Align Recruiting with Job Requirements

Welcome
- Are you tired of wasting your time recruiting candidates who aren't interviewed? Or who don't
get hired? Well in this course we're going to fix that. My name is Barb Bruno and I've been in
the recruiting profession for over 25 years and I've placed more than 10,000 people in jobs.
Early in my career I realized I was able to fill a much higher percentage of jobs when I aligned
my recruiting to job requirements. Since then I've trained over 25,000 recruiters how to work
smarter, not harder, and they're reaping the benefits. In this course you'll learn basics about
sharing job requisitions, the common denominators of best hires, and candidate realities. We'll
talk about the impact company culture and values have in recruiting, and discuss the greatest
recruiting challenges. We'll do a detailed review of your recruiting process and I'll help you
develop a step by step recruiting process that gets results. And finally, you'll learn how to book
100 percent of the candidates you present. No matter what the job market, clients and
candidates need our services. The key is to be the best at matching the right talent to the right
opportunity. So there's no better time to take this course than right now.
- Have you ever worked on an open job requisition, only to have the specs constantly change by
the individuals involved in the hiring process? This not only causes delays in filling the open
requisition, it's frustrating for the recruiting team, and the hiring manager who's anxious to fill
the job. With multiple people involved in the hiring process, and changing priorities, it's
challenging to get everyone on the same page, but it's essential to hiring the right person. I'd
like to share some ideas on how to get consensus. It all begins with the requisition. We've all
recruited candidates who do very well in their first, second, and third interviews, only to be
screened out by the person who would be their direct report. When you ask for feedback, you're
told the candidate wasn't a fit, which doesn't help you fine-tune your search efforts. Obviously
these additional specs were not included on the requistion you used for your recruiting efforts.
When you receive a requisition, ask the hiring authority if they've taken time to update the
requisition. If not, the requisition could be inaccurate. Priorities change. New challenges arise.
Technology is upgraded. These are all reasons to update the requisition. Also ask if they've
reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of their current team. This is an opportunity to bring
additional strengths to the team. So ask, do they need to hire someone who is more technical,
more organized, more dynamic, or possibly who has more experience? Next, send a copy of the
job requisition to everyone involved in the hiring process to get their input. This will reveal if
everyone involved is actually on the same page. Ask each person to review the job description,
and estimate the percentage of time the new hire will spend on each area of responsibility.
Knowing that a job requires 90% versus 25% of an employee's time focused on a particular task
dramatically improves the recruiting and matching abilities of the recruiter. Ask about
credentials. Are the listed education, experience, certification, and skills preferred, or are they
mandatory? Often, experience will be considered in lieu of a degree. On the other hand,
medical and IT positions often require verification of specific degrees, credentials, and
certifications. What are the standards of performance? Minimum standards of performance
help identify what is most important to the hiring authorities, and gives the recruiter and
potential hire a clear picture of expectations. Of course, compensation needs to be reviewed.
The compensation package is more than just salary. It includes the eligibility of benefits,
deductibles, employee costs, employee contributions, and other perks. If a range is quoted, you
need to make sure everyone is willing to go to the top of the range to attract the strongest
candidate. What's the potential for advancement? Determine the career path and possible
advancement potential to attract the best talent. And finally, get consensus on the hiring
process. In this competitive job market, a long interview process can hamper your ability to
attract and hire the best talent. Everyone involved must agree on a target date to hire, and then
agree to do everything possible to expedite the process. Yes, this takes extra time and effort,
but sharing the job requisition up front and getting everyone on the same page will help you
recruit the best, simplify the process, and hire more quickly.
Determine requirements and competencies
- Retaining the best employees is one of the greatest challenges in business today. No matter
the industry, we all want to know the secret to long-term retention. Well, there is no secret.
Employee retention begins with the recruiting, interviewing, and hiring process. As a recruiter
you want to attract the right people for the job, so it's important that you offer to help the
hiring manager write or revise a job description, which clearly differentiates between minimum
requirements and core competencies, which are two separate areas that need clarification.
Minimum requirements are your GPS to a successful recruit and should be agreed upon by
everyone in the interview process. Each time a job becomes available the requisition needs to
be updated to include current minimum requirements. Are they mandatory or preferred? Think
about the last job you had and how different it was from your first day of employment to your
last. As your manager realized you had additional talents and capabilities you were given
additional responsibilities. Most employers use all the talents of the people they employ, but
they forget to update the job requisition when that person moves on. This can be very
frustrating to have your candidates screened out in the final interview, because the hiring
manager wants skills not listed on the requisition. Ask the hiring manager to review the
requisition and determine what percentage of the time is spent on each area of responsibility. If
a specific skill or experience is utilized less than 5% of the time this should be part of their wish
list rather than a required minimum skill. Finally, determine if additional minimum requirements
need to be added to the requisition due to upgrades in technology, changes in priorities, or new
management. If the hiring manager requests additional skills or experience they may need to
consider a higher salary range. Core competencies, on the other hand, are a company's unique
characteristics or capabilities that provide a competitive advantage in the marketplace, deliver
value to customers, and contribute to the organizational growth. Individuals you recruit must
identify and align with the company culture, values, and current team so they can thrive. The
key is to match your candidate's core competencies with those of your company. For example, if
your company is known to hire individuals who are problem solvers will your candidate be able
to determine appropriate solutions, identify cause and effect, and focus on solutions versus
problems? If a core competency is adaptability will your candidate embrace change? Will they
deal effectively with diverse people? I've put together a handout that outlines the 10 most
commonly recognized behaviors that are critical for an employee to be successful. Download
and review the list to determine which align best with your company's core competencies. So,
before you begin your recruiting process take time to verify the minimum requirements and
core competencies of each requisition. This will greatly enhance your ability to recruit,
interview, and place the candidate with the right skills and experience, and retain them for long-
term.
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Common denominators of best hires

