How Does Recruitment Process Outsourcing Work?: The Mechanics of RPO

It’s time to optimize your hiring processes and gain a competitive edge in talent acquisition and consider recruitment process outsourcing (RPO). 

As more hiring teams become stretched thin due to fluctuating hiring demands, organizations have been leveraging RPO services. But what does that process look like? Here we’ll outline how it works and what it’ll mean for you and your organization. 

What is Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)?

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is the hiring of a third-party talent acquisition specialist that acts as an in-house recruiter for your business. It provides efficiency and flexibility to the recruitment process—freeing up HR professionals of administrative burdens and delivering a seamless, high-touch experience for job candidates. 

An RPO partnership usually costs less than hiring new members to your HR team and the solutions can be customized in order to be scaled up or down depending on your needs. And since these providers keep your talent pipeline full of viable candidates, you can hire top talent faster than working through an agency to ensure your internal processes aren’t interrupted. 

Understanding How Recruitment Process Outsourcing Works

Transparency within the RPO process makes it easier to find the right provider and ensures everyone is aligned with partnership expectations and KPIs. 

Initial Assessment and Understanding Business Needs

The RPO provider kicks off the partnership by conducting an in-depth analysis of the client’s recruitment needs, culture, and objectives. Gathering this data from the beginning is the key to success. Obtaining the client’s organizational structure, hiring volumes, job roles, and any additional specific requirements help to inform the different hiring processes that will be needed. 

Customized Recruitment Strategy Development

The data collected during the initial assessment is then leveraged to create a customized strategy that’s been tailored to a client’s unique needs. It’s here where the understanding of a client’s employer brand, target talent pool, sourcing channels, and selection criteria is used to develop an effective recruitment plan.

Sourcing and Attracting Candidates

Based on a client’s strategy, the RPO provider will employ various talent-sourcing techniques in order to find the perfect methodology. This could mean utilizing online job boards, social media platforms, talent databases, professional networks, or a combination of these in order to identify and attract qualified candidates. 

Some RPO providers might use innovative recruitment technologies like applicant tracking systems (ATS) and artificial intelligence (AI) tools to streamline candidate sourcing and improve efficiency. Combining automation with a provider’s experience means they can find better candidates, faster.

Screening and Selection Process

Once your RPO provider compiles a list of potential candidates they’ll begin the initial screening process. This usually means a short phone interview to ensure they’re suitable leads that can be passed to hiring managers. Providers can also conduct aptitude tests. A client’s RPO provider will then collaborate with hiring managers to ensure alignment and facilitate the final candidate selection process.

Onboarding and Integration 

It’s important to find an RPO provider that works to provide seamless integration between themselves, the client’s HR team, and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition for the newly hired employees.

When you choose PREDICTIVEHR as your RPO provider, we facilitate the onboarding process while operating seamlessly with your internal team. Our recruiters prepare employment contracts, conduct background checks, and coordinate the necessary paperwork.

The Benefits of Recruitment Process Outsourcing Services

There are numerous advantages your organization can gain from outsourcing your recruitment and selection process. Mainly, an RPO partnership usually costs less than hiring new members to your HR team or working with an agency. Plus, you get access to their specialized expertise via a scalable and flexible agreement. And you can reduce the time required to hire a new employee by 55%.

PREDICTIVEHR as Your RPO Provider 

RPO is perfect for any organization dealing with hiring fluctuations and stresses. As opposed to bringing on a permanent member of staff for a momentary influx in demand, RPOs bring scalability to the process and variability to costs. They’re often structured based on hiring needs instead of a base figure.

PREDICTIVEHR’s industry-leading recruitment process outsourcing solutions focus on methodology, measurable results, and flexible solutions for every step of the hiring process. Short-term or long-term, we help get the employees you need to achieve all your talent acquisition goals. Get a full view of what PREDICTIVEHR can do for your business.

 

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What Are the Benefits of Outsourcing Recruitment and Selection Processes?

Feeling stressed about a hiring deficit and not sure you’ll be able to find highly qualified people fast enough? Rather than spending money on building out your HR department, which costs lots of time and money, why not partner with an RPO provider? They’ll handle the headache of finding the right people in just the right amount of time, so you can go back to doing what you do best. 

Understanding Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is the hiring of a third-party talent acquisition specialist that acts as an in-house recruiter for your business. It provides efficiency and flexibility to the recruitment process—freeing up HR professionals of administrative burdens and delivering a seamless, high-touch experience for job candidates. There are five key components of the recruitment and selection process that can be outsourced:

1.) Sourcing

2.) Screening

3.) Assessments

4.) Interviews 

5.) And onboarding

When searching for the right RPO provider for your company, it’s critical to establish a robust recruitment process outsourcing agreement to ensure alignment. It’s here where you’ll set partnership expectations and KPIs and enter into an agreement that outlines the scope of work, timeline, and service-level expectations. The provider can then manage and execute the agreed-upon recruitment tasks and responsibilities.  

Unveiling the Benefits of Outsourcing the Recruitment and Selection Process

There are numerous advantages your organization can gain from outsourcing your recruitment and selection process.

  • 1.) Cost Savings and Efficiency

An RPO partnership usually costs less than hiring new members to your HR team or working with an agency. By leveraging the expertise of an RPO professional, you’re able to expedite the hiring process and eliminate the need for an entire internal team dedicated to recruitment—thus reducing your overhead costs. 

  • 2.) Access to Specialized Expertise 

RPO providers have lots of experience running complicated projects and have extensive knowledge of their markets. By leveraging this expertise your HR teams can tap into this pool of specialized expertise, industry insights, and innovative tools. Plus, these professionals know what works and what doesn’t—so you can reach your hiring goals, faster.

