Moving the needle again on talent acquisition
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If it seems like you are a little stuck with your talent acquisition efforts, you are not alone. Many companies entered the fourth quarter with renewed projects or a production push for the end of the year, only to find they don’t have the talent they need.
Normally I would remind you that this is the result of poor planning, however, I think enough has been written about how decimated HR and talent acquisitions staffs are as a result of the Great Depression. So, even if you planned, it probably didn’t work out the way you thought it would.
Instead, let me offer some inspiration or in other words, light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.
Don’t be Afraid to Try Something New
My first words of inspiration are simple: Just try. There are many different approaches to talent acquisition, however, there’s not one silver bullet for everyone and certainly not one for every situation out there. Why not try something new or limited in scope to get things moving?
If you are looking to hire a larger number of people, why not try a project recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) engagement and see how it goes. Maybe it’s just for a particular project or location.
For contingent labor, talk your vendors about changes in your needs. I’m going to assume that for most companies, this year is not like last year (at least I hope not) and next year will be different too. Is it time for a Managed Staffing Provider (MSP)? Do you need to re-evaluate your staffing supply chain?
Ask is a Verb
As we all know, verbs are action words and by starting to ask questions, you are by definition, taking action. Do a quick analysis of your contingent labor usage, or ask managers to forecast their needs for the next two weeks, two months or two years. These may lead to some productive discussions about what will be needed in the short term or long term. Sometimes just asking the question triggers another question or an “ah ha” moment where they forgot that project that starts at the beginning of the year.
Once you have some data to work with, then you can prioritize. What you are trying to do is to figure out what you can and can’t do. Once you know that, refer to step one above; try something in some of those areas you can’t do right now.
Planning is Motivating
Lastly, as you are going through this process, think about what plans you need to make and start gathering information. Let managers know you are planning and thinking about talent acquisition. This will either get them to work with you in anticipation of having their jobs filled, or for some who may oppose change, they will start to think about what they are doing (right or wrong) and start to formulate their plans to not conform to your plans. Either way, things are moving.
The goal should be to “wake up” your talent acquisition efforts and at least see the needle moving. Ideally, you should strive to have multiple talent acquisition strategies that can move the needle in any given area when you need it. That doesn’t happen overnight, but once you get moving, you should increasingly add to your toolbox of strategies each time you try something new.
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