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- Have you ever wished there was a magic formula you could follow to find the best talent for
your hiring managers? Why not identify the common denominators of their current best hires
and recruit candidates with the exact same DNA? Not exactly a magic formula, but it will guide
your recruiting efforts to attract candidates who will be retained. You can help improve
retention by focusing on the key reasons employees become best hires and by identifying the
common denominators of a company's current best hires. The key reason best hires occur is
because candidates have a clear understanding of the job requisition and expectations. The
offer they accepted also gave them the opportunity to do what they wanted to do. They enjoy
the company culture, they align with company core values, and they like their boss. They're
provided with training and the chance for personal development. To identify common
denominators of best hires, you need the help of your hiring managers. Ask the hiring manager
to identify what makes their best hires tick and if there are any other performance indicators
they can share. Explain why knowing the DNA of their current best hires will improve your ability
to recruit the best fit who will be retained. Coach your hiring managers on possible questions to
ask, including why perspective best hires enjoy their job. Have a hiring manager pay special
attention to the candidate's accomplishments and the impact they had on past employers, as
well as their current company. Suggest they ask a simple question, why do you enjoy your job?
Finally, it's important to differentiate between the personality and character of their current
best hires. Personality is all about persona and refers to qualities and characteristics that a
candidate may project during an interview. See, a candidate with confidence and a winning
personality will interview great, but that doesn't mean they'll succeed at their new job.
Character is the mental and moral qualities that distinguish a person. Character doesn't
determine their personality or their level of intelligence, but it is a reflection of their core values
which must align with the core values of the company and culture of your hiring managers. As a
recruiter, you're always under pressure to fill open requisitions. Make the extra effort to
understand current candidate realities, key reasons and common denominators of best hires,
and the difference between personality and character. This is going to help you recruit potential
best hires who will not only be hired, but who will also be retained.
Candidate realities
- It's no secret that it's hard to find top talent. Have you ever heard the candidate shortage
referred to as the war for talent? Well, guess what, talent won. This situation has changed and
you need to understand the new realities because those realities have a major impact on your
ability to fill open requisitions. Let's talk about how to handle those realities so that you recruit
the best talent. Let's begin with the fact that candidates know their talents are in demand, and
so they're asking for more. They want to interview for more than just one opportunity. Present
them to multiple hiring managers so they have a choice of which opportunity to accept.
Because if you don't, they'll schedule additional interviews on their own. This applies to
candidates who came to you as well as candidates you recruited. Increased networking through
social media makes it easy for your candidates to confidentially reach out to their professional
and personal networks and social media contacts. They will also apply on websites and job
board postings. A candidate's ability to find opportunities on their own is one of the main
reasons you need to present them on more than one. Be prepared for your candidate's
compensation demands to increase throughout the interview process. Candidates will talk to
their family and friends who, of course, tell them they're worth so much more. They'll research
salary levels online to determine what they should be paid. And your hiring managers will make
statements like money is no object, when you and I both know money is always an object. Too
often when candidates are successful in their first and second interviews, they become a legend
in their own mind and now they have unreasonable compensation demands. So it's important
for you to close to the no on money in every conversation. You need a clear picture of what
compensation package they will accept without hesitation, and when they will say no. Be
prepared for other changes throughout the recruiting process. You're dealing with human
beings who are more connected than ever. And in addition to compensation, changes could
include their job target, location, or their initial top priorities. Start every subsequent
conversation with your candidates by asking has anything changed since the last time we
talked? In addition, top candidates will receive more than one job offer. You need to be aware of
the interviews they're scheduling on their own to help you fine tune your search efforts on their
behalf. If they're employed, your candidate will more than likely receive a counter offer from
their current employer. The counteroffer is normally their next promotion and raise so be sure
to ask up front what are the five things you'd change about your current job, if you were your
boss? The items listed that are not money and advancement will not change if they accept a
counter offer. Finally and most painful, many candidates will continue to interview even after
they've accepted a job. You don't want any surprises, so keep in touch with your candidates,
and have your hiring manager take them to lunch during their two week notice. Ask them to
refer other talent from their current company. It's also wise to check a reference of their current
employer to make sure they've actually handed in their notice. When you take time to
understand and handle these new realities, there won't be any surprises and you will recruit the
talent your hiring authorities will want to hire.
Question 1 of 2
Candidates prefer when you send them on _____ interviews.
Candidates prefer when you send them on multiple interviews.
You are correct!
Feedback
Candidates prefer to have a choice when considering a new job. If you don't book more than
one interview, chances are they will reach out to their network to book multiple interviews on
their own.
Question 2 of 2
You can improve retention by focusing on the key reasons that new employees become best
hires. What are these key reasons?
You are correct!
The candidate has a clear understanding of the job expectations; the candidate's offer gives
them the opportunity to do what they wanted to do; the candidate likes his or her boss.
Feedback
Clear job expectations, doing what a candidate enjoys doing, and working for a boss they like --
these are all key reasons for retention.
The impact of company culture and values
- Have you ever been shocked to find that the perfect fit you recruited and placed with one of
your hiring managers didn't work out? It's always frustrating when that happens, but even more
so when it's due to a misunderstanding of company culture or manager expectations.
Candidates in today's workforce are the most educated and ethnically diverse in history and
they're looking for more than compensation, they're looking for a good fit and a meaningful
career. To recruit and place new hires who will be retained you need to make sure they
understand the everyday experience of working for the company and its unique culture. Verify
that you and the hiring manager are in agreement as to what really constitutes the company
culture. Ask your hiring manager what aspects of the culture they value most. And then ask
your candidates what type of company culture they prefer. Discuss the commonalities and make
sure the candidate understands the overall culture of each company you represent. You should
also make time to learn about a company from the outside. Read the about us section of their
website and research their mission, their vision, and their values. Read the press and media
section to learn what others are saying about this company. Google I hate, then enter the name
of a company to see what complaints people have about this specific company. Look at
glassdoor.com and see if there's a company profile. Read the employee comments and review
the ratings for the company as a place to work. Next, work with your hiring managers to clearly
define expectations, not just a list of required duties and credentials. Ask your hiring managers
to share a story about an employee who did something great. Ask what really frustrates them
about an employee they supervise. And ask them to tell you a few hero stories. Then verify that
your candidate understands what it will take for them to align with those expectations.
Understanding the expectations and values of your hiring authority will prevent you from
placing another candidate that does not align with their needs and expectations. Finally,
throughout your recruiting process continue to determine the values of potential hires and keep
in mind that an individual's true values are easier to detect during casual conversations held
after the initial interview when they're less guarded. In this recruiting profession you are judged
on the retention of the talent you place. When you recruit candidates who are a cultural and
value fit you will help build a team of like-minded individuals who will help your hiring
authorities attain their company goals and objectives.
Greatest challenges
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- Have you ever had a candidate ask questions you couldn't answer? There's no faster way to
lose credibility than not have an answer. If you want the opportunity to represent this
candidate, you must take the time to learn the challenges, career path and selling points of each
opportunity that you present. There are issues and challenges in every job and most candidates
appreciate knowing what those are before they accept an offer. Candidates are often
interviewing with multiple companies and they want to uncover the differentiators between
companies and opportunities. You need to be ready to share this information. So before you
begin recruiting or interviewing perspective candidates, spend time uncovering the greatest
challenges of the opportunities you represent. One of your candidates might lose interest in a
position because of the impending challenges while another could view the challenges as
opportunities to excel. Preparing your candidate for the challenges up front prevents them from
being blind sided and sets them up for success. It also helps improve the retention of the
individuals you place which impacts your reputation. Next, take time to understand and share
the possible career path of each position. There are interesting differences between candidates
of different age groups. For example, millennials list the potential career path as one of their
highest priorities. Many of the candidates not only want to know about the current opportunity,
they want to know what they can look forward to in the future. Ask your hiring managers to
explain the possible career path of each requisition. If you want your hiring managers to take
their time to share this information with you, they need to understand how it benefits them.
Explain that you are recruiting top talent who are interested in advancement and the potential
career path. Of course, when you talk with candidates, it's important not to guarantee
advancement because additional responsibility and raises are based on individual performance.
However, it's wise to understand the various options that might be available for your candidates
when you're asked. There's another advantage to understanding the possible career paths. If
your candidate is on the fence when considering a job offer, the potential career path could
entice them to accept your opportunity versus other offers they might be considering. Finally,
ask your hiring manager for unique selling points. Your candidates want to know more than the
basic information they find on the web. If I asked you why should someone be excited about the
opportunities that you're representing, could you answer with unique selling points? Your hiring
manager can share inside information and success stories that show why someone should be
excited about their opportunity. They know what makes them, their company, the job and the
team unique. For example, one of our hiring managers occasionally allowed his employees to
leave early, but clock out at five o'clock. We were told that this improved attendance, retention
and happiness on the job. When he agreed that we could share this information in our
recruiting process, it was easy to attract the best candidates. This was a great selling point. Who
doesn't want to work in a happy environment? You're judged on your ability to recruit and place
the best talent. You will be more successful when you take time to learn the challenges, career
path and selling points of each opportunity.
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Solicit directives from hiring authority