  • 3.) Scalability and Flexibility

A major headache for HR teams is resource planning—hire too many recruiters and your company is bleeding money when hiring needs diminish. But hire too few and your teams will start to feel overwhelmed. Outsourcing provides you with the flexibility to scale your recruitment efforts based on fluctuating hiring needs, ensuring seamless operations during periods of growth or contraction.

  • 4.) Enhanced Candidate Quality

With the right RPO provider, your HR team can tap into their deep expertise in the recruiting space and access their large pool of qualified candidates to find candidates who possess the specific qualifications needed for specialized roles. Their access to advanced recruitment tools also makes it possible to fill these roles faster.

  • 5.) Reduced Time-to-Hire

It’s estimated that highly trained RPO service providers can reduce the time required to hire a new employee by as much as 55%. This dramatic reduction in time is thanks to their highly effective and fast sourcing, hiring, and onboarding capabilities.

  • 6.) Frees Up Time to Focus on Core Competencies

Rarely is recruiting a company’s core competency. So outsourcing it, and all the work that surrounds, it means you’ll have more time to actually focus on what you do. And doesn’t that sound nice?

PREDICTIVEHR as Your RPO Provider 

RPO is perfect for any organization dealing with hiring fluctuations and stresses. As opposed to bringing on a permanent member of staff for a momentary influx in demand, RPOs bring scalability to the process and variability to costs. They’re often structured based on hiring needs instead of a base figure.

PREDICTIVEHR’s industry-leading recruitment process outsourcing solutions focus on methodology, measurable results, and flexible solutions for every step of the hiring process. Short-term or long-term, we help get the employees you need to achieve all your talent acquisition goals.

Schedule a Call

 

How Can Recruitment Outsourcing Assist in Talent Acquisition?

When there’s a talent shortage or your team is stretched thin, leaning on your talent pipeline helps to keep your processes moving forward. But how do you ensure your pipeline is always full of talented candidates who are a good cultural fit for the organization? The answer: recruitment process outsourcing.

Understanding How Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Works

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is the hiring of a third-party talent acquisition specialist that acts as an in-house recruiter for your business. It provides efficiency and flexibility to the recruitment process—freeing up HR professionals of administrative burdens and delivering a seamless, high-touch experience for job candidates.

An RPO partnership usually costs less than hiring new members to your HR team and the solutions can be customized in order to be scaled up or down depending on your needs. And since these providers keep your talent pipeline full of viable candidates, you can hire top talent faster than working through an agency to ensure your internal processes aren’t interrupted. 

Key Ways Recruitment Outsourcing Assists in the Recruitment Process

During rapid growth, or whenever needed, RPO helps employers maximize their budget and improve productivity and retention. When thinking about outsourcing talent acquisition, be sure to keep in mind these essential benefits:

Enhanced Candidate Sourcing

RPO providers usually have access to a large pool of qualified candidates and can leverage their extensive networks to find candidates who possess the specific qualifications needed for specialized roles. Their access to advanced recruitment tools also makes it possible to fill these roles faster.

Streamlined Screening and Selection

By utilizing applicant tracking systems and online assessment tools, RPO providers can automate the initial screening of candidates. These tools can quickly sift through a large volume of applications, filtering out unqualified candidates based on predefined criteria. Automating this initial screening stage means accelerating the process and reducing the burden on internal HR teams.

Effective Employer Branding

With a positive brand image and reputation, you’ll be able to attract top talent and retain current employees. Due to their single focus on maintaining the talent pipeline, RPO providers help organizations boost their employer brand image and reputation by providing a positive candidate experience, attracting high-quality candidates, and reducing recruitment risks. 

Improved Candidate Experience

An important element of employer branding is having an improved candidate experience. Once again, because it’s their sole focus, RPO providers are able to pour their whole attention into developing a positive candidate experience throughout the recruitment process. This means providing timely communication, feedback, and support.

Scalable Solutions

Unlike an agency or new HR talent, recruitment outsourcing is on a switch—you activate it when you need it, and pause when you don’t. This enables organizations to handle fluctuating hiring volumes without compromising quality. Plus, it’s a major cost-saving measure, ensuring you stay within budget even when things are stretched thin. 

Choosing the Right Recruitment Process Outsourcing Services

When determining which RPO provider is right for your organization, you first need to consider which services you need to succeed. Not all RPO vendors offer all services. Some offer services related directly to sourcing, interviewing, screening, and assessing candidates, while others are more strategic and contribute to your employer branding, recruiting for culture fit, and technology consulting.

It’s also important to look at the provider’s industry expertise and track record. For example, if you’re in tech but the RPO providers you’re looking at have proven solutions for pharma companies, you might need to expand your search to find one who understands your industry. Finally, we recommend you look to see what their process is and what technology they bring. Do they offer proprietary software? Do they have experience with your technology? 

Once you’ve found an RPO provider who seems promising, it’s key—as with everything in life—to have clear communication channels and define performance metrics. If everyone isn’t marching toward the same goals or if the flow of information is hindered, it could lead to disaster. 

PREDICTIVEHR as Your RPO Provider 

RPO is perfect for any organization dealing with hiring fluctuations and stresses. As opposed to bringing on a permanent member of staff for a momentary influx in demand, RPOs bring scalability to the process and variability to costs. They’re often structured based on hiring needs instead of a base figure.

PREDICTIVEHR’s industry-leading recruitment process outsourcing solutions focus on methodology, measurable results, and flexible solutions for every step of the hiring process. Short-term or long-term, we help get the employees you need to achieve all your talent acquisition goals. Get a full view of what PREDICTIVEHR can do for your business and schedule a call.

Schedule a Call

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Hiring Trends to Watch for in 2023

The end of the year gives us time to reflect on the past year and prepare ourselves for a fresh start with vigor. Today, we’re taking a look at some of the biggest trends we’ve noticed over the past 12 months and are looking ahead at what organizations can expect in 2023.

