Handbook. Talent Acquisition & Reference Checking. The Recruiter s. Sponsored by

Transcription

1 The Recruiter s Talent Acquisition & Reference Checking Handbook Sponsored by 1

2 Table of Contents The Current State of TA and Reference Checking How icims and Outmatch Can Help 2

3 The Current State of TA and Reference Checking How difficult is it today for businesses to find qualified talent? 50% of employers say it s hard to find workers with the right skills. (CareerBuilder) What are some of the most indemand qualities that employers are looking for in candidates? 36% of recruiters identified soft skills, such as communication and teamwork, as the most difficult to find. (icims Hiring Insights) What are the common complaints of hiring managers during the candidate selection process? 77% of hiring managers say that recruiters candidate screening is inadequate. (icims Hiring Insights) What is the average time-to-fill for positions across the U.S? The West and South filled jobs in 43 calendar days, while the Northeast and Midwest took longer, at 46 and 47 calendar days, respectively. (icims Hiring Insights) 3

4 The Current State of TA and Reference Checking How many employers actually check references during the hiring process? 96% of HR professionals indicated that their organization conducts some form of background or reference check on job applicants. (SHRM) Why is it important to check references before extending an employment offer to a candidate? 34% of all application forms contain outright lies about experience, education, and ability to perform essential functions on the job. (Wall Street Journal) Just how common is it for candidates to submit fake references? 30% of employers have caught fake references on a job application. (CareerBuilder) What are some of the common problems employers face when conducting reference checks? Issues that come into play during the reference checking process include a lack of detailed reference information; information provided is on the wrong person; historical situations don t align with present conditions; limited knowledge of the applicant; employee records aren t reviewed prior to the reference. (ERE Media) 4

5 Identify Your Ideal Candidate When the need to hire is identified, first determine the specific type of person you will need to effectively perform the position duties. By approaching talent acquisition from a candidatefocused perspective, rather than a position-focused perspective, you will make better hiring decisions and help to minimize risk. Methods to accurately identify your ideal candidate include: Define the key skills, personal attributes, and work experience required for successful performance Characterize the existing company culture to determine candidate fit Establish a talent acquisition strategy for effectively targeting your ideal candidate Consider using assessments and other screening tools once candidates are selected to identify best-fit talent 80% of HIRING MANAGERS and 84% of RECRUITERS agree that hiring the right people has a direct impact on a company s ability to achieve its strategic goals. (icims Hiring Insights) 5

6 Develop Compelling Job Listings that Attract Talent Writing compelling job listings generate excitement and encourage qualified candidates to take the next step and apply for the position. By making sure that the listing properly describes the type of person needed, in addition to the required duties and expectations of the role, businesses can influence applicant quality to achieve better hiring results. Be sure to cover off on the following when crafting job listings: Describe the specific type of person, skill set, and work experience needed to effectively perform the position duties Use action verbs and specific industry keywords to attract best-fit candidates and generate excitement Be accurate on specific position requirements to manage candidate expectations Collaborate with your marketing department to develop creative and compelling language Jobs with descriptions between 700 and 2,000 words get on average 30% more applies. (Indeed.com) 6

7 Incorporate a Talent Acquisition Software Suite In talent acquisition, using specialized tools is crucial to finding and hiring the best candidates. Utilizing a dedicated suite of talent acquisition software will enable you to effectively manage top talent through the candidate lifecycle, from building talent pools, to applicant tracking, to onboarding. Talent acquisition software can also streamline and automate many manual processes to help bring hours back to the work day and increase productivity and efficiency. You can also integrate your HR solutions with your talent acquisition software to create a central hub for all of your company s hiring activities. Attract and engage passive candidates to build talent pools and promote employment brand Store and track all elements of the hiring process in a central location and produce custom reports to measure KPIs Automate your onboarding processes to help reduce paperwork and improve productivity and employee engagement 68% of recruiters agree that a fully integrated talent acquisition suite is the ideal solution. (icims Hiring Insights) Integrate your HR solutions to create a powerful central hub to manage all of your talent acquisition activities - icims Hiring Insights 7

8 Use Video Technology to Effectively Screen Applicants Using video technology as a screening and interviewing tool helps to identify quality applicants faster and minimize hiring risk. Video also adds to the candidate experience by employing cutting-edge technology that prospective employees are already familiar with, helping to enhance employment brand. Here are a few everyday ways you can use video: Develop standardized screening questions to level the playing field and more easily compare applicants Request video cover letter content specifically related to the position to help determine experience level and reduce screening times Observe candidates soft skills, including communication and presentation skills, to quickly identify top applicants Video interviewing can cut recruitment costs by 50%. (Undercover Recruiter) Conduct live, two-way video interviews before holding in-person interviews as an additional screening method to reduce risk 8