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- There is enormous pressure to fill the requisitions of your hiring managers not only fast but
with the best talent. You can save yourself a tremendous amount of recruiting time with
targeting directives from your hiring authorities. All companies have an established reputation,
and most hiring managers who've been in their profession for a number of years have opinions
about certain companies. If your hiring manager doesn't respect a company, chances are they
won't interview or hire someone who's been working there. Knowing that before you begin to
recruit can save you a tremendous amount of time. On the other side of the equation, are the
companies that are the most respected by your hiring manager. These companies are often
found on the lists of best companies to work for, and when you recruit candidates from one of
these companies, your hiring manager's interest will definitely be piqued. I've actually had
hiring managers provide me with specific directives about competitors they wanted me to
target. In those situations, they've also provided me with information that they felt would help
attract those candidates to their job. Obviously, these directives greatly simplify the sourcing
and recruiting process. To take this one step further, hiring managers often know a specific
person they'd like to hire. If they share this specific directive with you and you recruit that
person, the likelihood of filling their opportunity is quite frankly a slam dunk. If the job
represents that person's next logical career move, they're often interested because most
individuals do not intend to retire from their current company. If the individual your hiring
manager wanted is not interested, they usually know people who possess their same skills.
Most of the time, they're willing to refer these individuals if you have positioned yourself as an
expert in their professional network. Targeting directives are like having a GPS to the candidates
you need to surface in order to fill requisitions. Explain to your hiring managers that you don't
want to waste their time and that targeting directives are going to help you fine-tune your
search efforts. Imagine how much easier it will be to fill your open requisitions when you know
what companies or individuals to target and which ones to avoid. Once your hiring managers
understand how giving additional directives benefits them, they'll provide you with the
information, and you'll be able to fill your requisitions more efficiently with the talent that's
more likely to be hired.
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Question 1 of 2
When you ask your hiring managers for directives, they will often provide you with this kind of
lead.
When you ask your hiring managers for directives, they will often provide you with this kind of
lead.