A Look Back at 2022

Organizations Struggled to Hire Top Talent

In 2022, organizations faced one of the largest and most complex hiring markets on record. With employees leaving positions in droves and more open jobs on the market than talent available, companies and hiring managers needed to find unique ways to identify and engage with candidates.

To compensate for this, many organizations increased their focus on engaging with passive candidates, or working professionals that are currently employed and not actively looking for a new job. While this talent pool is more challenging to recruit, it offers many benefits, like decreased competition over candidates and the assurance that the candidate you’re engaging with is skilled enough to complete the job requirements.

The tough hiring market in 2022 also led to record levels of recruiter burnout, as many recruiters and hiring managers were overwhelmed with the amount of stress and work attributed to finding and securing top talent. What we saw was a shift in how organizations addressed burnout among their employees. Employers were more proactive in identifying the signs of burnout and flocked to webinars, resources, and advice from other talent leaders to find ways to keep their teams engaged and healthy. With the hiring market for 2023 looking very similar to what we experienced this past year, we can only assume that these strategies will remain in place.

The Candidates Had the Power

2022 proved to be the year of the candidate, as job seekers were given more power in the process to be picky about the roles they do and do not want to take. With so many jobs available, candidates began to expect more from potential employers if they were to be swayed to jump jobs.

Some of the most common things job seekers wanted from a new employer included:

  • Flexible work environments, whether that means remote work, hybrid work, or flex scheduling
  • A better focus on work/life balance
  • Updated benefits that address mental health demands and family leave
  • Companies to have a clearly defined and implemented approach to DEI
  • Clear development and growth plans

To compensate for this, we saw organizations focus their efforts on cultivating a strong employer brand. By using social media, employee testimonials, and their website presence itself, organizations strived to demonstrate the ways in which they addressed the “must-haves” for candidates. In 2023, we expect this to continue, as companies are working to show why they are an employer of choice.

Data Showed A Continued Need to Address DEI

With enhanced analytics and data tracking becoming more and more available, talent leaders got an in-depth look at their organization and its makeup. What many employers found was that there still remains a clear lack of diversity in their organizations.

In 2022 we found:

While DEI efforts have taken many strides in recent years, there is still much that can be done to create a truly equitable and inclusive workplace. In 2023 DEI will remain a focus, and for a good reason. Outside of the clear need for a diverse and inclusive workplace, there are many quantifiable benefits to hiring diverse employees:

Employers aren’t just realizing that they should work to create a diverse team; they’re recognizing that it’s a necessity. Job seekers today desire a workplace that represents the world around them – full of people from different backgrounds, beliefs, and methods of thinking. To stay competitive in this tight labor market, employers need to show that they’re actively investing in initiatives that support diversity.

Looking Ahead to 2023

The Rise of AI and Conversational Chat Bots

Over the past year, we’ve seen an increase in the use of AI as it relates to recruitment. And it’s entirely clear why – AI and automation are making the jobs of recruiters and hiring managers easier by taking out the need for manual oversight and input and giving them back time to focus on building connections with candidates. As organizations increasingly adopt AI tools into their tech stack, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Over the past few years, many states have begun to adopt legislation aimed at ensuring AI is used fairly within the hiring process. The first few states to pass these measures include Maryland, Illinois, California, and New York, but many more will follow suit over the next few years. These measures are no reason to shy away from using AI-powered tools; they’re simply put in place to ensure that the technologies you are using are not embedded with unconscious biases that disqualify minority populations.

In 2023, we expect to see more organizations embrace AI in their tech suite. One notable piece of AI-powered technology that is sure to change the game for recruiters and hiring managers is the use of intelligent chatbots. ChatGPT is an emerging technology that is currently free for recruiters and hiring managers to use. An AI model that is built to communicate in a conversational way, ChatGPT can be leveraged by organizations to speed up candidate outreach and communication, refine job descriptions, and even generate customized job interview questions. As a relatively new tool, ChatGPT is the current buzz in the recruiting space, and we only expect its user base to grow in the new year.

Internal Mobility + Employee Retention Will Be Paramount

Employee turnover is a dreaded statistic for every organization. Companies are always looking for ways to decrease turnover, as the costs of recruiting and hiring new employees are high. In 2023, we expect to see many employers place emphasis on enhancing employee retention and focusing on internal mobility.

Recent surveys have found that 74% of organizations consider internal mobility a priority investment. One of the greatest things about implementing a strong internal mobility program is that it benefits both employers and employees. Access to developmental resources and career growth opportunities increases the rate of retention for companies and gives employees a sense of belonging in the organization.

To help support these measures, organizations are relying on advanced technologies. One such technology is career pathing platforms, or platforms that help to visualize the potential growth and arc of any given employee’s career. These tools help to showcase the current skills and abilities of your team and highlight the ways in which they can expand their strengths. Employers can lean on these tools to identify opportunities for development and then connect their employees with the people or resources that can help them reach their potential.

Workforce Planning is Crucial

Did you know that less than 50% of organizations use data to forecast hiring needs and headcount planning? With all the advanced data platforms available, it is discouraging to see that so few organizations are leveraging data analytics to make informed decisions. The result of this lack of data-driven decision-making is keeping employers from attracting and retaining highly skilled, diverse talent. In 2023, we expect to see a significant change as organizations are starting to recognize the benefits of using data in their decision-making processes.

Strategic workforce planning, or using your current workforce to determine the business’s future hiring needs, will be a large part of organizations’ hiring efforts in 2023. Not only does strategic workforce planning help you to set and accomplish your goals, but it also has clear benefits across the entire organization.