9 Request Portfolio Samples to Identify Top Prospects One of the most important steps to minimize risk during the hiring process is to request samples of a candidate s prior work. By requiring applicants to submit examples that prove their skills, businesses can narrow the candidate pool and gain a better understanding of an applicant s overall level of experience. Some best practices when requesting candidate portfolio samples include: Request samples in a digital format that can easily be shared with multiple hiring managers and key stakeholders Require a set number of portfolio samples to help reduce extensive review times 46% of employers report difficulties finding candidates in high demand talent pools. Ask candidates to provide brief context on each portfolio piece to gain greater insight Compare portfolio samples to existing company work to help determine candidate fit (LinkedIn) 9

10 Know the Difference Between Reference Checks and Background Checks There are differences between reference checks and background checks. Do you do both? If so, make sure you re getting useful insight and not just duplicating your work. For example, if you use reference checks to verify employment history, then you re not learning anything new. You could have gotten that information from the background check. Why do a reference check? Confirm job titles and dates of employment Learn about candidate strengths and weaknesses Understand job duties and experiences Why do a background check? Comply with the law (when required) Verify employment history Check criminal records Background checks are fairly standard, but the effectiveness of a reference check will depend on your process. If you re not able to differentiate your reference checks in a meaningful way, then it s probably time to rethink your approach. Source: 10

11 Contact References Earlier in the Hiring Process Many companies use reference checking as a screen-in method, which means this step happens at the end of the hiring process with the purpose of moving a candidate forward as long as references don t give the employer reason to reconsider. But what would happen if you checked references earlier in the process? Doing so could help you narrow down a large pool of candidates, or identify the best match among top contenders. 39% of employers agree that quality-ofhire is the most valuable metric for performance. (LinkedIn) Source: 11

12 Provide Reference Anonymity to Optimize Results Employers don t know what they re allowed to say about past employees, so many times, they err on the side of caution. The truth is, in many states, employers are protected from civil liability when providing good-faith references and negative, truthful information. But try telling that to a reference who won t pick up the phone. By providing reference anonymity, companies can boost response rates and allow references to be honest about a candidate without fear of repercussions. 73% of employers admit that making a bad hire is far more costly than leaving a position open. (CareerBuilder) Source: 12

13 Use References to Build Talent Pipelines In most cases, employers contact references for one specific reason to get feedback about a candidate and that s it. It s a single-serve conversation, and unless the employer is a renowned brand, the reference will know nothing about the company they just interacted with. Don t miss an opportunity to source great talent! As part of the reference checking process, ask references if they d like to join your talent community. It s a free referral program! Candidates tend to choose their best professional contacts as references References usually work in the same field or industry as the candidate 30% of references will opt-in, exponentially growing your talent network 42% of hiring managers wish recruiters would build a pool of talent for positions, so the company doesn t always need to start from scratch and rush to fill vacancies. (icims Hiring Insights) Source: 13

14 Automate Your Reference Checking Processes Traditional reference checks can take weeks to complete. Meanwhile, your time-to-hire spins out of control. If your company requires a reference check as a condition of employment, then you and the candidate are at the mercy of the references who are in no hurry to call you back. Fortunately, when you automate the reference checking process, you ll see much better results: 80% response rate 51% of CEOs are persuing significant changes to technology. Two-minute completion time Full report (3-5 references) within 24 hours (PwC) Source: 14

15 How icims and Outmatch Can Help Benefit from UNIFi, icims Platform-as-a-Service framework that delivers one experience, one view, and countless possibilities for customers who value bringing their talent acquisition world together. Empower Core Recruitment with the Talent Acquisition Suite Expand Your Suite with the icims Marketplace Integrate with icims Connectors Maximize Success with Centralized Data To learn more about how icims and Outmatch can improve your reference checking capabilities, visit the Tools to Screen Applicants category of icims Marketplace. About OutMatch: OutMatch delivers the data that s been missing from your hiring process. With clear, measurable insight into candidates and new hires, your managers will make better hiring decisions, and your HR organization will finally be able to measure the impact of hiring on your company. To learn more, visit outmatch.com. 15