You are correct!

companies they most respect

companies they do not respect

individuals they would like you to target

Feedback
They want to provide you with as much information as possible so you can attract the best
candidates.

Question 2 of 2
Understanding the expectations and values of your hiring authorities will prevent you from
_____.
Understanding the expectations and values of your hiring authorities will prevent you from
placing a candidate that does not align with their needs .
You are correct!
Feedback
In addition to job specs, clarifying the expectations and values of a company helps you make a
better matching candidates.

Uncover internal candidates

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- How many times have you spent hours, days, or weeks working on a requisition only to
experience the frustration of an internal candidate being hired? It's happened to all of us, so
you need to be able to determine when to work on a requisition where there is an internal
candidate and when to walk away. Losing out to an internal candidate is just as frustrating for
in-house recruiters as it is for recruiters who work for a staffing or recruiting firm. The challenge
is that most companies don't know whether an internal candidate will apply. Some companies
post positions internally first and then they post them on their websites, but don't begin the
hiring process until they see what resumes they receive. Resumes are given to their in-house
recruiters, who then screen the candidates and present them to the hiring manager. In theory
this process gives no advantage to the internal candidates. When or if the position is shared
with an external depends on the quality of the candidates they surface on their own. As a
recruiter you know that's not really true. Internal candidates have a great advantage over
external candidates, because they know the company culture and values, they have inside
information, they know the systems and processes, they understand the management style, and
they know how the company resolves problems. Most importantly, they have a track record of
success with the company, or they wouldn't be considered. Other times the hiring manager is in
a hurry to get their position filled, so they give it to their in-house and external recruiters at the
same time. It's still a chance for you to recruit. The internal transfer process might be lengthy
and the hiring manager has an immediate need, there might be an internal candidate, but
internal politics that keeps that person in their current job, or perhaps the hiring manager
shares that they're obligated to interview internal candidates, but none will be considered for
their opportunity. Keep in mind that there are times when your recruiting efforts in interviews
are a huge waste of time. Chances are that from the beginning your gut was telling you not to
work this recruit. The hiring manager knows who they want to hire and wrote the job
description specifically for that person, but they need to interview additional candidates to
justify their decision. This is a waste of time for you and for the outside candidates who
interviewed for the job. Walk away from this requisition. It doesn't make any sense to waste
your time or your candidate's time when there is almost no chance of getting hired. You have a
desk full of unfilled requisitions that are real opportunities. Spend your time booking those
interviews for your candidates. If you're an in-house recruiter internal policies may require you
to recruit on requisitions with internal candidates. Stay focused and as much as possible put
your effort into requisitions where there is no internal candidate. If you work for a staffing and
recruiting firm you do not want to recruit where there is a strong internal candidate. Your
candidates will just end up being used for comparisons and that's a waste of your time and
theirs. Focus on the requisition where there is no strong internal candidates and help your
recruits get hired.
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Were any candidates screened out?

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- Are you ever frustrated by the number of qualified candidates who were screened out by your
hiring managers? You and I both know it's impossible to disclose a person's personality, their
demeanor, their attitude and core values on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper. However, hiring
managers often screen out your candidates based on the information on their resume or CV. In
recruiting, nothing happens unless you get your candidates in front of your hiring authority. So,
let me suggest a few ways to avoid losing top quality candidates just because they look less
imperfect on paper. First, make sure you're given the opportunity to verbally present your
candidates. Objections are a request for more information which is why the verbal presentation
is critical to your success. Your goal is to overcome any concerns or objections and schedule an
interview. After years of getting frustrated when my candidates were screened out, I asked one
of my hiring managers, could you put your work history, personality, values, and
accomplishments on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper? And of course, they responded, well no. So
I said, neither can I, so let me send you a walking, talking resume by scheduling an interview for
my candidate, and it worked. Next, find out if the hiring manager has already interviewed and
screened out potential candidates. This is something you need to know before you begin your
recruiting efforts. Think about it, if they had strong contenders, they would not have involved
you in the recruiting process. So, ask two questions, have you done any interviewing on your
own to fill this position? And what was missing from the candidates you screened out? The
answer to this second question will reveal where you should focus your efforts. You need to
attract and present candidates who have the credentials that were missing from candidates
your interviewing manager interviewed and rejected. You will almost always discover that the
missing credentials, the skills, values, personality, or other areas are not listed in the job
requisition. The hiring manager doesn't even realize they're screening out candidates that are a
100% fit for the specifications on the original requisition. When you don't ask these questions,
you could find someone you believe to be the perfect candidate only to have them screened out
for the same reasons. Getting this information proves to your hiring manager that you're being
thorough and will prevent you from wasting our time, your candidate's time, and your hiring
manager's time. When hiring managers share what was missing from prior candidates they've
interviewed, you're both on the same page. As a result, you will recruit candidates who will be
interviewed and hired.
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Find how many candidates are in the process

