Six Components of a Gold-Plated Recruiting Program

What makes a great recruiting program? 

There are six components to a gold-plated recruiting program.  If an organization seeks to be the employer of choice in a given market, they must take their recruiting program to the next level. 

Keep in mind that current studies show that 40 percent of all candidates recruited from outside an organization are forced out, quit or are fired within the first 18 months.  That is alarming, both from a manpower and a financial point of view.  

In answering the question, ‘What makes a great recruiting program?’ you start with several broad themes and then ratchet down your focus on the details.  The devil, after all, is in
those details.

1.  Full disclosure.  You must make full and complete disclosure about your organization, the job, the culture, and any problem or challenges that the successful candidate may face. 
2. You cannot cut corners in the candidate sourcing.  Candidate sourcing that relies on the popular post and pray method of finding the best candidates is nothing more than a lazy crapshoot.  You cannot have a great process with recruiters who perform their jobs like well paid order takers.
3. A robust candidate screening process.  At the executive level, the JohnMarch screening program, called PredictiveSelection^TM, is a five-hour multi-interview process, plus the site interview.  That may sound like overkill, but it works.  Over the last 10 years we have had a retention record that is four times better than the national average.
4. Thorough background checks are critical. 
5. At director and executive level searches, a well prepared interview team. Candidates report that in day-long interviews it is not uncommon to be asked the same question two or three times. 
6. Begin preparing for the successful candidate’s first day on the job BEFORE you
   begin the recruiting process. 

Onboarding provides the recruitment process with a framework of discipline that, if properly implemented, will yield measurable improvements in performance and
turnover, two important cost control opportunities in the human capital arena.  However, it is important to note that Onboarding, a new discovery in healthcare but used for years in other industries to accelerate performance and build an emotional connection with the
new company, must be integrated with a gold-plated recruiting program if you expect to maximize results. 

Before you waste thousands of dollars on onboarding consultants who know little about
recruiting, you need to assess that critical function to find out where you stand.  This is an excellent investment for your organization, and the cost is literally just pennies on the dollar.