  • It aligns your strategy with your processes – by leveraging your data, you can see whether you’re adequately supporting your team in reaching your goals.
  • Employee retention can be increased – strategic workforce planning helps you identify your top performers so you can work to keep them satisfied and engaged with their work, reducing the likelihood of employee turnover.
  • It prepares you for the future – rather than flying blind, you can leverage your organizational data to highlight trends, predict future hiring needs, and remain flexible in the event of a disruption.
  • It highlights the gaps that exist in your team – when organizations analyze their data, they can identify the skills and talent gaps that currently exist. Then, you can take that knowledge and refine your hiring efforts to find the kinds of candidates you need most.

By focusing on strategic workforce planning, you can ensure you’re recruiting and hiring the right kinds of candidates the first time around, saving your team time and money.

With a new year coming around the corner, now is the time to reflect on 2022 and prepare your team for a fresh start. PREDICTIVEHR can help you hit the ground running through our advanced data analytics, workforce planning, and talent consultancy. We’re working to help simplify data, bringing a truly unified platform that turns people data into actionable insights. To see more about how our cutting-edge solutions can help you gain a leg on the competition, reach out to our team and schedule a free demo.

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Top 10 Recruiter Techniques of 2022

In what many call the most unique labor market in their lifetime, the hunt for talent is at an all-time high. Talent Acquisition is turning over every rock, viewing every LinkedIn profile, and dusting off every method in the book to reach top talent. But what’s actually working in this environment?

A few are old standbys, and others are newer tricks of the trade. Whether tried and true or shiny and new, these are the top ten recruiter techniques we’ve seen garner results for our clients.

1. Focus on Company Culture

A traditional recruiting technique you won’t soon forget is investing in your own culture. Even before The Great Resignation, but especially after, candidates are seeking out employers who nurture the positive company culture they’re eager to be a part of.

If your company lacks a strong culture, or if you’re not honed in on the type of candidate seeking your culture, the time and resources spent attracting top talent won’t get you far.

While this isn’t typically considered a recruiter technique, having a clear and concise brand is pivotal to today’s candidate. If you’ve done what you can to strengthen your company culture, promote it throughout the candidate experience, so it’s at the forefront of a job seeker’s mind. If company culture hasn’t previously been a priority, consider ways to improve it today.

2. Don’t Skimp on Internal Mobility

The recruiting industry usually evokes images of attracting external candidates to new jobs, but perhaps the best way to ensure a quality fit for a role is to promote a quality candidate already within the company. Internal mobility is the upward movement of employees within your own organization.

Hiring from within your own brand seems counterproductive because it still leaves another open role to fill. However, in a global talent shortage, internal mobility is a valuable asset for companies.

When you hire from within, you’re guaranteed to fill that vacant position with someone who knows and values your company. ‍Additionally, it strengthens employee retention when they feel you’re committed to helping them achieve their goals of personal and professional growth. As for the position they left? Assuming their new position is a vertical move, they’ll be leaving behind a more entry-level position that most talent acquisition leaders find much easier to hire in this environment.

Encouraging talent development, succession planning, and internal mobility is a great way to show employees and candidates that there’s a future for them at the company. During a talent shortage, it’s also a great way to safeguard your future success. A robust talent management program is one of the top ways to attract top candidates and improve employee retention.

3. Strengthen the Interview Experience.

Many recruiters feel by now that they could conduct an interview in their sleep. It’s perhaps the most widely used recruitment technique but also the most poorly executed. While it seems like second nature, your interview tactics could cost you quality candidates.

The most damaging mistake is to read a generic list of questions to every candidate, which limits the understanding you have of each candidate while also creating an awful experience for your talent. The most damaging mistake to a candidate’s experience? Generic interview questions for every role.

If you haven’t, or even if you have, start by looking at your standard interview process. Do you come away from each discussion with a true sense of the person’s character? Are you asking informed questions tailored to each candidate that garners the results you need to make the decisions? Unless the answer is a resounding yes, it’s time to make some changes. Hiring managers would do well to think of this process more as a conversation and less as a formal interview. Use this opportunity to get to know the person you want to work with and allow them to get to know you and the organization.

4. Leverage Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)

While being all things to each candidate is ideal, most organizations simply don’t have the resources to do so. Whether your organization is a small to mid-size company conducting in-house recruiting techniques, or you’re a larger company only temporarily lacking resources: RPOs can help.

RPOs are firms you can hire monthly or annually to manage your recruiting strategy.  Unlike traditional recruiting agencies, who typically only source candidates for your vacancy, RPOs work with you and your existing channels to find the best quality candidates.

They manage the complete recruitment strategy and process, including writing job descriptions, screening candidates, working with hiring managers to find the right fit, and improving your employer branding.

Leveraging Recruitment Process Outsourcing is a far more cost-effective means of recruiting talent than agencies because they don’t charge flat rates based on salary, and you control when you utilize the service, not a contract. Even better – even after ending your work with RPO services, you maintain continual access to all prospects you contact.

5. Deploy Data-Driven Insights

As organizations increase the usage of technology platforms to help streamline their hiring processes, data-driven recruitment drives more innovative strategies for sourcing and screening candidates. Recruiters leverage HR tech to securely manage candidate data, ad platforms, screening techniques, pipeline management, and onboarding so that they can focus on the human interactions your candidates need.

Predictive analytics can show insights into everything from which candidates are likely to thrive in your organization to which employees are likely to leave soon. Organizations would be remiss to miss out on this information.

Predictive analytics can show insights into everything from which candidates are likely to thrive in your organization to which employees are likely to leave soon. Organizations would be remiss to miss out on this information.

Leaders in the talent acquisition industry are using insights to consider how to adapt, improve, and streamline their recruitment strategy. Doing so is a top recruitment method to embrace for teams looking to adapt and thrive in the future.

