Enterprise Architecture: From Incite comes Insight...

Let’s be clear. Automated pre-assessment tools that deter unqualified candidates from finishing the application process is a good thing! It reduces the amount of time spent on non-value activities.
But if qualified, talented candidates are not finishing the application process because it is too lengthy or they don’t see a compelling value proposition, your strategic, well placed recruitment media, sourcing, and SEO strategies were all for naught!

Is it the job of HR to figure out how to exclude people in a culture of diversity and inclusion? One should be scared of recruiting processes that filter for exclusion vs inclusion for selection. If top talent can make or break an organization, how often does HR ever ask itself what are they doing that may be an impediment to recruiting it.

Anyway, in the world of automation whether it is monster.com, dice.com or even LinkedIn, HR needs to look at their processes and make them leaner if they are going to win the battle for talent. It goes without saying that the starting point should be the web site that candidates interact with. Below are a few tips that can make things better:

1. Limit your pre-assessment questions and tools to a few ‘high impact’ questions that eliminate unqualified candidates but are short enough process for your top applicants to finish.
2. Review your application. Are there questions you can eliminate or ask at a later time once the candidate is engaged in the process? Nothing can be more frustrating than a long, laborious application to fill out!
3. Are your job postings and online marketing materials compelling? Is there a strong enough value proposition for the candidate to not only start, but also complete the online application process?
4. For passive candidates, do you provide an online chat feature to allow them to easily gather more information about a position before applying?

Metrics drive the world. If you are experiencing a 30% abandon rate in aggregate, is this good or bad? If your marketing materials aren't compelling and the marketing department focuses on marketing products and services but not talent within the firm, what should you do to influence their approach? Do your job descriptions solely list all of the skills you desire in a candidate and describes the work they will do but doesn't make an emotional connection by describing how they should feel?

There are a lot of questions that HR people should be asking themselves, but aren't. At the end of the day, it is up to HR to also align with the business as IT has a head start and they may not want to be last to the table...