekers and that many web of graduate engineering students.
should find this information valuable sites are lacking in one or more The authors report that recruitment
as it provides a step-by-step process for areas. Practitioners who are relatively activities influenced whether an
developing an RJP. inexperienced in employment web site applicant actually applied for a job
design or who seek a refresher article through their effect on two dimensions
on the topic will find several ideas to of an employer brand image (general
Carlson, K. D., Connerley, M. L., & consider. attitudes toward the company and
Mechan, R. L. (2002). Recruitment perceived job attributes). These
evaluation: The case for assessing findings suggest that early recruitment
the quality of applicants attracted. Collins, C. J., & Han, J. (2004). activities can have a positive impact on
Personnel Psychology, 55, 461-490. Exploring applicant pool quantity an organization’s college recruitment
and quality: The effects of early efforts. They also suggest that college
This article provides an excellent
recruitment practice strategies, graduates are likely to interpret the
treatment of the topic of recruitment
corporate advertising, and firm recruitment actions of an employer
evaluation. The authors note how
reputation. Personnel Psychology, 57, as influencing what they think of the
infrequently organizations have
685-717. organization in general and the job
evaluated their recruitment activities.
opening being advertised.
They also offer several suggestions Based upon data drawn from 99
for rigorously evaluating recruitment organizations and from multiple
activities, including specific metrics sources (job seekers, recruiters), the
Davis, J. (2008). Bringing an
to use. They provide a formula for results of this study suggest that early
employment brand to life. Journal of
estimating the actual dollar cost recruitment practices (recruitment ads,
Corporate Recruiting Leadership,
of improving the quality of the employee endorsements), corporate
June, 3-8.
recruits generated by a well-designed advertising and firm reputation all
recruitment process. An example affect both the size and the quality of This practitioner-oriented article
of this formula being applied to a the applicant pool. The influence of offers considerable advice on how
hypothetical situation is provided, the recruitment practices was found to an organization can get maximum
which should help practitioners who vary depending upon an employer’s benefits from using its employment
choose to make use of the formula. reputation. These results suggest brand to recruit.
that many of the college recruitment
31
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
Dineen, B. R., Ling, J., Ash, S. R., on retention). Potential metrics upon three recruitment methods (employee
& DelVecchio, D. (2007). Aesthetic which incentives might be based are referrals, ads in a national newspaper
properties and message customization: also noted. and ads in a geographically focused
Navigating the dark side of web newspaper). Geographically focused
recruitment. Journal of Applied ads are found superior to national ads
Psychology, 92(2): 356-372. Kiger, P. J. (2007). Burnishing in terms of the number of applicants
your employment brand. Workforce generated, the number of individuals
This empirical study examines the
Management, 86(18): 39-45. hired and the cost of hiring. Employee
impact of a web site that provides
referrals are found superior to both types
customized job applicant information This practitioner-focused piece provides of ads.
about likely fit related to factors a number of examples of companies
such as web site viewing time and (Union Pacific, Lubrizol, SFM) that
organizational attraction. Although have effectively used their employment
Rynes, S. L., Bretz, R. D., & Gerhart,
findings support the value of brand to recruit. Attention is given to
B. (1991). The importance of
information customization, results also how to develop an employment brand,
recruitment in job choice: A different
show the impact of site aesthetics. check its authenticity and publicize it.
way of looking. Personnel Psychology,
44(3): 487-521.
Highhouse, S., & Hoffman, J. R. Liu, E., & Johnson, S. M. (2006). In this intensive study of 41 graduating
(2001). Organizational attraction and New teachers’ experiences of hiring: college students, the authors examine
job choice. In C. L. Cooper & I. T. Late, rushed, and information poor. the effects of such variables as
Robertson (Eds.), International Review Educational Administration Quarterly, employer-hosted on-campus receptions,
of Industrial and Organizational 42(3): 324-360. interactions with recruiters and time
Psychology, 16, 37-64. New York: Wiley. delays on job applicant decision-making.
