Comments on: We Found Time for Pipeline Building http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/ Recruiting News, Recruiting Events, Recruiting Community, Social Recruiting Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:03:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Andrew Gadomski http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/comment-page-1/#comment-3508 Andrew Gadomski Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:59:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/#comment-3508 Nicely done Tami. Your team has been able to internalize a necessary function for recruiting that has been lost over the past few years. I outlined a couple of tips below on this topic, but first a little background so everyone can starts from the same place: Over the past 2 years we have developed an outsourced model for this activity (called Talent Stream) and do monthly pipelining for a myriad of companies. Each usually get about 10 - 15 prospects a month per function that meet a pretty rigorous requirement, and about 60 - 80 that do not meet the spec. Our clients limit us to only passive prospects (can't be on the boards) Because we are obviously performin an outsourced service, we have rigorous standards to keep thigns going - here are a couple tips for the people wanting to build this internally and keep it up long term: 1. Assign and Train Recruiting Champions. Have recruiting champions in the business or functional areas - these folks are NOT part of the recruiting staff, but leaders in the org. Passive or entrenched prospects need a connection with someone internally longer term in the space they are in. 2. Upper Mgmt Oversight. Have upper management have exposure to the process regularly. Our clients have a monthly review of progress, including reviewing the prospects. They assign mid level managers to reach out to the prospects, develop relationships AND meet with them in person. 3. Passive Recruiting 401. This method is not for everyone, and it can be complex and advanced. Like you said, some prospects don't understand how it works, and some managers also give the puppy dog look. Develop tools, training, and guides for how to recruit passive candidates. We have developed a guide for each client, that is unique to the client, that maps back to their overall strategy, their growth plan, and how to get a prospect excited about a role 18 months from now. 4. Get a PTS. A prospect tracking system. Keep it separate from your ATS. Use excel spreadsheets at the low end, or a system like Jobster if you need something more organized. We don't recommend individual LinkedIn membership (everyone relax - we still think its a great tool) because its actually tied to the login user in many cases. Whatever system you use, make sure if a recruiter leaves, the company's pipeline does not go with them (good rule of thumb in general). 5. Link to Succession. We use tools and special programs to actually do 'external succession planning', but at minimum companies should make the pipelining directly linked to succession, and talent management. How is this tool going to merge with annual and semi-annual reviews? How does management use this tool to make changes to the organization? Again - nicely done Tami, and good luck to all that take it on. Nicely done Tami. Your team has been able to internalize a necessary function for recruiting that has been lost over the past few years.

I outlined a couple of tips below on this topic, but first a little background so everyone can starts from the same place:

Over the past 2 years we have developed an outsourced model for this activity (called Talent Stream) and do monthly pipelining for a myriad of companies. Each usually get about 10 – 15 prospects a month per function that meet a pretty rigorous requirement, and about 60 – 80 that do not meet the spec. Our clients limit us to only passive prospects (can’t be on the boards)

Because we are obviously performin an outsourced service, we have rigorous standards to keep thigns going – here are a couple tips for the people wanting to build this internally and keep it up long term:

1. Assign and Train Recruiting Champions. Have recruiting champions in the business or functional areas – these folks are NOT part of the recruiting staff, but leaders in the org. Passive or entrenched prospects need a connection with someone internally longer term in the space they are in.

2. Upper Mgmt Oversight. Have upper management have exposure to the process regularly. Our clients have a monthly review of progress, including reviewing the prospects. They assign mid level managers to reach out to the prospects, develop relationships AND meet with them in person.

3. Passive Recruiting 401. This method is not for everyone, and it can be complex and advanced. Like you said, some prospects don’t understand how it works, and some managers also give the puppy dog look. Develop tools, training, and guides for how to recruit passive candidates. We have developed a guide for each client, that is unique to the client, that maps back to their overall strategy, their growth plan, and how to get a prospect excited about a role 18 months from now.

4. Get a PTS. A prospect tracking system. Keep it separate from your ATS. Use excel spreadsheets at the low end, or a system like Jobster if you need something more organized. We don’t recommend individual LinkedIn membership (everyone relax – we still think its a great tool) because its actually tied to the login user in many cases. Whatever system you use, make sure if a recruiter leaves, the company’s pipeline does not go with them (good rule of thumb in general).

5. Link to Succession. We use tools and special programs to actually do ‘external succession planning’, but at minimum companies should make the pipelining directly linked to succession, and talent management. How is this tool going to merge with annual and semi-annual reviews? How does management use this tool to make changes to the organization?

Again – nicely done Tami, and good luck to all that take it on.

