Recruitment process review and transformation

Context

A talent acquisition challenge.  Senior Leader recruitment was resource hungry, slow and surrounded by “urban myths”.  Some third-party search firms believed they knew better than this (public sector) client about their needs.  Skill levels varied which resulted in poorly written adverts, unwieldy interview questions and poorly tracked data e.g. D,E & I.  The candidate journey was often unclear at the outset and the process “evolved” with ad loc elements added.

My brief

“Work your magic Heather and sort this out quickly please.  We need your expertise”.

Solution

I recommended (and delivered) a 12-week review which included early implementation of my recommendations once agreed by the client (within the time limit).  There was little time for tortuous review and lengthy debate.  The review relied heavily on colleagues, as much as “open and honest” disclosure / discussion.  There was an urgent need to map the process both in terms of how it was and how it should be, along with roles and accountabilities.  I contracted to create a legacy of learning, a series of “how to” guides and a comprehensive toolkit.

The Outcomes

·       Fit for purpose process improvements, reduced costs, greater diversity (all participants)

·       Updated process maps, quality reference materials and “How To” guides

·       Improved collaboration with suppliers and candidates – fewer process surprises

·       Quality learning materials for interviewers (as well as an “off the shelf” workshop design)

·       Access to a bank of realistic questions / presentation topics

·       Speedier turnaround on requests for data and analysis enabled problem resolution at pace

·       A new cohort of talented leaders hired