Many case studies of the recruitment Results suggest that recruitment events,
This chapter highlights the importance process highlight the exemplary actions recruiters and the timing of recruitment
of considering how job applicants view taken by the hiring organization. In actions can have an important influence
recruitment information and weight it contrast, this case study of the hiring on job applicants. For example, it
in making job choice decisions. Basic process for new teachers provides was found that poor treatment by a
psychological processes such as framing an example of what not to do. With recruiter is viewed as a signal of how
and negativity bias are discussed, and regard to new teacher recruitment, the an employer treats its new hires. These
their relevance for drafting recruitment study highlights how many applicants authors also report that delays during
messages is emphasized. for teaching positions felt they were the recruitment process resulted
provided with insufficient information in applicants losing interest in an
by the school district. organization as a place of employment
Hirschman, C. (2003). Incentives for even when it was initially viewed very
recruiters? Most recruiters don’t get favorably. Results also suggest that
incentive pay for superior performance, Raefeli, A., Hadomi, O., & Simons, positive recruitment interactions can
but some experts say they should. T. (2005). Recruiting through cause a job opening that was initially
HR Magazine, 48(11): 86-91. advertising or employee referrals: Costs, viewed as unattractive to be seen as
yields, and the effects of geographic more desirable. This article is filled with
This article addresses the use of
factors. European Journal of Work and rich quotes from job candidates that
incentive pay to reward exceptional
Organizational Psychology, 14(4): 355- should cause anyone with recruitment
performance by recruiters. Examples
366. responsibilities to seriously consider how
of employers using incentives are
discussed, as are potential advantages of The study reported in this paper they go about recruiting.
using incentives (including the impact compares the recruitment outcomes of
32
Recruiting and Attracting Talent
Rynes, S. L., & Cable, D. M. (2003). Turban, D. B., & Cable, D. M. (2003). Yakubovich, V., & Lup, D. (2006).
Recruitment research in the twenty- Firm reputation and applicant pool Stages of the recruitment process
first century. In W. C. Borman, D. characteristics. Journal of Organizational and the referrer’s performance effect.
R. Ilgen & R. J. Klimoski (Eds.), Behavior, 24(6): 733-751. Organizational Science, 17(6): 710-723.
Handbook of Psychology: Industrial and
Based upon the results of two This study of independent contractors
Organizational Psychology, vol. 12, (pp.
empirical studies conducted with who worked for virtual call centers
55-76). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
graduating college of business students focuses on three groups (those who
Sons.
at two universities, the authors find became aware of jobs via the Internet,
This chapter provides a selective evidence that employers that have those who were referred by current
review of academic research dealing better reputations are able to attract employees who were high performers,
with employee recruitment (including more job applicants and higher-quality and those who were referred by
the use of realistic job previews, job applicants. current employees who performed
the importance of organizational less well). As predicted, it is found
reputation, the influence of recruiters). that individuals referred by higher-
Based upon past research, the Turban, D. B., Campion, J. E., & performing employees had better
authors offer recommendations for Eyring, A. R. (1995). Factors related credentials and performed better on
practitioners who are responsible for to job acceptance decisions of college objective selection measures than those
the recruitment function. They also recruits. Journal of Vocational Behavior, referred by employees who did not
highlight gaps in the recruitment 47, 193-213. perform as well. Those who found
literature. job openings via the Internet were the
The study reported in this paper weakest candidates.
focuses on the site visit experiences
of college students. Students who
Society for Human Resource
reported liking the host of their site
Management. (2008, April-June).
visit (and other aspects of the visit)
The employer brand: A strategic tool
were more likely to accept job offers.
to attract, recruit and retain talent.
The host of the visit was a prospective
SHRM Staffing Research.
co-worker. This likely enhanced the
This report highlights the importance impact of the host.
of an employer’s brand for recruiting
talent. It provides examples of
organizations that have used their
brands effectively, and it offers tips for
creating an employment brand. HR
professionals reported that the use
of an employer brand was related to
such important recruitment outcomes
as (a) a greater number of qualified
applicants, (b) a more diverse applicant
pool, (c) an increased number of
employee referrals, (d) positions being
filled more rapidly, and (e) a higher job
offer acceptance rate.
33
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