6. Revisit Your Workforce Analytics

Artificial Intelligence is no longer the future – it’s the present. Using AI is how most recruiters have freed up their time to connect with candidates because AI shoulders the weight of the tedious tasks that used to consume their day.

Workforce analytics and artificial intelligence can quickly consider and prioritize candidates based on fit, eliminating the need for hours spent reviewing and sorting manually. It can also auto-schedule interviews, send pre-written messages to communicate interest or next steps, or even let candidates know they have not been selected for the position – all of which increase the potential for a positive candidate experience.

7. Revitalized Employer Branding

Not only is this a trending topic amidst the candidate-focused market with the popularity of review websites like Glassdoor and Indeed, your employer branding is on prime display, for better or for worse. Candidates are spending more time investigating potential employers and are sure to report back with their own experiences. As a result, your company’s reputation and brand are decided before they ever speak with someone in your company.

In revitalizing branding, talent acquisition teams are quickly working to position their organization as a great place to work. Such a claim is supported by customized career pages, employee profiles and testimonials, and an active social presence (for responding to those candidate experiences – for better or for worse). 

Managing your employer brand encourages a positive opinion of your company while also mitigating the impression of any negative opinions.

8. Consider A Comprehensive Platform

An Analytics Platform is quickly becoming a standard tool in any legitimate recruitment strategy, and for a good reason. The Analytics Development Lab by PREDICTIVEHR gives recruiters a monstrous amount of information on potential candidates, organized in a singular view for clarity.

The platform acts as the central funnel for your entire recruitment process, extracting data from your HCM, leveraging a patent-pending cleaning engine, and developing aggregated models for incredible insights into your hiring. As a result, you’ll identify high-quality candidates with ease and hire them that much sooner.

If you’re not utilizing such a platform yet, consider this your first priority in recruitment techniques.

9. Resuscitate Your Talent Pipeline

At this point, we know finding and attracting top talent will continue to be a priority for recruiting teams for the foreseeable future. As a response, talent acquisition teams are revisiting passive candidates and silver medal candidates from previous roles to fill future vacancies to revitalize their talent pipeline.

The methodology of revisiting these candidates allows you to maintain a pipeline of candidates you know are already interested in your company. If they aren’t a fit for one role, they may very well be a good fit for another when it becomes available. The aforementioned ATS platform is ideal for tracking and organizing these candidates in the meantime.

10. Social Media Sourcing

Not a new practice but an old technique that has become a lot more complex; social media is a powerful tool for sourcing and connecting with potential candidates. With the variety of platforms and a variety of tools within each one, there’s always something to gain from adding this resource to your arsenal.

Depending on your target audience or your company brand, one platform may be preferred to another. But to count out the unlikely platforms is to count out top talent. Even recruiting on Instagram and TikTok can provide excellent results.

Recruiting for the Future

These techniques all speak to the wave of creativity and innovation we’re seeing in the talent acquisition space. Right now, the companies that think outside the box to achieve their recruiting goals are the ones who come out on top.

Partner with PREDICTIVEHR and discover the best techniques for your unique hiring needs. Schedule your free demo today!

The New Normal: Skills-Based Hiring in the 21st Century

In today’s job market, employers are increasingly abandoning the outdated practice of screening and hiring new employees based on their educational background or degree. Instead, they’re looking for candidates with the skills, capabilities, and talent they need to succeed in the role. This shift toward skills-based hiring is being driven by several factors, including the ever-changing nature of the workforce, the rise of automation, and the need for companies to be more nimble and adaptable to stay competitive.

The Key Differences

If you’re relying on traditional screening tools and tactics to hire the best talent, you may be overlooking some great candidates. That’s because many of these practices simply look for keywords on an application to verify if the candidate is suitable for the role. While this may help ensure the candidate is the “right fit,” it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best fit. Here’s why…

The Traditional Hiring Process is Flawed

One of the biggest problems with the traditional hiring process is relying too heavily on resumes. Resumes are unreliable at best since many candidates may inflate their experience or outright lie. And even if a resume is accurate, it doesn’t necessarily tell you if a candidate can perform well. For example, someone may have all the necessary qualifications for a job but lack the soft skills required to be successful in the role.

Additionally, the application process is possibly the most vital step to attracting candidates, and yet it’s also the furthest behind considering modern advances. When employers require candidates to upload a resume via a true computer (restricting location) and also require an internal application filled out (lengthening the process), they risk high levels of application abandonment from the start. The whole process is archaic and severely hinders the size of your pipeline, yet many companies aren’t giving the application process a second thought.

Another issue with traditional hiring practices is that they often focus too much on education or degree as a proxy for talent. While having a degree from a prestigious university may be impressive, it doesn’t necessarily mean the candidate will be a good fit for the job. In fact, many highly talented individuals don’t have any formal education.

Bonus Material: Discover 10 Easy Ways To Build Out Your Talent Pools

The Skills Gap

One of the primary drivers of this shift is the so-called “skills gap.” According to a recent survey by ManpowerGroup, nearly half of employers worldwide are struggling to fill vacant positions because they can’t find candidates with the right skills. This skills gap is only expected to grow in the coming years, as more jobs are lost to automation, and technological advancements make it necessary for workers to have a certain skill set to succeed. And of course…

Changing Times Brings Changes to Hiring and Recruiting

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the labor market; primarily that employees are rethinking their priorities, and employers are responding in turn. Many employers struggled to find skilled workers during the pandemic, leading them to relax degree requirements for many jobs.

There are several reasons why employers may be willing to forgo degree requirements during the pandemic. First, there is a decreased pool of qualified candidates due to the economic downturn. Second, many colleges and universities have moved to online instruction, making it harder for students to gain the skills and experience employers are looking for. Finally, the pandemic has forced many employers to reevaluate their workforce needs and find ways to do more with less. As a result, they may be more open to hiring workers without degrees if they have the necessary skills and experience.

