The PESA Human Resources Committee discussed finding talent in the age of digital recruitment during a talent acquisition roundtable on September 25 at Baker Hughes, a GE company.
HRO Today’s 2018 Talent Acquisition Leader of the Year award recipient, Jeff Bettinger, Vice President Talent Management and Organizational Development, Alcon, served as the speaker with Committee Chair Dave Warnick, VP Human Resources, Weir Oil & Gas, as moderator of the discussion.
Attendees shared a variety of discussion topics, including competing for the same talent as competitors, finding qualified top talent and overcoming fears of long-term stability due to the cyclical nature of the business. Bettinger addressed these topics, and shared how to increase competitive edge with talent acquisition best practices and how to leverage technology in the digital age of recruitment.
STRATEGICALLY CREATE AN EMPLOYEE BRAND
The most visited page on company websites is typically the career page, Bettinger said. It is vital to deliver a clear value proposition on this page for potential candidates. If a company is unsure of its employee value proposition, start with the question: Why would someone want to come work for us?
A value propositions needs to be a strategic process, he said, and the value proposition should be adopted by all executives and employees. As an example, an internal messaging for the employee brand could be: “I help lift people out of poverty through access to energy.” This helps employees articulate the work they do and adds meaning to their purpose.
Bettinger said that job seekers often use websites such as Glassdoor that compile ratings about companies. He suggested that companies actively engage in internal PR campaigns on those sites to positively influence the company image that potential candidates see. By soliciting reviews from current employees, the compiled ratings and reviews will include more than just those from possibly disgruntled former employees. Thus, a job seeker will gain a more accurate view into the company’s culture.
Culture is crucial to an effective employee brand, he said, and it attracts talent at all skill levels. He advised the audience to stop trying to compete with other company cultures and build a culture that makes sense for their company. Flexible work hours, personal respect and inclusion, and purposely appreciating staff are key to a culture where people want to work.
DECISION MAKING: DETERMINING TOP TALENT
Bettinger said that companies are starting to use digital programs and artificial intelligence to help employees make the right hiring decisions. These programs includes ones that attempt to gauge intelligence based on resume language to determine if the candidate’s competencies match the role, or ones that look at behaviors to determine trust, maturity, emotional intelligence, cognitive ability and skill.
INTERNAL PROCESS
All talent acquisition professionals need to sell the value of employees to decision makers to gain approval for salaries. This can be difficult when the hiring manager has a low budget. Bettinger recommends quantifying the value of each position by the average revenue realized in each product.
[gdlr_quote align=”center” ]“If you don’t know the value of an employee, you don’t know how to speak to a business leader,” Bettinger said.
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If job seekers are not completing applications or completing the process, Bettinger recommended using an applicant-tracking system to identify the progression of applicants and effectiveness of processes, as it is common to lose applicants in the application process after 20 questions. Some participants shared that their company applications had more than 60 questions. To avoid this, Bettinger said some companies, such as Indeed, have decreased questions to four.
PESA Committees, such as Human Resources, offers Member Company employees the opportunity to engage and grow in leadership development skills. Active engagement with a PESA Committee is an opportunity for professionals at all levels to show leadership, network with other industry leaders and gain recognition for helping improve the industry. To get involved in a committee, contact PESA VP Strategy & Programs Molly Determan.