- Think of all the time you've wasted working on requisitions that were filled without you. Think
of all the work you did, only to be told the job was filled before you submitted even one
qualified candidate. Well, I'm going to share three things you can do to help avoid wasting all
that time and effort. The first thing to do when you accept a requisition is to ask how many
candidates are already in the interviewing process. This will help you determine if any strong
external or internal candidates are being considered. You don't want to waste your time focused
on a specific requisition if your candidates are only going to be comparison candidates used to
justify hiring someone else. Then, you need to delve deeper. It's not enough just to know that
there are candidates in the process. Ask questions to reveal if any of these candidates are
strongly being considered, or is even close to an offer. When you ask about their level of
interest, quantify the answer by using numbers. Get specific, ask, "on a scale of one to 10, "10
being the highest, what is your level of interest "in the candidates you've interviewed?"
Numbers don't lie and they will provide you with a clear picture of the situation. Next, find out if
the candidates have just completed a screening interview or if they're coming back for a third or
fourth time. If they have a candidate who has been through multiple interviews and is
scheduled with the hiring managers, chances are you don't have time to surface additional
candidates for this opportunity. Your time will be better spent recruiting for a different
requisition. However, if you are required to recruit even when there are candidates in the
process, ask two additional questions. "What are the strengths "of the candidates already
interviewed?" And "what is missing," or are, "weaknesses of the candidates already
interviewed?" Then, quickly recruit candidates who have the strengths of the candidates
already in the process and the strengths where current candidates are weak. If the hiring
managers share specific skills or credentials that are missing, add those to the job requisition so
your candidates will stand out. You only have a certain number of hours in your career to
succeed. By knowing what candidates are already in the process and if any are close to an
interview, you can make informed decisions about what requisitions deserve your focus. More
importantly, you are judged on your ability to fill requisitions for your hiring managers. Knowing
where to focus will give you the best chance of successfully surfacing talent that will be hired.
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Recruit to fill a department weakness

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- Sometimes hiring managers freak out when an employee quits. But don't sweat it. There are
things you can do upfront to refine your search and provide results fast. Help your hiring
managers realize that everyone is replaceable. Encourage them to wish the employee well but
this is also an opportunity for them to improve their team with their next hire. When a manager
is caught off-guard by an employee quitting, they'll often focus on duplicating the profile of the
person who left. They want to hire someone as soon as possible versus hiring someone who
would most complement their current team. That's when you need to step in and help. Take
time to ask your hiring manager to identify possible weaknesses in their company or
department. Then, before you begin your recruiting efforts, urge your hiring manager to ask
their current team for input. How does this vacancy provide an opportunity to do things better?
Often the team will reveal weaknesses in the department because they're dealing with issues
and challenges on a daily basis. Your hiring manager may not have even been aware of the gaps.
Knowing this information will change the requisition you're given and will help direct your
recruiting efforts. You'll be able to focus on recruiting candidates with the additional skills and
experience to fill the gap or current weaknesses of the team. Hiring managers are busy people
but if you could help them understand the benefit of this process, the what's in it for them, they
will realize that it's time well spent. They'll understand that this information will help you help
them. You will be able to recruit candidates who are strong where their current team is weak
and this will result in a faster hire and improve the manager's ability to hit their goals and
achieve their objectives.
Question 1 of 2
Why should you urge your hiring manager to ask their current team for input?
You are correct!
The current team will reveal weaknesses in the department since they deal daily with issues and
challenges.
Feedback
You want your candidate to help solve issues and challenges which are easily identified by the
current team who are dealing with them on a daily basis.

Question 2 of 2
If there are internal candidates for a position, your recruiting efforts could be _____.
If there are internal candidates for a position, your recruiting efforts could be a waste of your
time .

You are correct!