It’s important to note that this shift may only be temporary and that degree requirements could return to pre-pandemic levels once the economy recovers. However, even if this is the case, the pandemic has highlighted the need for employers to be more flexible in their hiring practices. One way employers are adapting is to offer hybrid work models in their search for a particular skill set. If an organization requires a specific degree or experience level, they’re going to have better luck attracting a fit candidate by offering opportunities for remote work.

The Importance of Soft Skills

Soft skills are the ability to work in groups, communicate efficiently in real-time, and prioritize tasks. These skills are far harder to assess than technical or “hard” skills, which can be easily confirmed through pre-employment testing, certification, and employment history. Many employers believe that college graduates possess more-refined social or soft skills.

The problem is that when employers use college degrees as a proxy for soft skills, they may be excluding qualified candidates from consideration. This is particularly true in today’s job market, where many talented individuals don’t have college degrees. By ditching degree requirements from job postings, you can help ensure that you don’t miss out on top talent.

The Impact of Skill-Based Hiring Practices

There are several reasons why skill-based hiring is so important. First and foremost, it allows you to hire the best possible candidates for the job—regardless of their educational background or work experience. This is especially important in today’s rapidly changing job market, where employees must be adaptable and learn new skills quickly. Secondly, skill-based hiring helps to reduce bias in the hiring process. Focusing on a candidate’s skills rather than their resume can help level the playing field for underrepresented groups who may not have access to the same education or work opportunities as others.

How to Implement Skill-Based Hiring Practices

If you’re interested in moving to a skill-based hiring model, you can do a few things to get started. First, take a close look at your current hiring practices. Are you relying too heavily on resumes? Are you using the same criteria for every candidate? If so, it’s time to make some changes. Instead of relying on resumes, consider using assessment tests or trial projects to evaluate candidates. This will give you a better idea of their actual skills and abilities rather than just their experience or education.

You should also make sure you’re using the same criteria for every candidate by creating a standardized rubric that can be used for each person who applies for the position. Finally, don’t forget to train your team on the importance of skill-based hiring and how to implement it properly. Only by working together will you be able to find the best possible candidates for your organization.

READ: How to Effectively Hire and Retain During a Talent Shortage

The Rise of Automation

Another factor driving the shift toward skills-based hiring is the rise of automation. First, there’s a glaring problem with AI in talent acquisition ruling out candidates for lacking specific keywords on their resume and thus eliminating quality candidates before they’ve even had a chance. In a talent shortage, we can not let a computer alone decide what a perfect candidate looks like and ignore the ret. Moreover, as more tasks are automated, it’s becoming increasingly important for employers to hire talent with a mixture of hard and soft skills to ensure the future success of their business. This speaks to the tasks and services that a machine can’t easily replicate.

For example, jobs that require human interaction, such as customer service or sales, are much less likely to be automated than jobs that involve repetitive tasks or simple data entry. Therefore, employers are now placing a premium on candidates with strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and other so-called “human” skills.

The Need for Agility

In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, it’s no longer enough for companies to simply maintain the status quo. To stay competitive, they need to be agile and adaptable—able to respond quickly to changes in their industry or marketplace. This need for agility has placed a greater emphasis on hiring employees who can think critically, solve problems creatively, and take initiative. In other words, employees who possess so-called “21st-century” skills.

Evaluating Candidates Without Degrees

So, how can you evaluate candidates without degrees? One way is to focus on their experience. If a candidate doesn’t have a degree but does have relevant work experience, they may be just as qualified (or even more qualified) than a candidate with a degree but no relevant experience.

Another way to evaluate candidates without degrees is to give them a test or assignment during the interview process. This will give you firsthand insight into their abilities and whether they’re a good fit for the position. For example, if you’re hiring for a writing position, you could ask candidates to complete a writing sample during their interview.

Implications for Workforce Needs

The most obvious implication of the skills reset is that organizations must find workers with the right skills for their open positions. However, employers will also need to consider the possibility that employees’ skills may no longer be aligned with their current roles. As a result, organizations may need to retrain or reallocate existing employees to new roles or functions. Additionally, employers will need to consider how best to invest in developing employees’ skills to prepare them for future opportunities.

Adapting Recruiting Strategies

The skills reset allows recruiters to revisit their sourcing and recruiting strategies. In particular, they may want to consider two questions: First, what are the implications of this reset for our organization’s current and future workforce needs? Second, how can we adapt our recruiting strategies to find workers with in-demand skills? Organizations that take advantage of this opportunity will be well-positioned to build a strong workforce prepared for the future.

The bottom line is that employers can no longer afford to use an educational background or degree as a screening tool when hiring new employees— doing so will only result in them missing out on qualified candidates. Instead, they need to adopt a skills-based approach that considers both hard and soft skills. Only then will they be able to find the talent they need to compete in today’s ever-changing business landscape.

Do you want a partner to guide you through a skills-based hiring approach? PREDICTIVEHR has been working with companies like yours for years.

Contact Us to Learn More

The Need for In-Person Therapy Remains in the Telehealth Boom

Therapy is not a one-size-fits-all situation. The format that works for one person isn’t guaranteed to be the same format that works for another person. Luckily, over the last several years, there have been many changes and advances in how licensed therapists can help provide mental health support to those in need, one of which is the rise of virtual therapy.

Virtual therapy rose in prominence largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As businesses closed and people were more isolated indoors, therapists sought a way to connect with their clients and provide the kind of support needed amid such a unique crisis. But now, the demand for in-person therapy is resuming, while mental health pros are struggling to compensate.

High Demand for Mental Health Resources

To be clear, the demand for mental health resources was alive and well long before the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic, political landscape, and a slew of other factors forced the statistics up drastically. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), nearly 20 percent of U.S. adults were living with a mental illness in 2019. In 2020, the percentage of people reporting mental health issues was 40 percent.

