Your recruiting technology partners hate requests for proposals (RFPs). That’s hate with a capital H. Many recruiting leaders also don’t particularly care for them. Yet I’ve also heard from a few folks who are happy with RFPs because an upfront investment might lead to a better product selection.
In larger organizations, RFPs are driven by procurement departments with at least some power over the corporate checkbook. In smaller companies where procurement departments aren’t driving the process, an RFP might be an attempt at trying to mature a process that might have led to some bad investments.
Unfortunately, findings from Aptitude Research show that talent acquisition professionals are left out of influencing most talent acquisition technology decisions. That leaves decisions that can make or break how TA departments run in the hands of people who don’t fundamentally understand what recruiters need.
It’s a recipe for a disaster.
This cold reality might suggest talent acquisition leaders should do anything to avoid going to RFP.
But can you go around your procurement department? Can you throw a fit over an RFP you’re not involved in? Can you hack an RFP to get your way? Yes, of course.
You also risk valuable political capital if things don’t turn out the way you want. We know whose side the CFO will go with, right? How many heads of talent acquisition who burn bridges with the person redlining the annual budget are ultimately successful? That number is pretty close to zero.
So, if blowing up RFPs isn’t in the cards, what is?
A good RFP process can be incredibly helpful for organizations, even with the protestations of vendor partners who’d rather you just choose them based on their charm. A good process prioritizes the things that will make a difference for your organization and bring into sharp clarity exactly what you need. Here’s how you can make it work for you:
Most importantly, an RFP should be reflective of your strategy as a recruiting organization, not of someone outside it — be it a vendor or a procurement lead. Determine your strategy, build your team, think about key criteria and priorities, and then go out and see what can serve your needs.
When you make the RFP work for you, you’ll be less likely to have to settle for lousy recruiting technology. And that’s good for everyone — even procurement.
Want more insights on RFPs for recruiting tech? At ERE Digital, April 6-7, Lance and a panel of TA professionals will be sharing concrete insights during a discussion titled “The End of Inferior Recruiting Tech Begins With a Superior Request for Proposal.” Learn more and register at www.ererecruitingconference.com.