Feedback
If they are near a decision, you want to focus on other jobs where there is little or no coverage.
Internal Candidates usually have an advantage and end up getting hired. You need to clarify on a
scale of 1 to 10 how interested the company is in the internal candidate.
Target date to fill
- Having 20 conflicting top priorities pretty accurately describes a day in the life of most
recruiters. You're usually working simultaneously for several hiring managers who all feel their
open requisition should be your top priority. They not only want you to recruit the best talent
available, they want it fast. Think about this. How would your situation change if you asked
hiring managers for the specific date when the job actually needs to be filled? When it comes to
recruiting, timing is everything, so let me share with you why it's important to determine a
specific target date for all of your requisitions. One reason to ask hiring managers for a specific
target date is to help you determine which requisitions should be your top priority. It helps you
focus on what needs to be done, rather than giving into the temptation to work on requisitions
from your favorite hiring manager, or the most demanding. The target date also serves as your
guide for the timing of your recruiting efforts. Timing is a critical component of recruiting, and
can have a positive or a negative impact on your ability to successfully fill requisitions. If you
begin your recruiting process too early, you could lose the candidates you surface. Once you
have piqued a candidate's interest in a position, they expect you to schedule an interview in a
relatively short time frame. They often interpret the delay as a lack of interest and withdraw
themselves from consideration. If you wait too long before you begin, you might not have time
to recruit talent, check references, present the candidates you've surfaced, and successfully fill
the requisition. Obtaining a target date to fill is even more critical when a hiring manager
provides you with multiple requisitions. All requisitions are not created equal, and obtaining
target dates will give you a clear picture of which requisitions are top priorities. This also forces
your hiring manager to step back and think about which of their openings are top priority. This
information provides you with directives of which requisition to work first. Finally, obtaining a
target date can help you determine when certain requisitions are not a top priority for your
hiring manager. If they don't provide a target date, but instead say things like, "When you
surface the right person, we will hire," or, "We have someone currently covering the job, "but
need to start interviewing," or, "We have a few internal candidates, "but would like to see what
else is out there." Then these are not the hottest requisitions that need to be filled. If you've
never asked your hiring managers for a specific target date, they may hesitate to provide you
with one. You'll need to explain the tremendous impact that timing has on your ability to recruit
the best talent for their jobs. When you ask for a specific target date, you're obtaining the
commitment of the hiring manager. They are agreeing to give certain requisitions their
undivided attention in order to fill the requisition by the specific date. Yes, asking for a target
date is one more thing you need to do when obtaining requisitions, but it guarantees you'll have
your priorities in order, and be able to meet the many demands for the best talent at the right
time.
Target date to fill
- Having 20 conflicting top priorities pretty accurately describes a day in the life of most
recruiters. You're usually working simultaneously for several hiring managers who all feel their
open requisition should be your top priority. They not only want you to recruit the best talent
available, they want it fast. Think about this. How would your situation change if you asked
hiring managers for the specific date when the job actually needs to be filled? When it comes to
recruiting, timing is everything, so let me share with you why it's important to determine a
specific target date for all of your requisitions. One reason to ask hiring managers for a specific
target date is to help you determine which requisitions should be your top priority. It helps you
focus on what needs to be done, rather than giving into the temptation to work on requisitions
from your favorite hiring manager, or the most demanding. The target date also serves as your
guide for the timing of your recruiting efforts. Timing is a critical component of recruiting, and
can have a positive or a negative impact on your ability to successfully fill requisitions. If you
begin your recruiting process too early, you could lose the candidates you surface. Once you
have piqued a candidate's interest in a position, they expect you to schedule an interview in a
relatively short time frame. They often interpret the delay as a lack of interest and withdraw
themselves from consideration. If you wait too long before you begin, you might not have time
to recruit talent, check references, present the candidates you've surfaced, and successfully fill
the requisition. Obtaining a target date to fill is even more critical when a hiring manager
provides you with multiple requisitions. All requisitions are not created equal, and obtaining
target dates will give you a clear picture of which requisitions are top priorities. This also forces
your hiring manager to step back and think about which of their openings are top priority. This
information provides you with directives of which requisition to work first. Finally, obtaining a
target date can help you determine when certain requisitions are not a top priority for your
hiring manager. If they don't provide a target date, but instead say things like, "When you
surface the right person, we will hire," or, "We have someone currently covering the job, "but
need to start interviewing," or, "We have a few internal candidates, "but would like to see what
else is out there." Then these are not the hottest requisitions that need to be filled. If you've
never asked your hiring managers for a specific target date, they may hesitate to provide you
with one. You'll need to explain the tremendous impact that timing has on your ability to recruit
the best talent for their jobs. When you ask for a specific target date, you're obtaining the
commitment of the hiring manager. They are agreeing to give certain requisitions their
undivided attention in order to fill the requisition by the specific date. Yes, asking for a target
date is one more thing you need to do when obtaining requisitions, but it guarantees you'll have
your priorities in order, and be able to meet the many demands for the best talent at the right
time.
Understand details of the interview process
- Hiring managers are constantly adding extra steps to the interview process. Unfortunately, this
means it will take longer to obtain a potential job offer, and you might lose your front runner
candidates. Timing is a critical element of recruiting. If you've done your job right, you've
verified specs on the requisition, received input from everyone in the hiring process, obtained a
specific target date to fill the requisition, and asked for interviewing times up front. Now, you
need to discuss the details of the interview process. Hiring managers are constantly upgrading
their interview process to improve retention of new hires. You can't assume the process is the
same as it was the last time you recruited for a specific hiring manager. You also can't assume
that every hiring manager follows an identical interview process, even if they work for the same
company. Understanding the details of the interview process is an important element in the
recruiting process. This is information you will share with potential hires who want to know
what to expect. New steps in the interview process often require candidates to take
assessments, and to give their permission for background and credit checks. Some hiring
managers test computer literacy by web-based testing, while others request a portfolio which
includes samples of your candidate's work, and proves their abilities. Stay in contact with the
hiring manager throughout the recruiting, interviewing, and hiring process. Confirm any
changes, and communicate them to your candidates right away. Your candidates are
professionals who understand that processes can fluctuate. Present changes in a positive way,
and you'll probably find that your candidates are willing to go with the flow. Changes can
include an additional interview, or the replacement of those involved in the hiring process.
When this happens, it is important that you show your candidate how this extra step, or new
person, will enhance their chances of being hired. The most important thing is for you to ask
questions and stay informed of any changes. The minute you feel confident that you know the
hiring process is exactly when your hiring manager will make changes. Your candidates take
their lead from you. Be the person who embraces change. The end result will be improved
hiring, and long-term retention of top talent.
The problem with unfilled roles
- Think about the last time you were asked to recruit for a job that had been open for an
extended period of time. Did you ask yourself if recruiting for this job was best use of your
time? Did you wonder how the hiring manager is handling the problems caused by the job being
open for so long? Before you begin to recruit for this requisition, you need to understand the
problems caused by an unfilled role. If you request a target date to fill an unfilled role, pay
special attention to the answer you receive. The hiring manager will often respond by saying,
"when you find the right person, we'll interview them." In this response, the hiring manager
said they would interview your candidates, but they never said when they expect to hire. When
you initially speak to a hiring manager, it is important to ask about problems caused by the open
job. If your hiring manager doesn't reveal any problems or issues, there may not be any urgency
to fill the job. Try to determine the specific reason the job has been open so long. It is normally
due to one of two possible scenarios. The first reason is usually because the work is being done
by the current team. As a result, the hiring manager has reduced payroll costs by delaying the
process to hire a replacement. Now, there are two reasons this scenario could rapidly change. If
the employees covering the extra work are not doing a good job, the decreased quality is more
costly than the money saved on payroll, and as a result, recruiting for this open job becomes a
priority. In addition, the members of a team are usually more than willing to cover a vacated job
while a replacement is hired. However, if they feel they're being taken advantage of or if they
see no serious attempt to fill the position, their attitudes can quickly change. When other team
members voice their dissatisfaction or threaten to quit, filling the job immediately goes from
the back burner to the front burner. The second reason for a job being vacant for a long time is
usually the lack of top talent in the job market. The job may be in a field where the demand for
talent outweighs the supply. If you're working on this type of requisition, you need to add
networking and indirect recruiting to your normal ways of attracting talent. Chances are you'll
solve this problem by recruiting someone who is currently working, but open to a new
opportunity. In recruiting, you are judged by the number of requisitions you actually fill, not
how many you work. Take time to ask your hiring managers to identify problems or issues as a
result of their unfilled jobs so you'll know which jobs give you the greatest chance of success.
Don't underestimate the impact that timing has on your success. Knowing which requisitions
actually deserve your valuable time and efforts will help you consistently grow and succeed.
Question 1 of 2
Changes in the interview process can include additional interviews, replacement of individuals
involved in the hiring process, and _____.
Changes in the interview process can include additional interviews, replacement of individuals
involved in the hiring process, and the addition of assessment or credit checks .

