Ranger Recruiting II: Coordination

Ranger Recruiting II: Coordination
By Peter Weddle

This column is the latest in an ongoing series called Ranger Recruiting. Rangers are the elite of America's fighting forces. Their motto says it all: Rangers lead the way. What does that have to do with recruiting? The tactics and strategies that Rangers use to accomplish their missions on the battlefield can be equally as effective in helping recruiters win the War for the Best Talent. This column explains how.

The dictionary defines coordination as "harmonious adjustment or interaction." In recruiting as well as combat, it is the key to ensuring that an organization composed of numerous different individuals or groups brings all of those individuals and groups effectively and efficiently to bear in accomplishing its objective.

For example, every employer has at least two individuals in every recruiting assignment: the recruiter and the hiring manager. Obviously, the better their coordination, the more successful the recruiting operation will be. Depending on its size, however, an employer may also have some or all of the following groups and individuals:

• Other sourcers and recruiters on staff,
• Contract sourcers and recruiters,
• An employee referral program,
• A corporate alumni program,
• A social media coordinator, and
• A team of campus recruiters.

In today's high pressure operating environment, it's equally as important that they too are included in the recruiting effort.

Though working on other assignments, internal and contract sourcers and recruiters may have seen viable prospects among the individuals they've uncovered and evaluated. Similarly, the employees in an ERP and the former employees in an alumni program can identify potential applicants that even the best of sourcers and recruiters may miss. And, social media and campus recruiters can tap into networks off and on campus that can uncover even the most hidden of candidates.

That will only happen, however, if the recruiting team has a culture of coordination. How is such a culture installed?

An organization achieves coordination and promotes its optimum performance through two activities: information sharing and the clear assignment of responsibilities. Those steps ensure that a recruiting team doesn't underperform – take longer than necessary to fill an opening – or, worse, fail to perform – leave a position vacant or fill it with a "C" level candidate – simply because it did not bring together and focus all of its assets.

The Building Blocks of Coordination

Information sharing and the clear assignment of responsibilities are the building blocks of effective coordination. They are the core competencies that integrate coordination into an organization's culture.

Information Sharing

Information sharing has never been harder than in today's frenetically paced workplace. We are all moving at breakneck speed, so the time required to keep others informed about new recruiting assignments seems counterproductive or at least a luxury we can ill afford. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. Speed doesn't ensure success, maximum effort does. And, maximum effort can only be achieved if everyone is working with the same information.

No less important, we can use technology to disseminate that information more easily. Instead of meeting with various individuals and groups one after another, use Skype or an internal social networking site or even an old fashioned teleconference to get the job done. The key is to prepare properly so that everyone feels as if the information is exchanged in a concise and useful way.

Clear Assignment of Responsibilities

Clearly, the lead responsibility for any given opening is the recruiter to whom it is assigned. Within a culture of coordination, however, everyone else in the organization also has responsibilities.

Other recruiters and sourcers, for example, may search their own databases or informal "cache" of candidates. Social media coordinators and campus recruiters may tap their own networks and those among other appropriate groups, faculty and staff. And, employee referral program managers may get the word out to the organization's entire workforce or to the subset of those who work in a position similar to the opening. The key is to establish deadlines so that everyone's actions are timely and to say "thank you" for their efforts once they're completed.

In the fog of war, broad-based coordination is a vital component of victory. That's true in actual combat and in the battle for the best talent. For that reason, Rangers work hard to instill such a culture in their units and recruiters would benefit from doing so, as well.

Thanks for reading,
Peter
Visit me at Weddles.com

Peter Weddle is the author of over two dozen employment-related books, including the recently released blockbuster The Career Activist Republic and Work Strong, Your Personal Career Fitness System, one of the most innovative career success books in print. Both are available at Amazon.com.

© Copyright 2010 WEDDLE's LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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