Although an increase, that percentage may not seem alarming. Until you consider that in 2008, a year of significant economic uncertainty in its own right, less than 18% of adults struggled with mental illness, and it took 11 years for that number to reach 20%. Compared to an increase of 20% in just one year, it’s clear that the state of the world in 2020 profoundly impacted the nation’s mental health.

Increase in Therapist Burnout: Increase in Telehealth

As the need for mental health increases at alarming rates, mental health professionals are in higher demand than ever. However, consider that mental health professionals are not immune to the effects of 2020 that burden the rest of us.

The world is witnessing a growing shortage of mental health therapists, and it’s on track to continue. Within a few years, the country will be short between 14,280 and 31,109 psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers, leaving the rest grossly overextended.

As much of the workforce went remote, so did therapy, which seemed to be the answer to so many of our worries in this industry. The use of telehealth therapy increased, and so too did the outlook for mental health professionals. According to a survey from the American Medical Association, 54% of mental health professionals indicated that telehealth had improved their satisfaction with their own work. Many would be grateful if telehealth did mean the end to the mental health epidemic. But unfortunately, it’s not a solution for some.

The Need for In-Person Therapy Remains

The need for in-person therapy hasn’t waned for some. Many benefit more from in-person therapy, thanks to face-to-face interaction. Children, in particular, benefit from adult interactions in learning to manage their feelings and build decision-making skills. Social workers on site for children experiencing traumatic events often provide more comfort than a phone or video call.

Furthermore, the interpersonal connection provided by therapy is beneficial to those seeking comfort and community after an isolating experience through the pandemic. For some, the in-person connection is of great value for feeling heard and understood to bring their mental health concerns to a supportive yet neutral space. So while more mental health professionals are going digital, where does that leave the clients that thrive on in-person sessions?

Partner the growing mental health crisis with a truly unprecedented labor shortage, and we get to this burning question: How are we recruiting mental health professionals that are willing to continue in-person therapy?

When you and your competition are posting the same positions, are on the same job boards, and are offering similar hiring bonuses, the key to attracting top mental health professionals lies in the candidate experience. PREDICTIVEHR experts understand the unique hurdles ailing the mental health industry, and we’re here to help.

PREDICTIVEHR offers RPO services backed by experts in recruiting mental health professionals to ensure your hiring goals are achieved. Contact us today to get started.

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PREDICTIVEHR Acquires The WFC Group

The ever-changing workforce landscape requires companies to be agile to stay ahead of the competition. In order to respond to market needs, PREDICTIVEHR has acquired The WFC Group, Inc., to become a leading end-to-end implementation services provider in Human Capital Management.

As an industry leader in workforce management software solution implementation and support, The WFC Group, Inc. provides unparalleled, tailored consulting services throughout all stages of the project lifecycle. From needs assessment to software implementation to technical support, their services improve the efficiency of your workforce.

PREDICTIVEHR offers clients of all sizes and industries a complete HR business intelligence solution platform designed to empower HR professionals to make faster, better, more-informed decisions for their modern workforce. The acquisition of The WFC Group welcomes an extension to our expert consulting services, expanding the full HR solution PREDICTIVEHR provides.

Depth and Dimension

This acquisition breeds unmatched integrations and collaboration. PREDICTIVEHR boasts a full talent team ready to deploy and a full-service platform offering a complete HR Solution: Talent Services, Implementation, HR Consulting, and Analytics.

About the Companies

About The WFC Group, Inc.
The WFC Group, Inc. is an industry leader in workforce management software solution implementation and support. We provide unparalleled, tailored consulting services throughout all stages of the project lifecycle. From needs assessment to software implementation to technical services, we help improve the efficiency of your workforce. We have served more than 1,500 clients globally across industries, including retail, manufacturing, and healthcare. For more information, please visit www.thewfcgroup.com.

About PREDICTIVEHR
Recently named as one of Inc. 5000’s fastest growing companies, PREDICTIVEHR offers clients of all sizes and industries a complete HR solution platform designed to empower HR professionals to make faster, better, more-informed decisions for their modern workforce. PREDICTIVEHR provides HR Consulting, Talent Consulting, Implementation Support, Data Analytics, and Talent Services to augment your current team, fixing any problem you may have in HR.

For more information, visit www.predictivehr.com, or check out our full press release here.

Seasonal Hiring for 2022: 3 Tips You’ll Need This Season

“Woah, hold your horses. It’s too early to think about seasonal hiring!”

Not this year. Currently, there are 2 open roles for every unemployed person in the US. There’s a shortage of skilled workers in almost every industry, and hiring is an arduous task year-round. With an especially tumultuous labor market combined with the unprecedented talent shortage, if you’re not yet thinking about your seasonal hiring, you’re already behind.

When it comes to hiring, even for temporary positions, the last thing you want to do is procrastinate and regret making a quick decision. So ahead of the holiday season (yes, as early as September), here are three tips to prepare for seasonal hiring in 2022.

Bonus Content: Hiring in a Talent Shortage

#1 Start Now

Let’s just drive this point home. You’re not the only employer looking to hire seasonal talent, and we guarantee many have already started laying their claim on top candidates. Putting off hiring your holiday help may put you in a position of losing out on getting jobs filled. Preparing to hire early ensures you’ll have the roles filled by the talent that fits your organization and not the help you felt obligated to hire because you had no other choice.

Starting early also allows you to ensure that everything is internally prepared to onboard seasonal help. Start preparing the interview questions and the vital traits someone in this position needs to possess. Iron out details of your onboarding and training process, and decide when you need to have someone start in order to have them up and running by your peak busy season.