You are correct!

Feedback
Assessments and credit checks can become part of the interview process.

Next question
Question 2 of 2
If you obtain a specific target date for a new hire, what can this help you to determine?
You are correct!
• how committed the hiring manager is to start interviewing
• which requisitions are top priorities
• the overall timing for your recruiting efforts
Feedback
Timing is critical in recruiting which is why determining what jobs are top priorities, knowing
when the hiring managers will interview and determining when to begin your recruiting efforts
are all important.
How to find the best candidates
- If you want to successfully fill our requisitions, you not only need to know how to identify the
best candidates, you also need to know where to find them. Begin by making a list of all
common titles that are used for job requisitions. If the job you're working on is a talent
acquisition manager, other titles could include HR generalist, HR manager, or talent acquisitions
specialist. Then, identify other companies who employ individuals with the same title you're
targeting and search for those employees. Keep in mind that titles differ greatly from one
company to another and often reflect the size of the company. Candidates from a smaller
company may have a more elevated title than those from larger companies, so research their
job titles using keywords. Think of the keywords that would be used with the job titles you
listed. These are the words you would expect to find in a candidates resume or CV, or in their
online profile. Find out where these individuals hang out online. Research the appropriate
LinkedIn and Facebook groups, what blogs do they read, what Google+ communities do your
targeted candidates engage with? Your hiring managers and other candidates can also help you
identify additional sites where your targeted candidates may be having conversations. Review
the LinkedIn profiles of some of your targets and see what groups they support. Use other social
networks like Twitter, Instagram, and Quora to help identify your targeted audience. Sites like
Meetup and EventBrite will help you identify networking events. If you have an advertising
budget, you may decide to advertise on job boards. If this is an option, do your homework to
determine which job boards will provide you with the best return on investment. You're often
better off advertising on a niche job board that has a smaller, but targeted audience. Keep in
mind that candidates responding to job board ads only read what they can do and ignore what
they can't do. It is a waste of your precious time to interview candidates who don't have the
credentials requested by your hiring managers. If you're an in-house recruiter and you have a
budget to use staffing or recruiting firms for your hard to fill positions, identify firms that
specialize in your market or industry. They'll have the best chance to provide you with the top
candidates. It's important to remember that every requisition can represent a different target,
which is challenging, but it also prevents your job from ever being boring. Determine your best
targets before you begin sourcing candidates. You'll save time and recruit the best fit for your
hiring managers.
How to find the best candidates
Selecting transcript lines in this section will navigate to timestamp in the video
- If you want to successfully fill our requisitions, you not only need to know how to identify the
best candidates, you also need to know where to find them. Begin by making a list of all
common titles that are used for job requisitions. If the job you're working on is a talent
acquisition manager, other titles could include HR generalist, HR manager, or talent acquisitions
specialist. Then, identify other companies who employ individuals with the same title you're
targeting and search for those employees. Keep in mind that titles differ greatly from one
company to another and often reflect the size of the company. Candidates from a smaller
company may have a more elevated title than those from larger companies, so research their
job titles using keywords. Think of the keywords that would be used with the job titles you
listed. These are the words you would expect to find in a candidates resume or CV, or in their
online profile. Find out where these individuals hang out online. Research the appropriate
LinkedIn and Facebook groups, what blogs do they read, what Google+ communities do your
targeted candidates engage with? Your hiring managers and other candidates can also help you
identify additional sites where your targeted candidates may be having conversations. Review
the LinkedIn profiles of some of your targets and see what groups they support. Use other social
networks like Twitter, Instagram, and Quora to help identify your targeted audience. Sites like
Meetup and EventBrite will help you identify networking events. If you have an advertising
budget, you may decide to advertise on job boards. If this is an option, do your homework to
determine which job boards will provide you with the best return on investment. You're often
better off advertising on a niche job board that has a smaller, but targeted audience. Keep in
mind that candidates responding to job board ads only read what they can do and ignore what
they can't do. It is a waste of your precious time to interview candidates who don't have the
credentials requested by your hiring managers. If you're an in-house recruiter and you have a
budget to use staffing or recruiting firms for your hard to fill positions, identify firms that
specialize in your market or industry. They'll have the best chance to provide you with the top
candidates. It's important to remember that every requisition can represent a different target,
which is challenging, but it also prevents your job from ever being boring. Determine your best
targets before you begin sourcing candidates. You'll save time and recruit the best fit for your
hiring managers.
How to book 100% of your candidates
- I'd like you to answer three important questions. How many candidates have you presented to
hiring managers in just the past 90 days? How many of those candidates did you actually book
on interviews? And how many of your candidates have been hired? Your primary goal is to
schedule interviews for your candidates with your hiring managers, so I want to share some
techniques to help you schedule 100% of the candidates you present. It has always amazed me
how many recruiters present five or six candidates to their hiring managers and settle for only
booking a few. You should expect to book 100%. It begins when you receive the requisition. Set
expectations for your hiring managers. Let them know what they should expect from you and
what you need from them in order to recruit candidates that they will hire. The hiring manager's
response to your offer is no different than any other objection. It is your job to surface talent