]]> By: Alison Rezabek http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/comment-page-1/#comment-3459 Alison Rezabek Sat, 09 Feb 2008 03:20:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/#comment-3459 I would be very interested in hearing how recruiters go about keeping passive candidates warm (especially Executive-level talent)... sometimes for months at a time. I would be very interested in hearing how recruiters go about keeping passive candidates warm (especially Executive-level talent)… sometimes for months at a time.

]]> By: Ryan Evans http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/comment-page-1/#comment-3456 Ryan Evans Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:46:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/#comment-3456 Great article Tami! I am relatively new to recruiting but our company is a focused RPO organization- with over 25 years in the staffing industry. The first thing I do every morning is to just spend 5 minutes looking at the articles- and seeing how these postings can assist me in my daily pursuit of this industry. I am also grateful to have two mentors who I can bounce ideas and problems on- and they were the ones who recommended this site- so in addition to the training/mentoring I receive from them and some of the people who write artilces on ERE this is invaluable to me. I look forward to reading all the articles and discussion points and one day being able to post a response to others who may just be starting out! Again, I want to thank each of you for your help. Great article Tami! I am relatively new to recruiting but our company is a focused RPO organization- with over 25 years in the staffing industry. The first thing I do every morning is to just spend 5 minutes looking at the articles- and seeing how these postings can assist me in my daily pursuit of this industry. I am also grateful to have two mentors who I can bounce ideas and problems on- and they were the ones who recommended this site- so in addition to the training/mentoring I receive from them and some of the people who write artilces on ERE this is invaluable to me.

I look forward to reading all the articles and discussion points and one day being able to post a response to others who may just be starting out! Again, I want to thank each of you for your help.

]]> By: Jeremy Langhans http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/comment-page-1/#comment-3453 Jeremy Langhans Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:39:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/#comment-3453 ....i just sent your article to the Pipeline Tiger Team here at Cisco. THX Jer ….i just sent your article to the Pipeline Tiger Team here at Cisco.

THX
Jer

]]> By: Amybeth Hale http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/comment-page-1/#comment-3450 Amybeth Hale Wed, 06 Feb 2008 01:00:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2008/02/06/we-found-time-for-pipeline-building/#comment-3450 Tami, this article presents a lot of great ideas. May I suggest though that all these things can be accomplished by bringing on a dedicated sourcer or a researcher? Recruiters at most companies already have more on their plates than they can handle, so to most staffing managers, the idea of taking even one off their current jobs is frightening as most are already stretched too thin! It might be more cost efficient to budget for a person who specializes in these types of activities. Reading through the list of suggestions you make, almost all of those activities are things that I currently do at my company, and almost all the sourcers and researchers that I know do for their companies. The benefit of having one person (or more, depending on your needs) on staff doing these types of strategic outreach is that they can build that pipleline for the entire recruiting practice, and do so on an ongoing basis. There are two of us at Waggener; our research and sourcing styles differ a little and as a result we both do very well with our networking outreach. This covers our entire team's needs and develops the talent pool you speak of, but not just one month at a time! Of course I may be biased, but I think budgeting for a sourcer or researcher to be a permanent part of your recruiting team is a good investment. I do appreciate you putting this idea out there. I would be impressed by and applaud any company bold enough to allow its recruiters time away from their open positions to fully pursue this strategy! :) As you state that you have found the ability to do so at Brown Shoe Co., I offer my congrats and admiration to you! Tami, this article presents a lot of great ideas. May I suggest though that all these things can be accomplished by bringing on a dedicated sourcer or a researcher? Recruiters at most companies already have more on their plates than they can handle, so to most staffing managers, the idea of taking even one off their current jobs is frightening as most are already stretched too thin! It might be more cost efficient to budget for a person who specializes in these types of activities. Reading through the list of suggestions you make, almost all of those activities are things that I currently do at my company, and almost all the sourcers and researchers that I know do for their companies. The benefit of having one person (or more, depending on your needs) on staff doing these types of strategic outreach is that they can build that pipleline for the entire recruiting practice, and do so on an ongoing basis. There are two of us at Waggener; our research and sourcing styles differ a little and as a result we both do very well with our networking outreach. This covers our entire team’s needs and develops the talent pool you speak of, but not just one month at a time! Of course I may be biased, but I think budgeting for a sourcer or researcher to be a permanent part of your recruiting team is a good investment.

I do appreciate you putting this idea out there. I would be impressed by and applaud any company bold enough to allow its recruiters time away from their open positions to fully pursue this strategy! :) As you state that you have found the ability to do so at Brown Shoe Co., I offer my congrats and admiration to you!

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