This may not be your first year hiring seasonal help, but if it is (or even if you need a refresher), brush up on the laws in your state regarding seasonal employees, taxes, benefits, etc. Being behind on such details leaves downtime for competition to sneak in and hire your candidates out from under you.

Be Prepared: Retain Hourly Employees and Kick the Great Resignation to the Curb

#2 Perfect the Job Posting

If you’re using a previously written job posting, take the time to spruce it up. Ensure that the post is still accurate, up to date, and demonstrates relevancy to the market. Although it may seem obvious to you, ensure the posting explicitly states that the position is seasonal; choose job type categories that relate to seasonal or temporary employment, and add appropriate holiday or seasonal hiring phrases as tags.

When it comes to the description of the posting, consider asking a current employee in the position to get an authentic perspective of the role before writing. By communicating those expectations clearly and up front, you’re more likely to reach the candidates looking for seasonal work and avoid wasting time with those that are not.

Where you post the job is notable as well. Research college job boards, popular websites, or even social media in order to reach your target audience effectively.

Back your TA Teams: Invest in your Recruiting Team: Invest in AI

#3 Remarket your Hiring

Remarketing isn’t just for your customer acquisition strategy. Utilize this marketing technique to build a database of where you’ll find your target candidates and lay the groundwork for where you’ll focus your efforts.

Next, create your strategic messaging. Whether you’re looking to re-engage with previous employees, invite back silver medalist candidates, or attract new passive talent, your message should be unique to each group. Personalize your message to fit the target audience, let them know what to expect from their experience with you, and put your company culture on full display.

With technology on your side, you’ll have even better results. Utilizing smart platforms, you can engage with talent via SMS marketing, which is 83% more likely to generate a response than an email. Furthermore, 50% of respondents are open to receiving text messages from recruiters. Talent management platforms can schedule interviews, follow up with prospects to keep engagement strong and help prioritize your top priority candidates.

Be Prepared with PREDICTIVEHR

The experts at PREDICTIVEHR understand the talent market and the unique hurdles that come with seasonal hiring. Our team of recruiters helps your organization find and attract top talent by adapting to your company culture, serving as a bridge between employees and employers, and always staying true to the needs of the company. Get our experts working for you and be fully prepared for your holiday season. PREDICTIVEHR guarantees our hires and a 90-day retention period- Schedule your demo today.

Mental Health Professionals: Why They’re in Demand and How to Hire Them

Behavioral healthcare organizations, alongside the rest of the healthcare industry, are struggling to find and keep skilled staff members. The rising healthcare staff shortage and skyrocketing turnover rates are affecting employers, their existing staff, and their clients. By 2025, it’s estimated the industry will see a 250,000 worker shortage in the behavioral health field.

To successfully serve your community and keep your current team strong, companies seeking health care organizations may need to think outside of the box regarding retaining and hiring mental health professionals. This begins with understanding why mental health pros are so hard to come by in the first place.

Growing Mental Health Crisis

To state the obvious, 33% of psychologists last fall said they have seen more patients since the start of the pandemic. Of those who treat anxiety disorders, nearly 75% reported an increase in demand for treatment, according to the American Psychological Association.

To shine a light on how massive this crisis really is, consider the following:

The problem with those numbers? There aren’t enough mental health professionals to fill that demand.

Biggest Obstacles of the Industry

It’s not uncommon to hear Mental Health Professionals say that they entered the industry to help others. But in a job so grueling, the impact comes slow and the burnout hits quick. Here are some of the common obstacles for mental health professionals:

  • Heavy caseloads. Especially as the number of resignations increase, the shortage of professionals in the industry creates more pressure for those remaining.
  • Long and irregular hours. Telehealth introduced flexibility to patients seeking mental treatment but ushered in an end to set office hours for the therapists.
  • The potential threat to personal safety. Almost 1 in 5 psychologists reported having been physically attacked by at least one client and over 80% of surveyed psychologists reported having been afraid that a client would attack them.
  • Political/ Socioeconomic hurdles. Those with mental health disorders are more likely to suffer from lower levels of educational attainment, increased contact with the criminal justice system, reduced employment levels (with lower salaries when employed) and personal relationship difficulties. These factors in turn can worsen mental health and perpetuate a vicious cycle for professionals to combat.
  • Proneness to compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is a combination of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. It includes feelings of exhaustion, negative or cynical attitudes toward work, and a sense of not being effective in your work.
  • High educational requirements. Most licensed mental health professionals have both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree, which equates to 6-8 years of higher education. This is combined with any additional training or education in staying relevant amidst industry changes and advances.

What do Mental Health Pros Need?

The shortage of mental health professionals is vast, but the demand has never been higher. As job seekers across every industry prove that compensation isn’t the only benefit they seek, how do you retain and hire the top mental health professionals during such a delicate time? Experts suggest additional steps to attract desirable candidates, such as:

  • Offering scholarships with loan forgiveness. The higher education requirements are an obstacle, but so too is the cost. Ease the burden of those payments wherever possible.
  • Mental health benefits. The stigma of mental health professionals being immune to their own mental health battles is dangerous and short-sighted. Ensure your team has the resources needed to thrive.
  • Continued education and resource development. The industry is quickly growing, learning, and evolving. To be effective, industry professionals need the opportunity (the means and the time allowances) to keep up.
  • Increasing access to video-based services and other resources. Providing your team with the latest advantages in technology will help make their job easier and reduce their stress levels. Top talent candidates will seek these perks when searching for new opportunities.

In what can only be described as a pandemic in its own right, the shortage of mental health professionals during a growing mental health crisis has left the industry reeling. But, that doesn’t mean your industry is doomed to deal with a shortage of professionals.

PREDICTIVEHR has experienced recruiters ready to help you achieve your goals in hiring mental health professionals and other “hard to hire” roles. Schedule a call today to see how.