When you’re in the telecom contracting business, or any business that deploys field technicians, your core product is having your technicians in the field. If they aren’t working, you aren’t billing. And in many cases you are still paying for them for their time even when they aren’t out billing for theirs. What’s worse, the major telecom companies no longer want just one contracting company filling their field tech roles, there is too much risk. They want a panel of contracting companies competing for those few openings that come available.
As a result, hiring can’t be an after thought. It is after all your core product. If you need to visualize your company manufacturing technicians then do it! Whatever you need to do in order to prioritize building a hiring machine for your organization, you need to do it.
When working with Kennard Associates we go through a comprehensive process to solution for all the areas of a highly effective hiring machine that consistently delivers top applicants:
- Clear Job Description: A well-defined job description outlines the role’s responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations. It should provide a clear picture of what the company is looking for in an ideal candidate. If you think this is a no-brainer, do you remember the job description for the job you currently have?
- Effective Job Posting: The job posting should be compelling, well-written, and posted on relevant job boards, company websites, and social media channels to attract a diverse pool of qualified candidates.
- Strategic Sourcing: Utilize various sourcing strategies, such as employee referrals, recruiting agencies, job boards, and social networking, to reach a broad range of potential candidates.
- Screening and Resume Review: Implement an initial screening process to evaluate resumes and applications, looking for qualifications, skills, and experience that align with the job requirements. This often means training your screeners.
- Structured Interviews: Conduct structured interviews that include a set of consistent questions for all candidates. This approach helps assess their qualifications objectively and allows for fair comparisons.
- Skills and Aptitude Assessments: Administer skills assessments or aptitude tests to evaluate specific technical or soft skills required for the role. These assessments provide a more accurate evaluation of candidates’ capabilities.
- Behavioral Assessments: Use behavioral interview questions to gain insights into candidates’ problem-solving abilities, work ethic, and cultural fit within the organization.
- Reference Checks: Verify candidates’ employment history and qualifications through reference checks. This step helps confirm the accuracy of their claims and provides insights into their past performance.
- Cultural Fit Assessment: Assess a candidate’s alignment with the company’s values, culture, and mission to ensure they will be a good fit within the organization.
- Diversity and Inclusion Considerations: Promote diversity and inclusion by actively seeking candidates from various backgrounds and demographics, fostering a more inclusive and innovative work environment.
- Candidate Experience: Provide a positive and professional candidate experience, including timely communication, transparency about the hiring process, and feedback to unsuccessful candidates.
- Streamlined Decision-Making: Ensure a streamlined decision-making process by involving only essential stakeholders and establishing clear criteria for candidate evaluation.
- Competitive Compensation Package: Offer a competitive compensation package that reflects the market rate and the candidate’s qualifications and experience.
- Professional Development Opportunities: Highlight professional growth and development opportunities within the organization to attract candidates seeking long-term career advancement.
- Feedback Loop: Continuously gather feedback from hiring managers and candidates to identify areas for improvement in the hiring process and make necessary adjustments.
- Regular Training: Train hiring managers and interviewers on best practices in interviewing, evaluating candidates, and promoting diversity and inclusion.
- Data-Driven Approach: Use data and analytics to track the performance of the hiring process, including time-to-fill, candidate conversion rates, and the quality of hires, and make data-informed improvements.
- Candidate Relationship Management: Maintain relationships with top candidates who may not be immediately selected for a role, as they may be suitable for future positions.
- Legal Compliance: Ensure that the hiring process complies with all relevant labor laws and regulations to avoid legal issues.
- Continuous Improvement: Regularly review and refine the hiring process to adapt to changing needs, incorporate industry best practices, and stay competitive in attracting top talent.
By incorporating these elements into the build of your hiring machine, our clients consistently identify and attract high-quality candidates who are a strong fit for your company and its culture.