that meets the requirements of our requisitions. Present them in a way that's desirable to your
hiring manager, and then sell back in any candidate who is screened out the initial interview
process. When you are selling a candidate back in, stress their accomplishments and the impact
of their accomplishments on past employers. Focus on what differentiates the candidates you're
presenting from other individuals you've interviewed and screened out. Discuss the credentials
requested and give specific examples of how your candidate is a match. Quote information
you've received from references of past employers who have first-hand knowledge of your
candidate. If you have identified your hiring manager's hot buttons, use them to demonstrate
why this candidate is a great match for their opportunity. If you feel strongly about a particular
candidate, provide a personal recommendation. At the same time, it's not important that you
personally like the candidates you represent. I've placed many candidates that I didn't like at all,
but my clients loved them. If your candidate has the skills, experience, and stability requested,
do everything you can to book an interview for them. You'll schedule more interviews if you
embrace the idea, when in doubt, send them out. Now, I'm not suggesting that you present
candidates who are unqualified or marginal, because that wastes everybody's time. However,
when you have recruited high-level talent, it's your job to get them in front of your hiring
managers. After 30 years as a recruiter, my hiring managers still surprise me with their hiring
decisions. So often, paperwork does not accurately define the individual that you have
interviewed. If there is any hesitation on your part, check references up front to verify the
credentials, work ethic, and experience of your candidates. You can quote the references during
your presentation to your hiring authorities to help sell your candidate's back in. Finally, never
underestimate the importance of establishing a strong working relationship with your hiring
managers. You will dramatically increase your ability to book 100% of your candidates when you
and your hiring managers have great rapport.
Get feedback
- Have you ever thought you had the perfect candidate only to have them screened out in the
initial interview? You then wonder who to present next, because quite frankly, you sent in your
best candidate first. When you debriefed your candidate, they were confident they could do the
job. They were very interested in the position, and thought the interview went well. They said
there were no areas of concern. Then, you talk to the hiring manager, and now you're
wondering if they were in the same interview. It's essential to get specific feedback from your
hiring manager after every interview. It's not enough to be told the candidate wasn't a fit. You
need to know why your candidate was screened out. You can't fine tune your search process if
you don't know what you missed. Many hiring managers say they don't provide detailed
negative feedback because when they do recruiters get defensive. It's important for you to
realize that it's not your job to agree or disagree with your hiring managers. Your job is to
determine exactly what type of candidate the manager wants, and then present those
candidates. For you to do your job, the hiring manager must understand the benefit of providing
detailed information. Your hiring managers expect you to send in qualified candidates. Explain
that receiving their feedback after a first interview reveals the type of person that they'll hire.
Ask about the strengths and weaknesses of your candidate. Ask if your candidate possessed the
skills and experience that would enable them to do the job. Ask about your candidate's fit with
the company culture and current team. The hiring managers will determine who they like and
who will fit in best with their current team which is why their feedback is critical to your
success. In addition, make sure you debrief every candidate who was interviewed. It is often the
candidate with the lowest level of interest who provides you with the best information. Ask your
candidates if the hiring manager described the opportunity the same way you did. Ask what
they liked most, and what did they like least about the opportunity. Have them rate their
interest level on a scale of one to 10 to quantify their answer. Your candidate's feedback can tell
you about changes that have occurred without your knowledge, and help you identify the good,
bad, and ugly of an opportunity. The information that you obtain will help you prep future
candidates before their interview. Your goal in obtaining feedback from both your hiring
managers, and candidates, is to constantly fine tune your recruiting process so you don't waste
your time, the time of your hiring manager, or that of future candidates. Write your hiring
manager, and candidate, feedback on a standardized debrief form so you consistently ask the
same questions. You can also refer back to their answers when you're prepping additional
candidates. I've included a sample debrief form for both your hiring managers, and candidates,
in the exercise files. Finally, you owe it to yourself and the people you represent to obtain
thorough feedback. This will prove to your hiring manager that you care enough to fine tune
your recruiting efforts in order to present top talent that they will want to hire.
Question 1 of 1
Specific feedback from your hiring managers after each interview helps you fine tune your
_____.
Specific feedback from your hiring managers after each interview helps you fine tune your
search process .
You are correct!
Feedback
Specific feedback helps you tine tune your search efforts based on what is missing or what they
would improve to candidates interviewed to date.

Next steps
- We've talked about a lot of different things, and I know you want to put them all into practice
right now, but just start with one. If you make one change every month for the next three
months, you will see tremendous results. Start by talking to your hiring managers. Contact the
hiring managers for each of your open recs. Use the suggestions from this course and ask them
for more information about their opportunities. And remember, we all want to know what's in it
for me. So, be sure to talk about the benefits they will enjoy when they share more information.
If you'd like to learn more about recruiting, I have several courses on this site, including
Recruiting Fundamentals, Technical Recruiting, and Talent Sourcing. Take a look, I'm sure you'll
find a lot of helpful information. Now, I want to hear from you, so let's keep in touch. Connect
with me on LinkedIn or visit my website and send me an email, or sign up for my free, no BS
newsletter. Thank you for watching and congratulations on completing the course. I look
forward to hearing your success stories.